Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should I use a snap swivel or tie Double Loons directly to my line?

Answer: I always use a snap swivel. It makes for easier and quicker changes of spinners and in the event that you speed up when trolling, the line is less likely to twist.

Q: Is there a difference between black and 'steel grey' swivels?

Answer: Definitely there is a difference. Although black is 'way cooler', and far more popular, the way to spook fewer fish is to use steel coloured snap swivels. If you hold a black swivel up to a blue or gray sky there is a significant profile. A steel grey swivel has much less presence and is less likely to be a factor.

Q: Many Pacific coast fishermen use 'Single Siwash' hooks. Why?

Answer: I am certain that single hooked spinners catch more fish than spinners with treble hooks especially on the larger rivers of the Pacific coast. I have found that by using 'Single Siwash' hooks I lose more fish, but I also catch more fish because I hook into more fish. I lose fewer spinners as well when using single hooks. I cast into the nastiest looking brushy stuff and usually get my spinner back. In this way I can repeatedly get to where the fish are hiding.
Unfortunately though, Double Loons only come with trebles because that's what sells. On the pacific coast however, most fishermen carry open eye Single Siwash hooks and replace the trebles when they think it necessary. Get some Single Siwash hooks and experiment. Having said all that, remember; there are no absolutes in fishing!

Q: Is it best to walk up stream or down stream when river fishing?

Answer: I like to walk upstream. You won't send any river bottom muck in the direction you are walking when walking upstream and the downstream walk back to your starting point with the current pushing you will be easier. In addition, up stream casts are easier when upstream is the direction that you are walking. However, walking downstream will also produce fish. Let your own personal experiences guide you. Remember; there are no absolutes in fishing!

Q: Should I tip my Double Loon with bait?

Answer: Yikes! I never do and I catch lots of trout. Walleye fishermen cannot resist the temptation to tip the hook with bait. If you are a trout fisherman and you believe in your abilities, you will find that tipping a Double Loon is a waste of good bait. However, when using the other brands of spinners, bait may help. But don't forget: there are no absolutes in fishing!

Q: Are all trout the same?

Answer: All trout are not the same. However, all trout and fish in general share common behavior patterns. Fish for all 'river fish' in the same way you would fish for rainbow trout or salmon. I have found that when fishing in current, most fish, regardless of species, react in a similar way. I make no distinction between rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon, king salmon, or the many other salmon/trout species
Brown trout are mostly nocturnal and more difficult to catch between dawn and dusk. They feed all through the night and will be less likely to strike in the morning. These same brown trout are a better target in the early evening. Although, if there is a grey morning sky, or if has rained through the night they will be easier to trick in the morning. Make sure you are aware of the local conditions before you set out. Some days it is better to stay in bed! I know of some brown trout fishermen who will only fish by the dark of the moon and that is only 4 days in a month. Of course you can fish for them at any time because as I often say, "there are no absolutes in fishing".

Q: Why are Brown Trout easier to catch after a rainy night?

Answer: Cloudy morning skies and stained water, due to run off, give brown trout some degree of safety. Insects and even small rodents will have been washed into the water. Brown trout under these conditions will be on the hunt. You should be too.
But don't forget; there are no absolutes in fishing!

Q: What time of day is best for rainbow trout fishing?

Answer: Many people believe that dawn is best. While this is generally true, fishing later in the morning will also produce. In early spring, if the water temperature is warmer than the air temperature, I turn around and go back to bed. I wait until the air temperature has warmed up over the water temperature. After the air temperature has warmed up higher than the water temperature I will then go fishing. In the early spring, the temperature during the night will sometimes fall below freezing making it colder than the water. As the morning sun warms the air it triggers insect life, which in turn triggers aquatic life, which in turn gets the trout started, which gets me up and out. Go out early if you must, but remember those mornings when nobody caught anything until nine or ten o'clock? If you've ever wondered why, well, now you know.
And remember; there are no absolutes in fishing!

Q: What are the best trout catching colours?

