Rvrfshr Hootchie Whirlers

[Todd]

This is a copy of a post I put on PP a while ago...Fast Eddy asked me to copy it over here for the Notebook crowd, which seemed like a good idea to me since it's that time of year again...

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First, I start out with Sampo swivels...I take off the stock metal rings, and put on split rings...here's all the parts:

 


In the next pic you can see the spinners sans hooks, and the hooks on the Sampo swivels...



The next pic shows the hootchies on the hooks...I open up the nose of the hootchie just enough to get the head of the Sampo through it, then put on the other split ring...




Put the split ring on the tail of the spinner, and you're good to go...



Today's selection...



The Sampo swivel? Yeah...probably not required, but here's why I use it...

Rvrfshr spinners don't really have rotating shafts...all well-built spinners ought not, and since Joe designed 'em and I built 'em, well, they don't spin  The swivel actually allows the hootchie to flap around and twist around behind the spinner rather nicely.

It also helps with one other thing...I mostly fish with barbless hooks, and with no barb and the dang hootchie covering up part of the hook, I find that the swivel helps keep the hook jammed in the chops of a death-rolling silver better...

For steelhead in the summer I'm a big fan of the "toss it up, drag it down" type of spinner fishing...the exact opposite is employed for coho...

I'll typically toss it straight across, or downstream to about 45 degrees, and then reel it as it swings...but I only reel it just enough to keep the blade barely turning, which is an easy deal with a size 5 Rvrfshr...they spin nice and slowly.

Next steps include the fish hammering it, me setting the hook, and then playing the fish...hopefully resulting in a large two-tone hooknose in the box about five minutes later!

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That being said...I wouldn't bother...they don't really work, anyway








Mean ol' kings don't like 'em much, either...



And just in case you forgot it was there, here's a little video that Brian made a while ago showing how to put the spinners together first:

http://steelheadnotebook.net/forum/index.php/topic,547.0/p,11.html

Ed, feel free to move this into the tips forum, if you want, but I thoughtmore folks would see it here, so I put it here first.

Fish on...

Todd

[Fast- eddy]

Thanks Todd ! I will leave it on the main fishing forum for a while then eventually move it to the tip and tutorial section. Check it out guys,a simple yet effective way to enhance your rvrwrlrs...
On another note,Joe/Todd have you restocked your # 5 silver rvrwrlrs yet?

[Todd]

Ed, all the spinners are on the site...the only one that isn't up yet is a new one, the #2 silver, which ought to be up this week...

Fish on...

Todd

[Todd]

On another note...

Since writing up that tutorial, I started using rubber squid, similar to B-2's, rather than hootchies when fishing froggy and/or dirty water, and the success rate went up measurably.

They make the lure move slower, and provide a bigger profile in the water when necessary.



I'm thinking about securing a bulk load of rubber squid like that to make available as a seasonal item...would folks be interested in something like that?

Fish on...

Todd

[Fast- eddy]

I think some of the Folks would be interested.

[SciGuy]

I like the use of a ball bearing swivel (rather that the barrel swivel that I've bee using) on the hook...great idea.

[Steelie Maniac]

I have got to get me some!!!! Never have gotten a legal coho!!!! 

[BigCohoTom]

Thanks Todd.  I'll have to give it a try.

[queets guy]

Todd, where do you get your different selections of lure tape? 

[Downtown]

Hey Todd,
I fish in the Mid - west and find your hootchie spinner to be most interesting. I know where to get the spinner components but would you be so kind as to reveal where the hootchies can be purchased. I'd just love to show some of my buddies this approach. Thanks in advance!!

[Todd]

Downtown, I replied to your PM.

It looks like I might have secured a load of the rubber squid like the one on the spinner in my last pic above...if it works out and I can swing it quickly enough, they'll be for sale on our website at a very good price!

Fish on...

Todd

[riverwader]

Great post Todd....I made something similar for the pinks in the sound, but never thought of trying it in the river for coho. I have now made up some and will give it a try. Thank you

[queets guy]

The magic rvr hootchie spinners accounted for a couple of my hook ups today, the tentacles give off such good action....I dont get how coho can stand them.  I tried attaching hootchies to some of my 50/50s today and even they had great action in the water, rivers a little too low for them though now.  Fish saw it and they spooked.

[BradA]

Always good to see Bret getting to land a fish or two! Can't wait to get on that river. I like the idea of the B2s if we ever get some rain to dirty things up a bit.

[DuckHunter77]

i found one of these set ups down at curley creek