Clarify for me fishing a "spoon"

[pauldconyers 42]

I read or hear about guys graphing a group of fish down deep and throwing a "spoon" and getting the school all fired up and catching 30 fish. I run into fish down there like that and would like to give it a go. What are some specific examples of spoons to look at and at what size? What is the ideal rod/reel/line for this presentation?

[jimmyjoe 152]

  Try this:  https://www.bassmaster.com/tips/modifying-spoon

[Mobasser 777]

You could also do a Google search on jigging spoons. Most have a single treble hook, and are fished vertically in deeper water. There are different sizes and styles. Basically, the spoon is dropped over the boat and jigged up and down. Expect the strikes to come on the fall, and strikes can be light.

[Bluebasser86 23,703]

I like a Bink's or War Eagle, something in the 1/2 to 1oz size range. Ice jigs like a Jigging Rap are really good too. Finding the right spoon is only half the battle, after the fish are found, then you have to find the right jigging action. Sometimes it's sharp snaps, sometimes it's deadsticking which I call the "spinning spoon" retrieve. It's a great way to get deep fish to bite though.

[WRB 11,264]

You could also do a BR site search on "structure spoons", 7 pages to read.

Tom

[Catt 16,025]

One can do the same thing with deep diving crankbaits 😉

[NYWayfarer 2,425]

19 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I like a Bink's or War Eagle, something in the 1/2 to 1oz size range. Ice jigs like a Jigging Rap are really good too. Finding the right spoon is only half the battle, after the fish are found, then you have to find the right jigging action. Sometimes it's sharp snaps, sometimes it's deadsticking which I call the "spinning spoon" retrieve. It's a great way to get deep fish to bite though.

 

Great advice.

 

I like to lift the spoon above the school and let it flutter down into them method. Kastmaster, Phoebe and Johnson Silver Minnows are my spoons of choice for this method.

[BassWhole! 2,254]

Vertical jigging is one of my favorite ways to catch fish. I don't get a chance to do it much here for LMB, but where ever the opportunity arises, I'm doing it. Ironically, one of my favorite sticks for this (inshore salt and fresh) is an old Quantum flipping stick. My favorite spoons are the Hopkins shorty and the Mr Champ (like a KastMaster) in addition to the ones actually shaped like a spoon. Depth and current dictate the choice.

[Jig Man 512]

9 hours ago, Catt said:

One can do the same thing with deep diving crankbaits 😉

I am intrigued Catt.  Can you elaborate on this.  Most of my spoon jigging is done 40+ feet deep.

[J Francho 14,663]

1 minute ago, Jig Man said:

I am intrigued Catt.  Can you elaborate on this.  Most of my spoon jigging is done 40+ feet deep.

I don't know what Catt's answer will be, but I've added a pegged bullet weight before the crankbait, right at the bill.  Use enough to Make it sink.  Cast out, count to depth, and use a subtle pump-reel retrieve.  It's called "jacking a crankbait."  I read about it years ago on a Japanese site.  It's not much fun, but works.

[Catt 16,025]

1 hour ago, Jig Man said:

I am intrigued Catt.  Can you elaborate on this.  Most of my spoon jigging is done 40+ feet deep.

 

There's crankbaits that run 25-30' 😉

 

Ya pick off one or two & then switch to something lake a Carolina Rig & pick off a couple more.

 

Kinda like what Paul Elias did on Falcon 

[pauldconyers 42]

If I wanted to buy a few are there a specific makes and models you'd point me to? If LMB are the desired target is there a size I should stick to?

[Jig Man 512]

1 hour ago, pauldconyers said:

If I wanted to buy a few are there a specific makes and models you'd point me to? If LMB are the desired target is there a size I should stick to?

I used Hopkins shorty 75 before I started making my own.

1 hour ago, Catt said:

 

There's crankbaits that run 25-30' 😉

 

Ya pick off one or two & then switch to something lake a Carolina Rig & pick off a couple more.

 

Kinda like what Paul Elias did on Falcon 

Thanks for the information. 

 

We have lots of fish on Table Rock that suspend 40 to 60' deep over 100' of water.  That is summer bread and butter for a lot of guides.  This winter there has been a good bite on heavy jigs and spoons at about 50'.

[Peddiesake 9]

Little Cleo hammered blue and nickel

[BassWhole! 2,254]

15 hours ago, Peddiesake said:

Little Cleo hammered blue and nickel

I read somewhere the Cleo is a salmon spoon.....   