Answer: Rainbow trout, steelhead and salmon have colour preferences tied to water temperature. Simply put, the colder the water the brighter the colour/finish, or the warmer the water the darker the colour/finish. Brown trout seem to like the gold/orange/red combinations all the time (Double Loon 'Orange Lady Bug' or 'Red Lady Bug'). Freshly stocked hatchery rainbow trout will hit chartreuse/orange ( Double Loon 'Clown' Pattern) at any time of day. Wild rainbow trout follow the colour/temperature rules more strictly. They are much harder to trick than a freshly stocked hatchery fish. In the summer months, rivers with higher temperatures dictate the use of smaller darker colour/finishes for rainbow trout. Look at what they eat in the summer. Mostly its bugs and they are usually dark. But remember; there are no absolutes in fishing!

Q: Are trout really line shy?

Answer: My personal experience shows that trout are not line shy, at least not when it comes to using spinners. Float and fly fishermen would probably argue that light line is the key for them.
In some cases light line is the only thing that makes a differences but I find that to be the exception when fishing with Double Loon spinners. I have hooked into many large fish in clear water when using line that is 10 lb. or greater. I fish with more confidence knowing that I am using heavier line. Also, trout that you intend to release have a better survival rate if you use heavier line. You play them less and land them quicker.
When trolling for lake trout or rainbow trout I use line that is a little lighter (6 to 8 lb.) because there is less chance of the fish running the line over rough submerged structure and breaking you off. Line that has a smaller diameter allows the spinner better movement. Using lighter line takes a little more experience. Use whatever suits you best or what ever the conditions dictate. You can always change.
Remember; there are no absolutes in fishing!

Q: How do you suggest rigging my line when trolling for lake trout?

Answer: I always use a snap swivel. Changing as you go is simple this way and I don't believe that it spooks fish. If I need to get my spinner down deeper I will use a leader that has a keel sinker or a small casting spoon with hooks removed, 24 to 36 inches ahead of the Double Loon. By not using a larger spinner I can make a proper presentation. The proper presentation is to have the spinner moving parallel to the surface of the water. If you increase the spinner size, the added weight will cause it to spin on an angle and that will make it more difficult to catch fish. By using different size keel sinkers or spoons 24 to 36 inches ahead of the spinner you can change the trolling depth as needed. Many size 2 spinners have taken monster fish this way.

Q: Do Double Loon spinners catch warm water fish species, such as Snook, Tarpon, Bonefish, Permit, Sea Trout or Redfish?

Answer: You bet they do. I have caught many fish in the Gulf of Mexico using Double Loon spinners. Make sure that you wash your hardware thoroughly as the salt will take its toll. I sight fish for 'Bones' by casting ahead of the school, letting the spinner drop to the sand and then hopping it while turning the handle. This gives the spinner the action I look for and ultimately results in lots of strikes.
While sailing to The Canary Islands 200 miles off the coast of Morocco I hooked into a (small) yellowtail tuna using a Double Loon. I was using only a hand line. Wow!

Q; What other species of fish will Double Loon spinners catch?

Answer: All fish species will strike a Double Loon spinner. There have been tiger fish taken on the Zambesi River in Zimbabwe, grayling and char in the Arctic, monster musky and northern pike in Eastern Canada, striped bass in Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, large king salmon in Alaska as well as beramundi in Australia. Photos from the Snowy Mountains of Australia show catches of rainbow trout as well as brown trout and rainbows in Argentina, New Zealand and even Panama. I have taken large steelhead up to 20 lbs. and Smallmouth Bass in the Niagara River up to 24 inches. If it swims it will hit the Double Loon. No matter what your target, be ready for violent strikes!

Q; Why do Double Loon spinners catch so many fish?

Answer: Double Loon spinners irritate fish. Fish will hit a Double Loon spinner when they're not feeding. It's a genetic response thing. They can't help it. The thumping pulse of the slowly spinning blade annoys them. They want to kill it. I have seen fish hit a Double Loon spinner after passing up other popular spinners as well as live bait. They work.

