Vertical Spinning with Metal Lures

Mention spinning and most lure fishermen immediately picture lures working in a horizontal plane. Vertical presentations are usually regarded as the realm of jigging. Vertical spinning is a hybrid of traditional horizontal spinning and deep water jigging.

The origins of the technique are uncertain, but it first gained attention twenty years ago in central Queensland, where it was used to catch big Spanish mackerel on offshore reefs. The lures for those Spaniards were fairly hefty chunks of metal, up to 100 grams or so.

Species that respond to vertical spinning

Since the concept became widely known it has been adapted to a host of different species in locations right around the country. In Queensland it has been very successfully adapted for most of the mackerel species, especially Spanish and school mackerel. It is also deadly on many of the trevally clan: giants, goldens, bludgers and bigeyes. Other tropical sportfish that like it include queenfish, amberjack and cobia.

In more southern climes likely captures are any of the traditional spinning targets like tailor, salmon, silver trevally and, the most esteemed of them all, yellowtail kingfish. All of these species, and numerous incidentals, have been caught on Lazers in varying sizes.

Where to vertical spin

Vertical spinning is a shallow offshore technique, most often used in depths from about 15 to 30 metres. Anywhere predatory fish hunt is a likely location. Around the rocky shoreline of the southern coast, where the bottom drops away steeply, and around rocky islands are top spots for kingfish and silver trevally. The drop-offs around reef complexes are excellent for Spanish mackerel, giant and bludger trevally, and where there is a strong tidal flow, queenfish as well. Queenies seem to revel in fast moving water.

How to do it

Select your lure according to the depth of water, current flow and likely species. The author most often uses 35 gram, 50 gram or 70 gram Lazers for species ranging from kingfish and trevally to amberjack, mackerel and queenfish.

1. 1Position the boat slightly up current of the target area.
2. 2Drop the Lazer to the bottom in freefall.
3. 3As soon as it touches down, retrieve as fast as you can wind the reel handle. You cannot wind so fast that a pelagic predator can’t catch it.

School mackerel and amberjack will often hit the lure as soon as it starts moving up from the bottom. Queenfish, spotted mackerel and, in some situations, yellowtail kingfish tend to hit much closer to the surface, sometimes in full view. Fast retrieves give the appearance of a fleeing baitfish, triggering the chase response in most predators. Jigged Lazers catch many reef species, but high-speed vertical spinning is aimed purely at pelagic hunters.

Tackle

Equipment needs to be sturdy to cope with prolonged tussles with large, fast fish. Large saltwater threadline reels or high speed overheads should be mounted on rods that will take a knock without damage. It is common for amberjack or kingfish to pull the rod down so violently that it hits the gunwale, so there is no room for thin-walled high modulus graphite here.

The lures need to take a hard knock too. In almost 20 years of using Lazers to catch thousands of sport and gamefish, the author has never had one fail. Hook eyelets and towing eyelets simply do not pull out of these tooth proof lures.

Colour

Lure colour can make the world of difference on fussy fish. Different species have different preferences, so it pays to carry a range. Mackerel often favour silver, chrome or pearl, but the red head model has also had great success. Amberjack have shown a preference for pink, and some of the trevallies often climb all over green.

Finding fish

A sounder is essential in many subtropical locations where fish are thinly distributed and pinpoint boat positioning is necessary. Once fish are showing on the sounder, the lures can go over the side with a good chance of success. Maintain contact with the lure while it sinks: school mackerel have a nasty habit of hitting Lazers while they flutter down, and with slack line you will often be bitten off before you know you had a strike.

There are plenty of permanent fish attracting areas where those without a sounder can still score. Most large bays and harbours have navigation markers that attract fish, and substantial structures close to deep water, like the big pylon types, are often best. Kingfish, amberjack, school mackerel and several species of trevally are particularly attracted to channel markers. Whether you fish Sydney Harbour, Port Phillip Bay, Moreton Bay, Townsville Harbour, Weipa, Darwin Harbour or any other major port, you will find plenty of action vertical spinning with Lazers.