Rotating plugs have been a salmon fishing staple in the Pacific Northwest for many years. It took some time, but this unique trolling presentation is gaining a foothold in the Great Lakes, but now it's being widely used there, as well.

Rotating plugs such as the Yakima Bait Spin N Fish are designed to replicate the action of a cut herring or alewife spinning in the water. The Spin N Fish is unique in that the two-piece design allows the hollow center of the bait to be stuffed with cut bait, canned tuna, scent products such as Pro Cure Super Gel or a mixture of the above.

The combination of the spinning plug, flash and fish attracting scent stream in the water becomes a one – two punch for chinook and coho salmon who simply can’t resist this knock out presentation.

ROTATING FLASHER RIGGING

The Spin N Fish was designed to function best when fished in combination with paddle style rotating flashers. Rotators create lots of fish attracting flash in the water. The further behind the boat these flashers are fished, the wider the rotation they generate.

The factory supplied leader on the Spin N Fish is attached directly to the back of the flasher. By shortening the leader between the flasher and the Spin N Fish, anglers can make subtle changes to the action. A shorter leader creates a more snappy action while a longer leader generates a slower and more subdued action.

This rig can be presented a number of different ways including using downriggers, diving planers and sinking lines such as lead core, stranded copper wire or weighted stainless steel wire.

USING CUSTOM LEADERS

The Spin N Fish comes with a factory rigged 30 pound test leader for convenience. Custom tying leaders on lighter and heavier fluorocarbon line is an easy way to liven up the action or dull the action down as conditions dictate. Using a lighter 20 pound test leader will increase the rotation speed and action. Going with a heavier 40 pound test leader will create a more subdued action that often works well on lethargic fish.

SPIN N FISH SIZES

The SpinFish comes in four different sizes including a 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 4.0 version. For chinook and coho salmon in the Great Lakes the 3.0 and 4.0 sizes are the most popular. One of the best ways to store Spin N Fish is to wrap the leader around foam boards that fit perfectly into deep utility style tackle boxes. A dozen or more rigs can be stored on one board and two boards fit nicely into a deep utility box.

TROLLING SPEEDS

Spin N Fish can be trolled at a host of speeds making this presentation ideal for mixing with other popular trolling gear such as wobbling plugs, spoons, rotator/fly combinations and meat rigs. Some of the best success with Spin N Fish comes at speeds ranging from 2.0 to 2.5 MPH.

COLORS

Spin N Fish comes in dozens of fish catching colors designed especially to trigger strikes from salmon. Some of the top chinook colors include Double Trouble, Silver Feeder and Silver Firetiger. Coho salmon tend to favor the more gaudy colors including Silver Clown Shoes, Silver Egg Fluorescent and Chartreuse Monkey Pickles.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Because the scent chamber in the Spin N Fish is large, these rotating plugs generate a long lasting scent stream in the water. It’s best to replace the cut bait, canned tuna or paste scent about every 30 to 40 minutes. A small bottle brush and a little soapy water does a good job of cleaning out the Spin N Fish after using them and before they are stored; https://www.yakimabait.com.