Tail Spinner lures/jigs for ice fishing...
While there isn't a demand for it and I've been experimenting hacked up lures for a long time. There is just something about being a different kind of presentation. There's two concepts that I have in mind. First is that the tail spinning lures are primarily a yoyo jigging type of lure and the blade is meant to put out a lot of vibration and water displacement power presentation. The second concept that I have in mind is that the tail spinner to merely be a small flicker presentation better for finesse. There are merits to both style and choosing the right presentation is on par with the right jigging method. Then there are various designs and methods one can choose to employ for working these lures.
While the basics of the the design is a weight and a spinning blade, the tail spinner lures have always appear to me as a hybrid of a jigging version of a trolling spinner rig. Unlike an inline spinner where the spinning blades are in front of the weight, the weight being forwarded allows the lure to dive with the blades in motion. How does this apply to ice fishing? Due to the ice fishing hole keeping the lure in a vertical jigging motion, this often yields the result of a tangled line mess. It's the whole balance of the lure and the biggest culprit is the spinning blade is too much. The first solution is to change out the spinner blade, but that does mean that one is changing the original manufacture intent of the lure. There are some where changing out the blade is impossible as that is how the manufacture assembled the lure in that manner. So that leaves the solution of using a stiff leader to connect to the lure to prevent the blade from fouling up the line. The method is adapted from trolling lures. To adapt it further is to use a metal wire/leader.
The compact trolling rig harness that has a weight forward of the spinning blade performs well to stay deep while allowing the blade to vibrate. While in the form of a tail spinner that smaller blade acting more like a flicker spinning blade suits far better for ice fishing. Unlike trolling rig harness where the line tie is still at the front of the rig, a tail spinner has the line tie on the top to give it the horizontal presentation. Mepps used to make a compact trolling rig harness. It essentially looked like a round jig head with a clevis and spinner then finally attached an Aberdeen hook to. Removing that large Aberdeen hook and put a smaller hook and it's becomes a tail spinning rig adapted to vertical ice fishing.
In recent years, there's an emerging selection of lures that functions as tail spinner. Several years back Sebile had made a Spin Shad tail spinner. Quite a heavy weight lure in two sizes of 3/4 oz and 1/1/2 oz with a very high price tag. While it was intended for a bass lure, it had a lot of potential for a variety of other fishing. The design of this one particular lure was for casting distance and retrieve. While compared to a Manns's Little George or Revenge Tail Spinners, the line tie is on top and the lure have a better vertical presentation. Recently Jackall Deracoup Tail Spinner debut with three sizes 1/2 oz. 3/4 oz. and 1 oz. versions. Just released is the Lunkerhunt Big Eye Tail Spin Jig similar to the Jackall. However unlike the Jackall where there is some shrink wrap on part of the swivel tail connection, the Lunkerhunt has a strait solid metal to bearing swivel. Plus they have some glow paint versions and half the price of Jackall. The Lunkerhunt comes in three smaller sizes of 1/4 oz., 3/8 oz., and 1/2 oz. versions. Lunkerhunt also adapted on of their other jigs, the Natural Hatch series and added a tail spinning blade in place of the tail treble. That is a heavy lure at 1 oz. Major Craft USA just released Jigpara Spin 5/8 oz. and Jigpara Micro version of 1/4 oz. weights. The 1/4 oz. weight has a very promising profile for ice fishing at just a hair over 1" in lure body.
While there isn't a real dedicated tail spinner for ice fishing, the attachment of a tail kicker or small blade to that of Jigging spoons has existed for some time. Belly spin jigs like the Blakemore Roadrunner has also existed for some time. A spinning blade attached to the hook shank of a jig like the Gapen Spin-Bee has also been around. With Rapala/VMC pushing their bladed hybrid treble hook, the potential is just opening. Any lure treble can be suddenly replaced and become a tail spinning lure.
