Johnson Silver Minnow

[Tokyo Tony]

I really want to start using these lures next year in the slop, but I have a couple questions.

1. Are there any brands out there that make this lure but come with good hooks that don't need to be sharpened continually, and that will not corrode easily?

2. What types of trailers would you suggest?  

- I was thinking the long ones made for spinnerbaits, or perhaps a small SIZMIC toad

3. How about techniques?

- Dragging across slop/pads, letting it flutter down in holes and fluttering down on the edge of pads/slop.

4. Is the hook set the same as with frogs?  Give it a second then rip it?

- I would think you have to give it a second, but since it's a piece of metal, it seems the fish would be more likely to spit it.

5. In what other types of cover would this lure shine?

Do you guys think this is a worthy endeavor, or should I stick with my horny toads?

Thanks, all info greatly appreciated  

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

x2 I need the same info.Can any one help us out? Thanks 8-)

[Catt]

There are numerous name brands out there; I'll check at Academy tomorrow and get back with you.

Trailers; Pork Chunks, spinner bait skirts, any type of plastic curl tail

Techniques; You pretty much nailed it

Hook set; Hesitate until you feel the weight of the fish

Any type of situation where you would work spinner baits in shallow around grass, brush, or timber.

A spoon-n-chunk will produce more strikes that most search baits in shallow water; here is a little use technique. When you miss a bass drop your rod on the deck and throw plastic bait to the exact location of the miss.

[Tokyo Tony]

There are numerous name brands out there; I'll check at Academy tomorrow and get back with you.

Trailers; Pork Chunks, spinner bait skirts, any type of plastic curl tail

Techniques; You pretty much nailed it

Hook set; Hesitate until you feel the weight of the fish

Any type of situation where you would work spinner baits in shallow around grass, brush, or timber.

A spoon-n-chunk will produce more strikes that most search baits in shallow water; here is a little use technique. When you miss a bass drop your rod on the deck and throw plastic bait to the exact location of the miss.

Thanks Catt, good info, and I'm looking forward to your info on the best brands to get.  I can't stand the terrible hooks that come on the Johnsons and the Cabela's brand.  

I'm really lookin' forward to trying this technique out - you don't see many people doing it.

[roadwarrior]

I'm intrigued, too. I have never seen anyone fish a spoon this way nor heard anyone talk about it. I'll bet the bass around here haven't seen it either!  

http://www.bassresource.com/fish/swimmingspoons.html

8-)

[Guest muddy]

Hey Tony I hope you don't mind a little to the left ingsight here

I was thinking along the same lines I have 3 Johnsons I havent used in a while in my closet, been thinking them Bass haven't seen them in a while.

I used to use them in an area where Lilly Pads break and the Coontail takes hold. I used to sharpen the hooks a couple of times a season, no big deal as long as you keep the angle correct and use a decent sharpener.

At first I used the Pork Frogs as trailers the I wnet to Ribbon Tail plastic wroms I had torn up T riggin , I just saved the rear part of the worms. They really get a lot of strikes when you come to a relative clear pocket and let them drop, just like dead sticking. Wait til the fish pulls it and you can feel it then set the hook, making sure to use a good sweeping motion

The tip with if you get a short strike followed immediately with a worm , works great. Learned that years ago from an Al Linder article, I would throw a Jelly Worm in the same sopot and would get goose bumps when I missed the same fish twice in a row ;D ;D

I think I will bring them outta mothballs after all

[Charger169]

I have prefered the Strike King spoons. I don't think they make them any more though. They are heavier and have a skirt. Silver spoons are good but tend to come to the surface pretty quick when retieved. I tend to reel too fast for them. In open water I like the sink and twitch method. In heavy cover slow retieve and drop method. I don't like trailers but I have used a trailer hook in open water, like points, flats and sometimes trees.

[Sam]

What Catt suggested:

"When you miss a bass drop your rod on the deck and throw plastic bait to the exact location of the miss."

It is also true when throwing a buzzbait.

Always have a Senko rigged either Texas or Wacky style on your spinning rig ready to throw if the bass misses your buzzbait.

I have the Silver Buddy spoons but have not fished them.  Friend caught some nice bass on a local river using the Silver Buddies.  I will have to ask him if he used a trailer.

Thanks for the info.  I may want to consider throwing them next year.

