Lure of the Month: Fin Spin
by Terry Madewell
Fishermen need an edge when seeking a crappie’s attention and the eye-catching magnetism of a small spinner in late-summer and fall can provide that advantage.
A great way to jumpstart a crappie’s predator instinct is with Crappie Magnet’s Fin-Spin series of lures and that’s why it is Crappie NOW’s September, 2023, Lure of the Month.
Jeff Smith, owner of Crappie Magnet Lures said the original design of the lure was to produce an under-spin lure with a willow blade that turns at a very slow speed.
“The Fin-Spin works great when retrieved as slow a 0.3 miles per hour (mph),” Smith said. “With the blade turning at slow speeds, anglers can employ an ultra-slow retrieve when required, with the added attraction of a flashing spinner. The speed-control and flash combination can produce on tough days when other patterns don’t.”
“The cupped head creates a unique sound and the often-erratic water displacement enables the lure to literally dart and wobble erratically, creating perfect lure action for triggering a reactive bite.” ~ Jeff Smith, Crappie Magnet Owner
“The origin of the Fin Spin lure actually comes from our Trout Magnet line,” Smith said. “We learned from years of success that the Shad Dart design in Trout Magnet lures was extremely productive, and is one of the top lures we sold. We developed a lure specifically for crappie-catching and it performed exactly how we’d hoped.”
CrappieNOW Editor and crappie fishing guide, Capt. Richard Simms, has long been a huge fan of Fin Spins when longline trolling for pre-spawn crappie. (Photo: Ed McCoy)
Crappie Magnet Prostaffer Les Smith with a true slab taken on the Fin Spin. (Photo courtesy Jeff Smith)
In addition to the easy-turning spinner, another feature of the lure is the shad dart profile of the head that produces an attractive profile to crappie, with the bonus of unique water displacement. Smith said the cupped design at the front of the shad dart forces more water onto the blade than a regular head, creating water displacement enabling the spinner to flash at slow speeds.
“The cupped head creates a unique sound and the often-erratic water displacement enabling the lure to literally dart and wobble erratically, creating perfect lure action for triggering a reactive bite,” Smith said. “Simply speed up the retrieve and it’s great for an active fish bite. It’s the best of both worlds for crappie fishermen.”
Smith said the entire lineup of Fin Spins products enable anglers to deploy many different tactics to cope with speed and depth requirements.
“One method where these lures excel is a technique that employs pushing multiple lures out the front of the boat at slow speeds, known as spider rigging,” Smith said. “Because the lure spins at a slow speed, it’s an ideal opportunity to add flash as a crappie attractor.
“The wobble the lure generates makes it ideal for longlining, another favorite technique of crappie anglers” he said. “By employing different Fin Spin models anglers can also use the lure for cast and retrieve techniques.”
Fishermen can pair plastic body profiles from the Crappie Magnet line, such as the Crappie Magnet or Slab Curly, while testing various color patterns, to complement the Fin Spin.
Check out the how-to video of the Fin Spin with Jeff Smith to better understand the basic techniques for getting positive results from the any of the Fin Spin series.
Crappie fishermen get excited about having options to help discover the crappie-fishing pattern for any given day. The Fin Spin assortment provides plenty of opportunities for us to learn the right patterns, while enjoying fishing and fish-catching, during the fish-finding process.
Terry Madewell of Ridgeway, S.C. has been an outdoor communicator for more than 45 years. He holds a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Management and has a long career as a professional wildlife biologist/natural resources manager. He’s passionate about sharing outdoor adventures with others.
