An inline spinner is a piece of metal that spins around a wire shaft as you reel — flash, vibration, and a steady wobble that triggers strikes. Mepps, Panther Martin, Roostertail. They cover a huge range of water and species.
Three things to match to conditions:
- Weight (1/16 to 1/4 oz). Match to depth. 1/16 oz casts short and stays shallow — small creeks. 1/4 oz reaches across a river and gets down 3–6 feet — medium-to-large rivers. Heavier than 1/4 oz starts burying into structure on the retrieve.
- Blade type. Willow (long, narrow) spins fast in slower water; Indiana (oval, medium) is a balanced all-rounder; Colorado (round) creates the most thump and works in cold or stained water.
- Color. Silver / gold / copper for clear water and bright sun. Chartreuse and white for stained water or low light. Match the dominant baitfish if you can see them.
The retrieve: cast across or up-and-across, let it sink for 1–3 seconds, then reel just fast enough to feel the blade thumping through the rod tip. Vary the speed; sometimes a stop-and-go triggers more strikes than a steady wind.
Where to fish them: pool tails, the seam below a riffle, deep slots through a run, undercut banks. The same lies trout hold in for a fly — spin tackle just gets the lure deeper, faster.