[Tokyo Tony]

Hey Tony I hope you don't mind a little to the left ingsight here

Just as long as it's only a little to the left ;D

A couple of the lakes I fish have tons of pads (my bro and I call them "maxis") with big and small pockets, so that technique HAS to work. There's a lot of pressure there too, so they see tons of senkos and frogs - I doubt any of those largies has seen a spoon in years if ever, so I'm lookin' forward to trying it out. I have sharpened the hooks on my Johnson Silver Minnows in my abundance of spare time here in the northeast, but I still don't like them. They're low-quality, too thick, have a rough finish, and the barb is gigantic. If only I could find one that used a large Gammy or Owner hook, I'd be all set :

[Guest muddy]

The hooks are way too thick. I didnt even know others made them  I keep an eye out. Some of the fellas up this way are meeting at Cabela's in Hamburg PA  on Jan 13, If I see anything interesting I will pick it up and send it to you

[bassnleo]

I got one thing to say about spoons and slop, specifically Johnson's Siver Minnow......

Ssssshhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, it's a GREAT slop bait. I personally like to use a pork trailer in white, black, or green. The action is soo cool on them! Cast em out and reel em back over the junk. When you hit a hole in the junk you can either pause it or swim it through. Definately wait a second till you feel the fish before you set the hook. Fish it loaded for bear meaning heavy rod and heavy line. Johnsons have a thick hook and the heavy gear and a hearty hook set helps put the hook home.

My favorite area to fish it is through pads. You can walk it right across the pads and swim it through the openings.

One thing I dislike about the Johnsons is the wire guard. It has a tendency to become week and break off after it gets bent a few times.

Best of luck!

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

just thought of it....Wonder how well the weedless berkley bladedacers would be??

[Catt]

Below are just a few of the top of my head that are single hook weedless spoons

Johnson Silver Minnow

Heddon Moss Boss  

Nemire Red Ripper

Daredevil weedless spoon

Mepps Timber Doodle

Cabela's Diamond spoon

As mentioned before any pork, plastic, or skirt can be used as a trailer

As with any top water bait you must wait until you feel the weight of the bass before setting hook. When I see or feel the strike I point my rod towards the fish, reel down to semi-slack, feel the fish, & then use a quick snap hook set. Many anglers use braided line for harder hook set but I feel this more often than not pulls the bait from the fish's mouth.

Any time I'm fishing a top water bait of any kind I'll have a Texas rig on the deck for follow up cast to missed fish. I'll usually opt for weightless or 1/32nd or 1/16th oz bullet weight; another excellent setup is a Texas rigged trick worm with a nail in the tail.  

If the vegetation is matted to semi-matted I'll the spoon on top but if the vegetation is scattered or I in lots of brush I'll fish the spoon just under the surface or slow roll it.  

Spoon fishing in the marshes along the entire Gulf Coast is a staple for bass & Red fishermen alike.

[Tokyo Tony]

Below are just a few of the top of my head that are single hook weedless spoons

Johnson Silver Minnow

Heddon Moss Boss

Nemire Red Ripper

Daredevil weedless spoon

Mepps Timber Doodle

Cabela's Diamond spoon

Thanks Catt - which would you say has the highest quality hooks?  Or would you recommend I just suck it up, sharpen the crap out of the Johnsons, and use heavy line?  

just thought of it....Wonder how well the weedless berkley bladedacers would be??

I just bought a few of these that I'm looking forward to trying out next summer - I was turned on to them by Lindners Angling Edge when I saw them using those in heavy slop.  I have a couple of the original blade dancers (without weedguard and skirt - the action is awesome) but the skirted weedless ones look much better for the slop.  However, the action is significantly different from the Johnsons Silver Minnows, and I think the Johnsons are a little more weedless.  

I got one thing to say about spoons and slop, specifically Johnson's Siver Minnow......

Ssssshhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, it's a GREAT slop bait. I personally like to use a pork trailer in white, black, or green. The action is soo cool on them! Cast em out and reel em back over the junk. When you hit a hole in the junk you can either pause it or swim it through. Definately wait a second till you feel the fish before you set the hook. Fish it loaded for bear meaning heavy rod and heavy line. Johnsons have a thick hook and the heavy gear and a hearty hook set helps put the hook home.

My favorite area to fish it is through pads. You can walk it right across the pads and swim it through the openings.

One thing I dislike about the Johnsons is the wire guard. It has a tendency to become week and break off after it gets bent a few times.

Best of luck!

Well, I'm convinced    You would think that some company would come out with a quality version for this bait, no?  The Johnson 10 years ago was fine, but with all of the super fine technology nowadays we could definitely use a high quality hook and durable weedguard.