I fished rivers like the Wolf in northern Mississippi quite a bit using
spinnerbaits, and I found them to be very effective. Especially when runoff
had muddied the streams, going with a 3/8 ounce, black spinnerbait with a
larger Colorado blade seemed to attract more attention than soft plastics or
the usual lighter-colored lures.

In one creek that flowed into Arkabutla Reservoir near Coldwater, MI, there
were scooped-out holes and pools in the creek bends. In the colder months a
heavy 5/8-ounce, short-arm spinnerbait (red or lead head, chartreuse, with a
single Colorado blade) was deadly when it was dragged/hopped from shallow
down into deeper water around cypress trees, laydowns, and log jams. This
was not unlike a jig presentation, and it was critical that the lure be
fished as slowly as you could stand it.

Bob Rickard has described to me several times the years he spent fishing the
Gasconade and other crystal-clear rivers of Missouri, where spinnerbaits
were very productive. In fact, it was for river fishing that he came up with
his own lure design, which combined the snag-resistant qualities of a
safety-pin spinnerbait, but with the sound of an inline spinner.

For fishing current, I would recommend that you start with downsized
spinnerbaits -- 1/8 or 3/16-ounce usually, with smaller Indiana blades. Look
for structure that breaks the current, and run the lures alongside lay-downs
and log jams, as you might on a lake. Where the current sweeping around an
obstruction is strong enough to carry the lure back under a log (where you
risk getting hung up), it's probably too strong for a bass to be sitting
right in the flow; however, just in front of and behind the log or rock
there should be calm water where the bass wait for prey to be swept past.

Throwing upstream and keeping the bait moving faster than the current works
well at the head of pools, where rapids hit still water. Many times, though,
you can position yourself upstream, cast downstream, and very slowly work
the bait back up toward you. You may notice that minnows usually are fairly
still in the water, all facing upstream. Try to mimic that. The current will
give the bait lift and keep the blades spinning. You can swim it up to a
promising target and then just hold it still for fifteen or twenty seconds
while any bass in the area home in on the flash and throb of the blades.
Gently lift and lower the bait, to simulate a minnow holding it's position
against the current.

One other thing.... Mike Downs had an interesting day of spinnerbait river
fishing on the upper peninsula of Michigan that he recounted at
http://secretweaponlures.com/01081601.htm.

Joe
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www.secretweaponlures.com
First real spinnerbait change in 50 years!
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"big fish 2003" wrote in message
...
I know it's winter but I need to talk about fishing. I fish rivers alot
up here in Michigan and have yet to use a spinnerbait, I don't recall
ever seeing anyone around here use one, most people use tubes, senko,
and jig & pig. How many of you use spinners and how good are they in
rivers?