The Frog Alternative

[Mobasser]

With large parts of the lakes becoming thick with moss, pads, and other surface weeds many of us start fishing frogs, toads, and rats during the hot summer months. These baits are loads of fun, and at certain times, can catch some good size bass.                          Another alternative to these baits are weedless surface spoons. Some of these spoons have been in production for so long a lot of novice bass fisherman may not even be aware of how deadly they can be on summer bass.                                             I have three that I keep on hand.                                                        1. Johnson Silver Minnow.                                                         2. Heddon Moss Boss.                     3. Johnny O Neil Weed Wing.                                                                The Silver Minnow has been mentioned several times here on BR. Add a skirt or chunk trailer.                                                           The Heddon Moss Boss has been around for decades also. A hard plastic spoon with a skirt attatched. This one rides over moss, pads, and weeds really well.                                                          The O Neil Weed Wing is shaped like the Silver Minnow, but with a small prop in the front. It works best over more sparse cover that won't foul the prop.                       Take a few minutes to sharpen the hook on these spoons. Most of them have a thick heavy hook, and can take a little time to get super sharp.                      I fish all these spoons on an older 8 power Fenwick casting rod, ABU 5500c reel, and Trilene Big Game monofilament line, usually 15lb. These days most guys would insist on braided line for this style of fishing, but I still like my mono the best. So far, in all the years I've thrown these spoons, I've yet to meet a fish I couldn't land.                                                    These weedless spoons can draw solid hard strikes, can cover a good amount of water on every cast, and can be a good alternative on those days when your favourite frog isn't producing over thick weeds.                      For a real classic, productive summer bass lure, rig the Johnson Silver Minnow with a pork rind trailer, get out there at sunup on a hot summer morning, fan cast the entire weed, pad, moss area with the spoon/ pork combo. Be prepared to get bit. It will happen.                                                    Are there any other fans of the weedless surface spoons?  What models do you like. And, do you have any tips or advice you can share here about these baits?

[Smells like fish]

I bought half a dozen of the moss boss when I found Wally with them on clearance once, but I don’t understand how to use them? 

[Mobasser]

19 minutes ago, Smells like fish said:

I bought half a dozen of the moss boss when I found Wally with them on clearance once, but I don’t understand how to use them? 

Take off the snap, and tie direct with a loop knot if you can. They will land on the back, hook facing up. Reel them slowly over any weeds, pausing occasionally. 

[desmobob]

Now that pork trailers have pretty much disappeared, what are favorite trailers for the silver spoon?

[Mobasser]

12 minutes ago, desmobob said:

Now that pork trailers have pretty much disappeared, what are favorite trailers for the silver spoon?

Zoom chunk, rubber skirt tail section of a straight plastic worm. Pork rind baits are back now, but costly.

[roadwarrior]

Eeliminator

https://gamechangerlures.com/

[ironbjorn]

A soft plastic swimbait, fluke, lizard etc drug over the mats elicits epic strikes

[scaleface]

I never fished spoons much . Strike King made a metal one . Norman had/has one with a paddle wheel in the middle . I saw a couple of the Normans at a trading post here recently . I carry a couple of Johnsons but dont remember the last time I tried one .

[Konajon]

I am a fan of salad spoons, I have had very good luck with them. If I am fishing heavy weeds or lilly pads it is the first thing I will throw. 

[Bluebasser86]

A big flipping tube on an EWG hook with no weight is my substitute. It's heavy enough to cast with stout casting gear and dense enough the fish can sense it through light to moderate vegetation. Plus, when you hit an open spot it falls slowly into it and can be walked when you hit open water. 

[Catt]

Tip: Spoons can be fished over matted vegetation 

 

 

[jimmyjoe]

   Spoons are the biggest untapped natural resource a fisherman has. Weedless slop spoons are the mother lode.

 

   The only thing you need to worry about is gluing your fingers together if you follow @Catt's advice!   ???                  jj

[Captain Phil]

Back in the day, weedless spoons were a very common bass bait.  I knew good fishermen who never used anything else.  They could be cast farther, covering more water and fished in heavy topped out cover.  The first such baits were sold by Al Foss.  In the fifties, the Johnson Silver Minnow became popular.  Spinners were added to these baits and buzz baits caught on.  The Weed Wing is still a deadly lure on Everglades bass.  It's lighter than a Johnson spoon and can be fished faster.  As better reels were developed lures got lighter.  It would have been impossible to cast a fluke with one of those old clunky reels.  Any lure that can be fished in heavy cover will catch big fish. 

[TnRiver46]

I’ve only had gar snapping at mine so far but I plan to change it. The h2o express has a significantly sharper hook than the silver minnow 

[river-rat]

 

I've been catching bass on a Johnson Silver Minnow since the mid 60's. It's still one of my most productive lures around heavy vegetation and lily pads.

[scaleface]

I have the Strike King Timber Spoon with the buzzbait attached .

[greentrout]

 

[WRB]

I learned to cast a baitcasting reel and bass fish using a weedless spoon. Arbogast Hawaiian Wiggler #3, 1/2 oz metal spoon similar to Johnson Silver minnow except has a rubber skirt.

The Niemire Red Ripper 1/2 oz weedless spoon in both chrome and gold has a short silicone skirt and a rattle became my favorite the 20 years, well made with sharp hook.

Tom

 

[Captain Phil]

If you are going to try a Johnson's spoon for the first time, sharpen the hook before you use it.  Those hooks are pretty dull when they come out of the box. 

[Eddie101]

On 6/8/2021 at 4:04 PM, roadwarrior said:

Eeliminator

https://gamechangerlures.com/

Dang. These look pretty good, and they might be the answer to all that algae that we have in our local lakes. What size hooks, colors and how do you fish'em, Kent? 3.5 or 4.5?

[Abby]

Just picked up a spoon a couple weeks ago after watching a buddy do well with one.

[roadwarrior]

On 6/11/2021 at 5:29 PM, Eddie101 said:

Dang. These look pretty good, and they might be the answer to all that algae that we have in our local lakes. What size hooks, colors and how do you fish'em, Kent? 3.5 or 4.5?

4/0 weighted hook. Pick your favorite color, I like green pumpkin.  Tick the bottom, but don't

drag the bait.