I usually make 2 or 3 bank trips to a smaller lake near my house during the week. For the past 4 trips I've been throwing a beetlespin. These used to be a favorite of mine years ago, but I hadn't fished one in several years. Thanks to a thread we had this spring about spinnerbaits, I got fired up about the old beetlespin, and bought several packs from the local Wal Mart. 82 cents for 2 pack, 2 bodies, 1 jig, and one spinner harness. Through trial and error, I've found the hotspot- just above the weeds, which grow about 3ft from the surface. As long as I can count it down to that depth, and fish it back with a slow steady retrieve, something will hit this bait. So far it's been a mixed bag, bass, bream, and crappie. The 1/4 oz brings more hits from bass, the 1/8 oz more from panfish- with a smaller bass here and there. Best colors have been white/ red dot, orange, and blk/ yellow stripe. This is such a simple, effective lure I don't know why I ever stopped using it. Now, I'm.carrying some Beetlespins on bank and boat trips every time. A great all around fish catcher for sure. Also, I have to say I like this bait for another reason: It was first marketed and sold by fellow Missourian Virgil Ward, one of my early fishing heroes. Anyone else using a Beetle spin this summer?

I am hoping to go fishing tomorrow. If I do I will probably try one. I ordered some this past winter during a sale along with lots of other goodies. If I get to go and use one tomorrow it will be the first time I have ever used a Beetle Spin.

I fished it one day and didnt catch anything. 

I use the salt water version as its bass sized and works well.

I have some and they do work. Usually a dinkfest, but I've caught some nice Bass in the past on them and Roadrunners fishing for Crappie. 

I fish with a modified old style Stanley 1/8 oz spinnerbait, which is functionally the same as a Beetle Spin. I can fill my bathtub and probably catch a couple with it. It catches #s any time of year, and when big fish are on small bait it's killer.

That’s something I have not thrown in a long time. 

Similar to Todd2, I've thrown them for crappie and end up catching some bass. 

I think over my 45 or so years of fishing I have only caught one or two fish on beetle spins. For some reason they just don't work for me.

12 hours ago, scaleface said:

I fished it one day and didnt catch anything. 

Have you given up on them? I know from other threads that you've fished them a lot in the past, and done well. One thing I like about them is their an easy lure to modify. A curly tail grub, or paddletail can work good too.

7 minutes ago, Bankbeater said:

I think over my 45 or so years of fishing I have only caught one or two fish on beetle spins. For some reason they just don't work for me.

This is how the Ned rig is for me. I bought the correct Z man plastics and heads, but I've only caught a couple of fish with it. I've tried all the retrieves that are recommended but it just doesn't seem to work for me. 

Rock Bass love the Beetle Spin. I Catch more of them then panfish and Bass with the Beetle Spin.

 

You can replace the grub body that it comes with. I like Gulp Minnows as a replacement.

19 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

Rock Bass love the Beetle Spin. I Catch more of them then panfish and Bass with the Beetle Spin.

 

You can replace the grub body that it comes with. I like Gulp Minnows as a replacement.

Yeah, big shell crackers too. I like the grub they come with, they look like one of those one eyed minions. I think the no action thing is part of the attraction. 

15 hours ago, Mobasser said:

I usually make 2 or 3 bank trips to a smaller lake near my house during the week. For the past 4 trips I've been throwing a beetlespin. These used to be a favorite of mine years ago, but I hadn't fished one in several years. Thanks to a thread we had this spring about spinnerbaits, I got fired up about the old beetlespin, and bought several packs from the local Wal Mart. 82 cents for 2 pack, 2 bodies, 1 jig, and one spinner harness. Through trial and error, I've found the hotspot- just above the weeds, which grow about 3ft from the surface. As long as I can count it down to that depth, and fish it back with a slow steady retrieve, something will hit this bait. So far it's been a mixed bag, bass, bream, and crappie. The 1/4 oz brings more hits from bass, the 1/8 oz more from panfish- with a smaller bass here and there. Best colors have been white/ red dot, orange, and blk/ yellow stripe. This is such a simple, effective lure I don't know why I ever stopped using it. Now, I'm.carrying some Beetlespins on bank and boat trips every time. A great all around fish catcher for sure. Also, I have to say I like this bait for another reason: It was first marketed and sold by fellow Missourian Virgil Ward, one of my early fishing heroes. Anyone else using a Beetle spin this summer?

For variety you might want to mix in a smaller underspin. 

I normally would throw them with a small curly tail and have gotten many fish. More crappy then bass, but still some bass here and there but nothing over maybe 14-inches. My go to for new people moving away from live bait and bobbers. Easy to learn.

i like beetle spins ... but have better luck with the h&h cajun spins ...

 

 

good fishing ...

The beetlespin is my go to bait when the fishing gets tough. I caught a bunch or 4 and 5 pounders on them during the late winter / early spring period.

It's like a ned rig (before the ned rig) with a small spinner, what's not to love?

 

Just a quick update to my earlier post. I had to wait and go fishing today instead of Thursday. I used a Beetle Spin for a little while. I caught er snagged one little SMB. The hook went in above its right eye and poked out above the left eye. Had one Crappie get off right at the boat on it. That is my experience so far with a Beetle Spin.

I'm almost there with you, but for me it's the Meeney Spin.  It is my go to bait under nearly every condition except very deep water.  I catch everything, from panfish to muskies with them.

1/4 oz with a 3 inch grub.

On 8/1/2019 at 8:29 AM, Mobasser said:

Have you given up on them? I know from other threads that you've fished them a lot in the past, and done well. One thing I like about them is their an easy lure to modify. A curly tail grub, or paddletail can work good too.

I  tried a Beetle Spin   because the fish were not hitting in this particular cove . I noticed the chara algae and had turned brown . I went again last week and saw  the conservation dept   spraying it with something. I hate it when they do that . It affects the bass , makes them sick and skinny . Ticks me off . They use to control the vegetation with sterile grass carp . It worked wonderfully . I dont know why they are not going that route .

On 8/1/2019 at 9:10 PM, FishingGeekTX said:

It's like a ned rig (before the ned rig) with a small spinner, what's not to love?

 

How long before zman comes out with the ned spin?

Ive caught many a RedEye & SmallMouth Bass in creek's for years & Years & Years. Find bait for panfish. All I ever took when I went creek fishing. I love Em.

Years ago, I use to fish a lake in East Texas where a purple 1/4oz. Beetle Spin would flat out catch them!  For some reason I haven't used it much since moving back up north, except to catch bluegill up this way. For panfish 1/8oz. or smaller is what I use.

I realized in my vast amount of tackle I don't even own a beetle spin.  I had some years ago but they rusted in my box so I threw them out

“The Beetle Spin (www.johnsonfishing.com), which catches all species of fish, is my survival lure. I always carry a number of these small-and-compact lures with me. Beetle Spins catch numbers of bass, particularly big bass. My favorite color Beetle Spin is white with a red dot that I fish on spinning tackle on either 6- or 8-pound-test line."

 

Gary Klein