I’d be willing to guess that there aren’t many anglers today under the age of 40 who can tell me they’ve actually seen a Shannon Twin Spin let alone caught a bass on one. I‘d be willing to go even further and bet they’ve never thrown any sort of true twin spin, Shannon or otherwise.
This is the crazy thing about this sport – and one of the things that I love about it. You never have to delve that deep back in the history until you find something that was an absolute bass crusher yet is relatively unknown today. The Shannon Twin Spin is one of those baits.
The ad featured in this little piece is from a 1968 Sports Afield magazine, a place where most anglers throughout the U.S. at the time got their fishing information. Remember, B.A.S.S. had just been started that year and Bassmaster Magazine was also in its first year.
In this ad, Shannon Lures is showing off their two different baits, the original Twin Spinner and the Pork Twin. I’ve never seen the Pork Twin in person and am a little confused what made it especially suited for pork. I caught plenty of fish on the original with pork.
The Shannon is one of those lure stories that makes one wonder why it was taken out of production and why no one has caught on to its effectiveness since. I know of only two companies that makes a twin spin, Stanley Jigs and McCoy, and maybe that’s why you hear nothing about anyone catching fish on it these days. People probably don’t know they exist.
I can see it now. In a couple years or so some pro is going to whack a bunch of fish on it and keep it a secret. Then said pro will get caught on some basscam and the word will be out – again. Then the company and pro will go public with the “new hot lure” you just gotta have. Mark my words.
Past Reader Comments:
Steve Siemion: Once my favorite lure, caught lots of great bass in the early 70’s. Haven’t found any for sale since. Favorite color; black. Deadly on hesitation retrieve; bass couldn’t resist this lure as it fluttered downward.
Paul Wallace: Gopher Tackle still makes the hinged twin spin. Kind of like the old Bass Buster hinged twin spin from the 70’s?? I’ve got some Shannons in my antique stuff, but actually used the Bass Buster with the plastic yellow/black skirt. Back in the day.
Bruce W: Good timing on this article, I bought a tackle box at a garage sale 2 weeks ago. It had 11 wooden lures with glass eyes, which may be old, also it had 4 Shannon Twin Spins, with some hair still on them, but very brittle, probably 1/8 to maybe 1/4 oz. in weight, it was nice to learn something about them.
Terry to Bruce W: Great find Bruce! Thanks for the kind words!
RichZ: The Pork Twin was actually a nicer bait than the original, in my opinion. I could feel the blades a lot more. The hair was tied with a big bulb behind it so it stood way out — I guess to make the trailer more visible, but it ‘pulsed’ a lot more on the retrieve. The Pork Twin was a better ‘flutter’ bait on the rock bluffs of the two highland type reservoirs I fished religiously in the late sixties, early 70s. But once I discovered the Tarantula, it became my flutter bait of choice, and the Shannons kind of fell into disuse.
I did have a twin spin resurgence in the 80s and early 90s though. Bomber made a decent twin spin, and Mann’s had one I really liked.
Terry to RichZ: I’ll take your word for it Rich, on the Pork Twin. Kind of makes sense the way you explain it.
