Rooster Tail Guide

A Rooster Tail is an inline spinner with a spinning blade, weighted body, and a hackle tail skirt. It's one of the most versatile lures in fishing — it catches bass, trout, walleye, pike, and panfish. Rooster tails come in sizes from 1/16 oz to 1/2 oz and a wide range of colors. The spinning blade creates flash and vibration, while the hackle tail provides lifelike action.

Cast out and retrieve at a steady pace. Vary speed to find what works: slow for cold water, fast for warm water. You can also twitch the rod tip during the retrieve to make the blade flutter. Rooster tails work at any depth — count down to reach deeper fish. The key is maintaining a steady retrieve so the blade spins consistently.

Use a 6'6"-7' light or medium-light spinning rod. Line: 4-8 lb monofilament or fluorocarbon. Rooster tails are light lures — heavy line reduces casting distance and lure action. A spinning reel (1000-2500 size) handles Rooster tails well. For larger sizes (1/4 oz+), a medium rod works better.

Rooster tails work year-round for multiple species. For bass: spring and fall around shallow cover. For trout: year-round in streams and lakes. For walleye: spring and fall along drop-offs. For panfish: year-round in ponds and lakes. The versatility of Rooster tails makes them effective in almost any situation.

White or silver for clear water and shad-feeding fish. Chartreuse for stained water. Brown or olive for trout in streams. Black for low light conditions. Rainbow trout pattern for panfish. Match the local baitfish: if fish are eating shad, use white/silver. If eating insects, use brown/olive.