Johnson Silver Minnow

[moby bass]

I have several of these silver minnows and was casting them today with a white 4' curly tail grub attached as a trailer.  The look and action in the water is just incredible.  Looks all the world like a minnow swimming in the water. Didn't catch anything with them today, though, which brings me to my point.  For a lure as old as the Johnson silver minnow, the hooks on these things, out of the box, are incredibly dull.  Butterknife dull.  I'm not sure I'd even get a good hookup if there was a substantial amount of line out.  Anyway, I've tried sharpening, but it is difficult because of the way the hooks are soldered to the spoon.  Any suggestions? Of course one suggestion is buy something else, so 2nd question is, does anyone know of any spoons like the silver minnow but with better hooks.  I know there are lots of jigging spoons but I'm looking for one that has the hook soldered to it.

[carrothead]

Step One: Buy the jigging spoon of your choice

Step Two: Take the hook off the back

Step Three: Break out your soldering iron

Step Four: Get some solder

Step Five: Solder the straight shank hook of your choice to the spoon

Step Six: Pat yourself on the back for making your very own silver minnow.

: :) 8-)

[moby bass]

I thought about that as well.  Used to do some silver soldering.

[NBR]

The Johnson Silver has been a great bait for years although not mentioned much any more and maybe not used as much. Including myself. Just get the file out and sharpen the hook. Over the years I have used them where there were few weeds and just cut the weed guard olff.

[Tucson]

You'd think that after making them for 50 years or so they would have noticed those clunky hooks and done something about them.....but you'd be wrong.  I just resign myself to spending time sharpening hooks on a brand new lure.  Guess it's worth it but I like the idea of soldering a real hook on.  

[farmpond1]

What are you using to try to sharpen them?  A small flat and narrow file should work just fine.

[.dsaavedra.]

dremel with aluminum oxide grinding stone.

[SirSnookalot]

I use a Johnson weedless a lot and don't see the need to sharpen them, I hook them just fine.

There are many other spoons where the hook is soldered to the spoon, off the top of my head are clarkspoons and a drone spoon. Mainly used for kingfish in saltwater but I have personally seen smaller sizes. I've thought about using a Johnson in the ocean and to my surprise I saw one made for surf fishing today at Dicks.

[FishDontLikeMe1301600221]

Step One: Buy the jigging spoon of your choice

Step Two: Take the hook off the back

Step Three: Break out your soldering iron

Step Four: Get some solder

Step Five: Solder the straight shank hook of your choice to the spoon

Step Six: Pat yourself on the back for making your very own silver minnow.

: :) 8-)

nuttin like making you own baits...fun... solder isnt really strong nor ment for fishing and heavy loads or pressure though,tends to fail alot,i have made some with tack welds years back,still going strong today in my kids tackle box.

[J Francho]

That's twice in one week I've heard someone recommend soldering hooks, LOL.  You guys ever fish with that?  Solder is for electronics and sweating pipes.  It won't hold to fishing.  Besides, just go buy the minnow spoon - they are around $5 and less.

[Sfritr]

I remember when I was a kid watching a Rolan Martin fishing show where he was wading a lake (probably Okechobee) and fishing for lunkers with a silver minnow rigged exactly the same way.  In fact, you can still see the MOnster he caught during that taping at the beginnig of his show in the lead ins      funny.....

[RoLo]

You're right about the Johnson spoon, the hook is big & strong but as dull as a butterknife.

I use braided line and have no problem hooking-up with the lure right out of the box.

But if you're using anything but braid, by all means "triangulate" the point with a hook file

then add a zoom fat albert twin-tail grub

Roger

[BenoBreath]

Mepps Timber Doodle are sharper,  out of the pkg.

[Lake Stumpy]

I lost 2 2.5 pounders last night on a siver minnow when i pulled them into the boat, it was like the hook didn't have a barb at all. They flopped right off. Im going to sharpen it today.