Woodland Posted December 20, 2023 Report Share Posted December 20, 2023 I joined the board some time ago and totally forgot about it. Summers I spend tying flies, winter months I've started to enjoy spinner making. Replacing those Vibrax spinners was getting expensive when I started chasing steelhead in those brushy, woody NW Indiana creeks, so I started making my own. As you can tell by the attached photos, they work. I'm getting ready to start another wave of spinner making this winter, for steelhead and walleye. I have a good fly vise with a rotary function, so I've done my best to make due with it. It does indeed work, however I'd like to make faster, tighter bends, even though the fish don't give a crap. Quality wire formers can get quite expensive, currently eyeing up a used Boggs, awaiting info on the sizing. Can't really justify (in my mind anyways) spending several hundred on a top quality former, perhaps I just need to refine my method with my fly vise... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasilofchrisn Posted December 20, 2023 Report Share Posted December 20, 2023 (edited) A quality wire former will make it so much more enjoyable and your spinners will be of a much better quality. I'm sure glad I bought mine! I have a Hagens, a twistech, and a twistech magnum. The Boggs didn't make my list of wire formers to consider as it was too limiting on size and required buying too many adapters to accomplish what I wanted. I think with all the adapters the Boggs cost more than my twistech. But making your own spinners is a lot of fun. Edited December 20, 2023 by Kasilofchrisn 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Posted December 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 (edited) Score! I managed to find a lightly-used Hagen's wire former along with a nice assortment of spinner-making components for a very good price online, musky head included. I should be set for a while. Edited December 23, 2023 by Woodland 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasilofchrisn Posted December 24, 2023 Report Share Posted December 24, 2023 (edited) Nice! The Hagens is a good unit. I'm guessing you'll be very happy with it and produce professional looking spinners in no time! On top of that you're not limited in length like you would be on the Boggs. Edited December 24, 2023 by Kasilofchrisn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...