Spoon Technique

[zachvii]

I hunted around and really didnt find any instructions on how to spoon fish. I got lots of recommendations on what spoons to use, but not how to use them. I will be fishing in spring time in steep reservoirs with lots of ledges and gravel area's in 40-45 degree water. I just wanted to know some technique. I have heard of letting them go to the bottom and jigging them off the bottom etc. but want so good proven technique. This will be exclusively for smallmouth. Also is there any spoons that are best for smallmouth only?

[Jig Man]

I have done a lot of spoon fishing in my life.  I jig it in place with suspended fish, let it fall through schools with a little occasional twitch, cast it out and hop it along the bottom and vertical jig it off the bottom.

I have caught a lot of different species on spoons but don't ever remember catching any smallmouth.  If you get that part figured out, please post some results.

[brian_82]

the closest thing to a spoon that I have caught a smallie with is the new berkley blade bait, I cant remember its actuall name. I sprayed it brown with spray paint and used plastic craws and jig trailers. Just kept it on the bottom and gave it the occasional real and pop.

[Bossdog]

zachvii-

Catching smallies on spoons is a blast.Your best bet is to go with someone who is experienced in this technique.I'll try to explain ,but it's better to see it first hand.I live in Maine and the favorite spoon in the northeast is a 1/2 -3/4 oz. gold hopkin's spoon.Let the spoon free-fall to the bottom or level of the fish on a controlled descent.Lift your rod tip up and let the spoon semi-flutter back down again. You want the spoon to flutter down but you still want be able to "feel" the weight of the spoon on a semi-slack line.Silver Buddies and other blade baits are fished in the same manner.Spoons and blade baits get bit mostly when the lure is  falling. Sometimes it's just a tick, that's why it's important to stay in contact with the lure .It's a fine line between the flutter and the semi slack line but over time you will see how it works.Hope this was helpful.B.D.

[Crestliner2008]

Great information Bossdog, Thanks! I'm very familiar with the blades, but have only tried the spoons a few times. When do you fish the spoons? I always fish the blades on the bottom, barely twitching off before letting them re-settle. Never tried them on suspended bass, but now I'm going to! Tail spinners are another good bait for on/off bottom presentations. They might work for suspended smallies too. Thanks again.

[zachvii]

Great information guys. Thanks for the tips.

[rocknfish9001]

Jigging a spoon can be really productive. But when you do this, use a flat spoon, not one of the concave ones. Toss it out and let it settle to the bottom, or where you think fish are suspended. Since it's action is on the fall, you want to hop it off the bottom high enough to make it flutter back down.

[Bossdog]

Crestliner-

While most people feel fishing the "metal" is a cold water technique, I have a spoon and/or silver buddy tied on year round.Whenever I mark fish on or near bottom in anywhere from 15-35 ft I drop it to 'em.I have saved many a trip fishing spoons and buddies during the heat of the summer when I couldn't buy a smallie on anything else.They're also great to use if the wind picks up and other baits become a pain to fish.So to answer your question,You can fish spoons anytime of year.

[Joel W]

I fish a spoon exactly like a jig in saltwater. That's strictly vertical fishing for me.  I prefer either Silver Buddy or 3/4 oz spoon. I just drop the spoon down and keep in touch with it by thumbing my spool. When it hits the bottom, I just leave it there for a few seconds. Then I lift the rod tip up and then let the spoon slowly fall to the bottom again.  If the Bass are suspended higher up in the water column, I'll reel the spoon slowly up past that depth, then let it fall through that depth again.

[flyhatch]

the silver buddy is worth a look.

i use them on erie, basic vertical jigging with most hits on the fall.

my mindset when jigging is that after i jig it up and let it fall, on the next jig pretend that you know there is a fish on and that your setting the hook. early on when i first started using these i missed many fish with a weak jig. those erie smallies mouths are hard from diggin thru those zebra mussles and if you dont jig hard you will miss them

[Crestliner2008]

Co-incidentally, this week's In'Fisherman TV program showed them experimenting with casting spoons for smallmouth! Casting it out a long ways, while counting it down. Then just reeling in, pausing to let the spoon flicker back down a few feet before reeling again, etc.. Something my dad taught me, using Daredevils over 40 years ago, after locating fish by trolling on Champlain! Got to give it a whirl again...for sure!  

[5bass]

Once you locate the fish, drop the spoon into the zone and start the jiggin'.....it's really pretty simple once you get over some fish....thats the hardest part, finding the fish.

I like a chrome Hopkins 3/4 oz most times.

[Guest Grandfather]

 The pewter pal by rockey ledge is another good blade bait.

[DangerRanger]

When you time your spoon dropping down what is a general rule of counting to get your depth????  Is one one-thousand 10ft.?  Does weight have a huge impact on timing?  Can someone post a good general rule of thumb here as on timing for depth?

[BaitBall]

Joe Spaits makes a fine spoon and I plan on throwing it alot once boat is in water.  Ultimate Match Fishing really made this spoon a popular tin to throw.

They are big and heavy but slow falling.

If you google joe spaits, you will find video clips of this spoon in tanks. It is quite a spoon.  

Everyone says jig up and down with spoons, but I beg different. You can't really get fish up and down in lake Mahopac.  I can't anyway. I will definately throw my spoon off the sides of the boat and do the up and down thing from a safe distance away from the heavily pressured fish.  I find once your  boat is over them, it is too late and they turn off. For example, when we drop shot in my home lake, I will take MUCH more fish with a small cast than under the boat.  Not only do I cast off the sides of the boat, but I won't approch the fish from an angle that will shade sunlight from the vessel.  Our fish are very spooky but when you adjust, they become an easier catch.

I have a hard time landing fish with tins, be prepared to have many spoons get spit out!  Good luck to the both of us soon!

[elduderino]

long time ago in a land far far away.... (ontario) i used to catch a lot of smallies using a strata spoon - which is basically just a heavy, hammered silver jigging spoon made by BPS. We would get them trolling for walleye   - i would just let it sink to bottom and hop it up a foot or two and let it fall.

i plan on using a silver buddy a lot this season early... our season in michigan opens last sat in april.. so the prime "blade bait" fishing period is pretty short.