I understand what ya'll are saying and pointing out. Where we fish these big pike and when may help you see that I do not really see any significance as to which side of the arm the loop goes. We fish
a large shallow, sandy flat on the Mississippi River's Lake Pepin that top out at about six feet of water with some current, but not a lot. The flat is maybe two city blocks long and a city block from shore outward towards the main channel. At the furthest upstream point of this flat a feeder creek spills out. The creek is spring fed and largely dependent on current rainfall as well Around mid-June, depending a lot on the spring melt and annual high-water events, these sandy flats begin to warm and as they do, the submerged grasses begin to grow. This grass at its fullest height does not stick up out of the water but the tips will lay flat on it. It takes until almost July in a normal year to top out.
The current in the river pulls the cooler spring water from the feeder out into the flat which draws a ton of forage. The forage draws huge pike, many in the 44 to 45 inch range. The pike love to lurk in the patchy areas of grass while its still less than half the way to the surface in growth. From the grass these big pike will literally clear they air as they attack forage in leaps that sometimes are 8 feet in length. Its awesome to see these suckers attack with so much energy.
I don't worry about weeds because these big pike are targeting forage that hoovers well above the weed cap and just under the surface. This is where we keep the spinners working. No weeds. We want a lot of commotion hence the large blades. Secondarily, it doesn't pay to fret over where that loop is going because these spinners will have about a 2-3 fish lifespan if they aren't bit off before that. We use light, 20 pound , Titanium, leaders ahead of the spinners but occasionally a pike will bit one off. These big pike will bend a spinner beyond re-straightening in a blink, so not I really could give a rip which direction that loop for the spinner goes and to be pointed, I've never had a spinner ripped off I have had spinner blade bent though.
The orange/black combo has been one of the best big pike colors for me, along with white and white/chartreuse. Big blades on all of the baits and a trailer hook. Smaller pike seem to leave these bigger baits alone. Muskie sized baits don't get bit, too large. Every large spinner in this size range I make I water test before bagging as a bait to be certain things work. And these do so no, I am not worried about which direction the loop goes. My smaller spinners I do as Jim does but not as precise.
