Johnson's Silver Minnow

[Solo]

The lake where I keep my boat is very weedy and I've been using Johnson Silver Minnows rigged with a twin tail grub. Don't hear much about these lures anymore, but I think they're great. Anybody out there still use them?

[The Next KVD]

U know, i completely forgot the Silver Minnow. Since u brought it up u reminded me of all the fish I use to catch on that thing, especially the gold plated ones.

[FatBoy]

I read an article about the silver minnow somewhere recently, so I picked one up last time I was a bass pro.  I haven't had a chance to try it out yet.   I'd love to hear any hints/tips from y'all.

[Guest avid]

Anyone NOT fishing the silver minnow (comes in alot of colors) in weedy conditions, is missing out on alot of quality fish.

single tail or double tail or the classic #11 uncle josh pork frog.  This lure just plum gets em in the grass.  Has for years.

[Catt]

One of the best baits for bass & bull reds all along the gulf coast  

[Garnet]

Thread your curly tail on so it up on the curve of your hook. Makes the minnow wobble wider and slower.

Garnet

[3125gauge]

I use a silver minnow anytime there is vegetation that comes within 1 foot of the surface like coontail or millfoil.  I put a white fluke on the silver minnow and a green pumpkin fluke on the gold minnow.  I have caught alot of bass doing this after I got stomped at a tournament and found out what the winners where doing.  They told me about the fluke and minnow and I have fished it every time I encounter this kind of cover.

[Guest avid]

I never would have thought of a fluke.

Now, your talking the regular or the super fluke?

also are you threading the bait on, or just hooking it through the head.

sounds like a winner.

thanks

avid.

[Davis]

I have one but I really haven't given it a fair shake yet.

Casts a mile I know that.

What are you guys doing on your retrieves and whats the best way to set the hook when its WAY out there.

[3125gauge]

Avid I thread the hook on to where the hook starts to bend.  If I where holding the silver minnow in my hand I want the fluke to be riding with the tail slightly up and the nose down.  I retreive it with a jerk and pause if vegetation is scattered or a little deeper than a foot under the surface.  Or I just reel it in like a spinnerbait.

[3125gauge]

Also I use both the fluke and the super fluke depending on how high I want the spoon to ride.

[Matt Fly]

I have one but I really haven't given it a fair shake yet.

Casts a mile I know that.

What are you guys doing on your retrieves and whats the best way to set the hook when its WAY out there.

Davis, Some people miss the boat on spoons, this time of the year, alot of guys are already using the spoon in 30 feet of water for deep suspending bass.

We fish them verically, straight up and down. Always notice what you are doing with any bait when you get bit, its the tell tale sign or keys to unlocking what or how they want that particular bait presented.

Some times its just hanging over the side with hardly any action, some days, its dropped to the bottom, let set for a few seconds, and then ripped up, to flutter back down. Many of ways to work a spoon. Hits are normally on the fall. One known little secret on Fork that don't get alot of mention.

Sometimes a spoon that gets ripped off bottom will start a mass feeding frenzy within a school that wasn't active. Then other baits can be dropped down, such as flukes, dropshot rigs.

Bites vary with the mood of the fish. I have seen rods ripped out of hands, and have seen line swimming off with heavy feeling. AS with most treble hook, the fish will hook themselves alot.

Also, i like the cheaper treble hooks.      With quality hooks, and trebles, your gonna get hung fishing larger trees or deep stumps vertically. Quality hooks are a pain to get unhung unless you send a lure retreiver after them, thus the cheaper hook will give and bend with good line.      Simply re-bend your hooks and keep jigging.

Open water winter time, fish are mostly suspended in the water column, I will stick to quality hooks for open water. And I'll fish larger spoons on some days and very small spoons on other days, again, the fish dictate what they want.

Tail kickers, little georges, and such are very good schooling and vertical lures to use anytime fish are deeper.

hookem

Matt

[.ghoti.]

I've been using the Johnson minnow for years. I seem to forget about it for longs stretches, and then dig one out and catch fish. You'd think I'd be smart enough to remember this thing, but apparently I'm not.

I used to use a pork trailer; the bass strip from Uncle Josh. This was a flat strip of pork, about 4'" long, 1/2" wide and 1/16" thick. Lots of wavy action behind the spoon. I haven't seen these for sale anywhere for years, but I haven't really looked for them. I started using grubs and stuck with them. I like the Fluke idea. Thanks, I'll be trying that out.

Weeds are always a good place to toss a Silver Minnow. A steep bank or bluff is also a good place to try. Toss it up shallow and  twitch it back, letting it flutter down the steep bank.

Cheers,

GK

[Davis]

I fish from the shore mostly so vertical jigging is out for me.

But I do have some Uncle Josh rinds that I will throw on the backs of it.

Definately will give it a whirl at some point.