Using spinners for salmon is a technique not many people use. However when done properly the take can be arm jerking.
Pink salmon readily take spinners, especially when they are feeling aggressive or the water is colored up.
Like any other salmon river fishing technique the key is getting your gear near the bottom. So the spinners we use tend to be fairly heavy.
The general technique is to cast out across the current. Let the spinner sink close to bottom. Then reel in just slow enough to have the blade spin.
Many salmon spinners use large blades which let you feel them go “thump thump”, as well as attract fish.
Having pink in the spinner is pretty much a given. For different water conditions you can change up the size of the spinner, and material the blade is made of (to control the reflectiveness).
Here are 2 examples. The one on the right is a Blue Fox Vibrex spinner. The one on the left is a rvrfshr (I think).
For more information on pink salmon fishing – rigs, techniques and locations – check out the Pink Salmon page.