[WRB 11,264]

On January 24, 2019 at 1:33 PM, pauldconyers said:

I read or hear about guys graphing a group of fish down deep and throwing a "spoon" and getting the school all fired up and catching 30 fish. I run into fish down there like that and would like to give it a go. What are some specific examples of spoons to look at and at what size? What is the ideal rod/reel/line for this presentation?

If you have taken the time to read the prior archive threads on the BR site your knowledge should be good regarding "spoons" the oldest lure.

What your specific question was firing up a school of bass throwing a spoon. 

1. The popular term "fired up" meaning the bass see another bass fighting and get exited or "fire up" and the whole group starts feeding needs further discussion.

2. I believe you are referencing big flutter spoons like Nichols and Lake Fork Tackle popularized and Strike King got on the band wagon with. The big flutter spoons 5 1/2" to 8" are designed for bass or stripers feeding on gizzard Shad schools roaming the creek channel edges or ledges. Bass are stationed along the deep break waiting for a Shad school to show up, the big spoon replicates the big Shad.

If your lake has big bait fish then a big flutter spoon may work if the bass are targeting those big bait fish.

Where I fish we have Threadfin Shad about 3" to 5" long so spoons between 3" to 5" are a good choice in sliver pearl white with chartruese highlites work good. The big 5 1/2" to 8" flutter spoons catch occasional LMB, mostly stripers If the lake has stripers.

Firing up a school; over 60 years of bass fishing I have never been able to fire up bass school. I have caught a lot of bass that started actively feeding while I was on the water, those bass would feed if I was there or wasn't, it's all about timing being at the right place at the right. Catching bass can have the opposite affect by shutting down the bite.

Tom

[pauldconyers 42]

I guess I misstated my question. I am talking about pulling up on an area and on my graph seeing bass schooled up say 30 feet down and I want to vertical spoon with some spinning gear for them. I was asking what specific spoons would you guys recommend I check out for that?

[Jig Man 512]

Like I posted earlier, Hopkins Shorty 75.

[jimmyjoe 152]

20 minutes ago, pauldconyers said:

I guess I misstated my question. I am talking about pulling up on an area and on my graph seeing bass schooled up say 30 feet down and I want to vertical spoon with some spinning gear for them. I was asking what specific spoons would you guys recommend I check out for that?

  7/8 oz. Bomber slab spoon.

   3/4 oz. Cotton Cordell CC spoon

   3/4 oz. Acme Kastmaster

   Swedish Pimple (IDK ... maybe 1 oz?)

   Hopkins Shorty

 

   At that depth, the only two things that matter are contrast and displacement. Sound, as in rattles, can work for you or easily work against you. If you want to gamble, that's fine and dandy.  Always us light colors, because even in clear water, light colors give you the contrast at that depth. With all that said and done, I personally would use a 3/4 oz. blade lure, like Steve Day's Elken Zonar, if the spoons didn't work. But that's just me, too. YMMV      jj

[pauldconyers 42]

On 1/26/2019 at 6:46 PM, jimmyjoe said:

  7/8 oz. Bomber slab spoon.

   3/4 oz. Cotton Cordell CC spoon

   3/4 oz. Acme Kastmaster

   Swedish Pimple (IDK ... maybe 1 oz?)

   Hopkins Shorty

 

   At that depth, the only two things that matter are contrast and displacement. Sound, as in rattles, can work for you or easily work against you. If you want to gamble, that's fine and dandy.  Always us light colors, because even in clear water, light colors give you the contrast at that depth. With all that said and done, I personally would use a 3/4 oz. blade lure, like Steve Day's Elken Zonar, if the spoons didn't work. But that's just me, too. YMMV      jj

I was considering the Acme Kastmaster so thank you for recommending a specific size for this! As for a blade bait I was checking out the Binsky blade bait, would you say 3/4 for that as well?

[jimmyjoe 152]

   Yes. The Binsky is very active, and the 3/4 oz. model will do what you need to do at 30 feet. Good luck!    jj

[pauldconyers 42]

I know a lot of times these a kind of baits are used in cold water situations but will they work year round?

[Catt 16,025]

[jimmyjoe 152]

7 hours ago, pauldconyers said:

I know a lot of times these a kind of baits are used in cold water situations but will they work year round?

   As far as I know, yes.     jj

[pauldconyers 42]

I have always wondering why vertical jigging like this is done with spinning tackle and not a bait caster? I find it easier to haul a descent fish from aways down with a more powerful bait cast set up then spinning?