Spoons - can someone do a how-to article

[frugalangler]

I have always read spoons work but have tried to use them and had zilch!

Anyone care to share their success techniuqes!

[Dougw]

I have zero confidence in spoons. If deep spooning is the only way to catch fish on any particular day - I'm gettin' skunked! Tried it a couple of times and I swear I could hear the fish gigglin' and saying amongst themselves "What's that fool tryin' to do?"

[lilmule]

Ive had better success in rivers than in lakes but they work in both.
Lot of it depends upon the species one is fishing for,walleye,sauger ,require merely a yo yo up and down just off the bottom,when one raises the rod they are just on there.
A simple lil pipe lure works,take a 3/8 chrome plumbing pipe(commode supply line) pinch one end shut ,fill with something like bird shot,pinch other end shut drill two holes attach hooks to one end via a split ring.Daredevils will work,but the flat hopkins spoon works even better,can be yo yoed for walleye or run at any depth for other species.
Example cast it out hold rod tip high reel fast its a top water bait below dams in current ,stripers love it,bass as well hit them to some degree.
There are times when bass will just follow them in as they attract them with their wobble ,but also many times thats all they do watch and follow to the boat.
A johnson silver minnow weedless does that a lot if used in open water,if worked just above a weedline it can be an arm jerker.
Along the same lines a silver buddy can be used in the same manner all except on top and all species will hit it almost.

[RedAllison]

Spoons are starting to show themselves as truly universal and season long baits. Times past they were only for winter bass and schooling fish. Now more and more people are throwing them at EVERYTHING except perhaps spring time fish deep in the brush.

I admit I haven't given them the fair shake they deserve, especially the BIG spoons some guys are really catching big sacks with on the ledges her on the TN River lakes in the summer time. That's something I might have to give a shot at next summer.

About THE best way I've seen to really and thoroughly learn a new bait is to hire a guide on a prime lake during prime time for whatever bait it is you are wanting to learn. A day or two of "basic training" like that will save you YEARS of learning on your own. All it takes is a day or two of catching fish on a new bait to give you confidence as well.

Before a couple of years ago I was reluctant to try a variant of spoons known as the infamous "Silver Buddy" of smallmouth master Billy Westmorland fame. I grew up watching him do it on TV and always wanted to try it but I was never around anyone who did so I never bothered. Then back in February 2007 our first club tourney of the year was at Wilson Lake below Pickwick and it was 27 degrees and snowing that morning at blast-off. My partner had been on the lake once and I had NEVER been on it.

He pulled some Silver Buddy copies out and pointed across the lake at a steep bank and said, "Head the Allison that way." By 9 that morning we were culling and easily won the tournament that day. I've LOVED them since and have the utmost in confidence in them as well.

I did nearly the same thing with the shakey head a few years ago, one good trip and now I love them as well. I typically like ANY successful tactic and consider myself a versatile fisherman. But I admit I can't get into drop shotting!!!

:wallbash:
RA

[jkk]

Never caught anything on a spoon but not sure about the proper technique to use any advise for using them in lakes?

[Dougw]

Locate fish... Note the depth they're holding... If you can see your spoon on your lcd drop it just a tad below the fish. If you can't see the spoon on your lcd have some means of knowing how much line you let out. Or drop it to the bottom and reel up. Then yank/lift(vary it until you get one to bite) at the top of yank/lift then let the spoon flutter down on a semi-tight line(this will keep the hook from getting fouled on the line) the flutter down is when the bite usually comes. Some times ya' feel it... sometimes ya' don't - the spoon just stops falling.

OK - that's what I've been told. I've spooned with guys that have confidence in it and that's what they did. But - I've never even seen a fish caught on a spoon live and in person!

[egreen024]

can't catch bass with them either, I catch a lot of trout!

[Island Breeze]

I've used them quite a bit in the winter I'll see if I can find time this week to write up something.

[Tarheelxrd]

Not I don't even own one