A flashy bait lands with a barely audible plip. Immediately, its turning blade flickers and pulses through the shadows of rock and root, creating a blurred illusion. Minnow? Perch? No time for questions by Mr. Smallmouth. He's got it!

Savvy stream smallmouth anglers have long recognized the appeal of in-line spinners like the Mepps, Blue Fox, and Abu Reflex to sight-feeding predators. Of course, this illusion of blurred spinning blades fools trout across the country. Muskies, pike, and panfish, too. But today, too many bassers look to fancier and more modern lures.

FLASHBACK
The straight-shaft spinner was invented by a Frenchman named Andre Muelnart in 1938. His company became Manufacturier D'Engins De Precision Pour Sportive, or M. E. P. P. S for short. A soldier who traded nylons for fishing lures brought home a boxful and gave some to his fishing buddy, Todd Sheldon. Not immediately impressed, Sheldon begrudgingly tried the lure in the early 1950s, and it went into production soon after. The rest is history, as Sheldon's has sold some 400 million Mepps spinners.

THE PROOF'S IN THE PRESENTATION
One intriguing aspect of the in-line spinner is its ability to hover. Its spinning blade provides resistance that keeps the lure from sinking too fast. This attribute is a big plus in the light to moderate current that many smallmouths call home.

One of the most effective techniques is “the sweep.” To execute this maneuver, cast straight across current or slightly downstream, hold the rod tip low, and let the current sweep the lure downstream in a big arc. A low rod tip puts more line on the water, which allows the current to sweep the lure along. Reel just enough to keep the bait off the bottom to avoid snags. Because its blades turn with the slightest pull, the spinner pulses across the stream to pull fish from behind boulders, eddies, or brushy snags.

In-line spinners remain an overlooked yet effective option for bass in current.

Match the lure's blade size and weight to the current speed and depth you're fishing. Strikes may come at any point in the sweep, particularly as the spinner makes a sharp turn at the end of the downstream drift. A curious following bass will attack suddenly as the spinner begins to rise.

BLADE STYLES
Experiment, too, with blade styles. Cupped Colorado blades exert maximum pull and ride highest in the water column. Narrow willowleaf blades run deepest and can be deadly in deep holes with slack current. Narrower blades spin faster, but produce less “thump,” which can be an important attractor, particularly in murkier streams.

For intermediate conditions, try French blades, such as the original Mepps, Indiana blades, or recent developments such as Oklahoma and turtle-back blades. Blade color is another option, with copper, silver, and gold the most common metallic hues. Today, Mepps and other models also are available in countless painted colors. Painted blades flash less but create more underwater contrast. They can be particularly effective during low-light conditions or in murkier water.

In-line spinners offer other advantages, too. Easy to tote in a vest or small box, they're a favorite of wading anglers. With a single treble hook, bass are easy to release. Some anglers further ease the process by pinching down the barbs, so that a quick turn with a pliers will release the fish in the water. A long, medium-power spinning rod keeps steady pressure on surging bass, allowing for landing the largest fish.