Spoon Fishing Questions

What water temp. do you start spoon fishing?

What are some of your favorite spoons?

Does it work in stained water like Barren River Lake?

How do you work a spoon? Techniques, areas?

thanks,

Jason

I just started using them this spring for walleye. Water temps at 55 and as high as 70. Always seemed to produce good fish this year. I believe the key is the baitfish. Find the baitfish and the spoon is very productive. We just simply rip the spoon vertically off the bottom the let it flutter back to the bottom feeling it all the way down. The strike will come on the fall 9 times out of 10. I really like the bass pro x treme series in the 1/2 oz. Got a nice pattern to it that I really like.

Good to see fisherman interested in spoon fishing. I have been spooning on Herrington Lake for many years and it seems to be a dying technique.
I use the Bass Pro Shop Strata Spoon in silver 1/2 or 3/4 oz. with a plain hook. My fishing buddy who is 79 years young, makes his spoons from a Do-it spoon mold. He paints them white or silver and some are left natural. I cant say one is better than other but I cant tell him that.(LOL)
Most important equipment is your fish finder. It will show you the depth and the schools of bait fish. KNOW how use your finder and it will help you get on the fish.
We use bait casting reels on 6 ft. rods spooled with 14 to 17 lb. test line. Always have plenty of spoons on hand. I order a couple of dozen at a time. Expect to lose a few.
When you get into the fish it can be some the hottest fishing you have every experienced. At Herrington we catch bass, white bass, drum,croppie, hybrid stripers and an occassional catfish. I have more than once seen all these caught from the same area in matter of minutes. We usually fish from 25 to 60 ft. deep. If going deep fish vertical jerking the rod up and letting the spoon flutter back. You can cast the spoon and let it settle to the bottom then rip your rod up and reel the slack line slowly and let spoon settle back to the bottom (repeat) until spoon is back to the boat.
We start spooning in Oct. and fish up to it gets to cold fish. Herrington is usually clear to slightly stain in the fall/winter months.
Hope this helps and good luck.

Spoon fishing is a main stay for spot fishing on Bull Shoals. Any time you have a school of fish more than 20 ft deep you can catch them on spoon fishing vertical. I like the 1/2 once Hopkins spoon in silver or white. Let the spoon drop to the fish jerk the spoon off bottom (can use for suspended fish but is tough) and let it flutter back on semi slack line. Strike will be on the fall. You have to experiment with how high you jerk the spoon. I use a snap swivel (this can cause the bait to foul hook more) some times you can raise the spoon from the bottom and it will spin causing a strike. If the spoon get hung up shake the rod tip and it will become its on plug knocker, sometimes you have to really shake the rod, be patient and shake shake shake. This will catch any fish that eats shad. I have caught fish in the heat of the summer with the spoon.

Jesse Duncan does a lot of fishing with spoons on Barren. He catches quality largemouth as well as hybrid white bass on this technique. I agree with the above responder that locating the bait fish is key. He fishes the Mann's (Mann-o-lure) spoon much of the time. I always have quite a few in my tackle box in chrome, chartreuse, and white. Color does seem to matter on certain days. This is also an excellent technique to use during hot weather.

I fish on the Cumberland River below the dam all year with spoons for Rainbow and Brown Trout. The water there is always crystal clear. The spoons that I use are a small casting/trolling spoon from Luhr Jensen called the Super Duper in colors of chrome/red head, brass/red head, and rainbow trout color. The sizes for these are a #501 (1/12 oz) and #502 (1/10 oz). Another casting/trolling spoon that I use is by Acme. It is called the Little Cleo and it is a 1/8 oz. chrome spoon. This spoon has a very nice presentation, but I like a smaller hook than what the spoon originally comes with. I prefer a # 10 size hook. Both of these spoons have been used while wading and then jigging when the water rises due to generation from the dam. They perform with good results.

to cut down on spoon loss throw the hooks away that come in them and change them to a lighter wire hook that will bend,i don't even use treble hooks,just a straight shank wire hook.Spoons are good anytime you see a school o fish on the finder,i keep a rod with one on aytime the fish are deep and schooling.

Been using spoons for 26 years. Anytime is the right time to use them. I use BPS Strata spoons all the time and order them by the dozen in sizes 1/2 to 3/4 ounce. Have caught as many as 7 different species in one day one the Ohio River. It can be deadly on sauger, walleye, saugeye, and even big cats. I'm not talking about snagging them either. With water temps in the Markland Pool of the Ohio River running in the high 40's, the sauger SHOULD be on but the clarity has had a lot to be desired.

I change the nickel hooks out with wire hooks and use braided line (40lb) when in high hang up areas. You get snagged you straighten the hooks. In cleaner areas I'll use clear Big Game to 15lb and depending if I'm after spots I'll use 10lb mono. Hardly anyone uses them around here. Blows me away but gives me an ace in the hole.

Happy Holidays

Steve H