Geomike Loc: Forest Ranch, CA

Here's another tip to increase your strikes and hook ups. I discovered many years ago that my spinners that had a feather or fur dressing attracted more strikes than the same lure with just bare hooks. I began to experiment with my spinners by clipping off the bare treble hooks and adding a split ring or wire snap so I could change to a dressed hook of my choice or a straight-eyed streamer fly. (Straight-eyes ride better behind a spinner than a down or up turned eye). Again this improved my catch rate.
A flashy tail can attract more bites as proven by professional anglers who add them to their jerk baits and other lures (see the Rapala X-Rap on the lower left of photo). Also many bass lures such as spinner baits, buzz baits and jigs come with plastic or rubber skirts for increased action. They are also effective in salt water applications as shown by the lures along the lower part of the photo.
Some in-line spinners come dressed from the factory or you can purchase them from vendors such as Bass Pro/Cabelas or tie your own. If you want to make your own, you will need a fly tying vise or some tool to securely hold your hooks while you attach your materials. You can purchase used vises on Ebay for about 20 bucks more or less. You will also need some tying thread that comes in many colors. You can find tutorials on fly tying on YouTube and Pinterest. I mostly use buck tail, squirrel tail, rooster hackle and marabou. Also I add synthetic materials such as holo-tinsel and crystal flash for more attraction. These materials reflect light in a very attractive manner and simulate the shiny sides and scales of many bait fish. You can purchase these materials from many fly shops or from other fishing retailers such as Bass Pro/Cabelas. If you are a hunter, you can save materials from the game that you harvest.
Give it a try and see what happens. It will also fill some off-season time or when the weather is too cold or wet for fishing.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Nice lookin bunch of lures.

NJ219bands Loc: New Jersey

Nice 👍

orion72 Loc: Southern Maryland

Nice job on the dressed hooks. I do the same and tie my own. However, I have found that the fish do not always want it that way. Always keep baits without and compare. Not sure why it turns them off sometimes, but it does.

FixorFish Loc: SW Oregon

Good tip and I concur. I almost always have better luck with "a tail" of some sort. Have even run a couple of "experiments" using Panther Martins with and without. Much better hookup ratio with maribou/hair/flash. Plus, with the new water-soluble scents that don't effect the action of maribou etc.(won't mat like oil-based do), adding scent certainly helps as well.
Thanks again for the tips...gonna change out some spinners to clip flies on behind....great thought.

Geomike Loc: Forest Ranch, CA

Good thought and yes I always have some of both so I can match what the fish want on a certain day.
Tight lines!

Geomike Loc: Forest Ranch, CA

Thanks Steve. Hey have you ever tried top water lures when fishing the Napa?
When I lived in the Bay Area and fished the sloughs for striper I usually used Cordell Spots or Bill Lewis Rattle Traps, but on occasions when there was significant surface disturbance I would switch to poppers and walkers like the Zara Spook. I imagine that spinner baits and buzz bait would also work well.
Tight lines!

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Hey buddy. No we usually don't see them bustin up but the next time I do I'ma try a topwater lure for sure.

Geomike Loc: Forest Ranch, CA

OK good luck and tight lines always!