Q: Do Double Loons come in size o's or oo's.

Answer: No, I have not found a good reason to make itsy bitsy tiny spinners. I remember catching many 5 inch bass on 5 inch body baits and 30 lb. chinook salmon on tiny flies. I believe that the size of the fish should be second to the depth of the water you are fishing. In other words it should be the depth that determines the size of the spinner and not the size of the fish you are targeting. Putting the spinner where the fish can see it (in their face), will produce for you and that takes the correct weight. If you are using large spinners for large Salmon or Steelhead but they are in very shallow water you will lose many spinners before catching anything. If you use the correct size Double Loon you will have it in their face but it won't be too heavy so that you risk losing spinners with every cast.

Q: Why does Double Loon place the coloured tape on the underside of the spinner blade?

Answer: Salmon, trout and char, will follow a spinner and strike it from behind. Double Loon places the coloured tape on the underside of the spinner blade because that is where fish see it. Colour does get their attention and putting the tape in this position increases the chances of strikes from behind. Double Loon was the first commercially made spinner to do this.

Q: You say Double Loon will "cast farther, sink faster, and stay down longer. Why?

Answer: Double Loons are heavier than the industry standard for their size. When in-line spinners were first designed they were made for brown trout on small streams in France. Back then no one could foresee casting in-line spinners into large fast flowing rivers, or casting from drift boats, or from docks on quiet lakes. No one realized how versatile a spinner could be. When the opportunity to design a spinner for a wider variety of conditions and an even wider variety of species arose, Double Loon filled that void. It had never been done before. Fishing had changed over the years, but the in-line spinner had not. Double Loon was the first to recognize that it had and made heavier spinners.

Q: Does the "instant spin" attributed to Double Loon really make a difference?

Answer: Yes it does. Knowing that the instant you turn the handle on your reel, the Double Loon spinner, no matter how far it is from you, is spinning, should give you the confidence you need to resist giving the spinner a yank to get the blade started. If you have to yank back on the rod to start the blade spinning you will disqualify any fish that are near that spinner. All that yanking back will spook trout and you will never really know why you aren't catching fish. The blade spin on the Double Loon is not only instant but very slow and puts out a heavy thump. This slow heavy continuous thump annoys fish and makes them attack when they are not feeding. It really does work!

Q: Double Loon puts tubing over the hook shank on its larger spinners. Why?

Answer: Double Loon uses surgical latex tubing on its sizes 3, 4 and 5. The tubing not only acts as a strike target but serves to hold the hook 'up' in a neutrally buoyant position. This makes for better hook sets.
In the smaller sizes (1 and 2) the hooks come dressed. The feeling here is that the small sizes will be used primarily as trout spinners. The hand tied VMC super sharp 'conecut' hooks really make a difference.

Q:  How would you suggest using a Double Loon when trolling for Walleye?

Answer:  The Double Loon should be trolled parallel to the surface no matter what depth you are fishing. In order to do this it is important that your boat speed is sufficient enough to get the spinner to move parallel to the surface.  If slow boat speed is key you can get the spinner to the desired depth and present it properly (parallel) by using a trolling keel 24 to 30 inches in front of it. In this way the line from surface to the keel might be on an angle (because of the slow speed) but the line from the keel to the spinner will be parallel to the surface and therefore be properly presented. You will miss fewer fish if the spinner spins on the right angle (parallel to the surface).

Q. Should I tip the Double Loon with bait when trolling for Walleye?

Answer:   For walleye, adding bait can make a difference. I tie a stinger hook to the treble. In this way my spinner acts like a worm harness and the trailing bait is sometimes irresistible to walleye. Using a Double Loon instead of a worm harness has advantages. It is ‘tied’ on wire and therefore will not wear out like a conventional worm harness tied on mono. Unlike a worm harness the Double Loon even with the trailing stinger can be cast. Having the option of casting gives you an addition to your arsenal and comes in handy when jigs aren’t getting it done. This method is especially effective when casting to walleye that are feeding along weed lines in the early morning or evening.