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I'm all about jigging spoons right now. Back in November I used them and caught several hybrids and sauger on KY River. I've read a few posts on this board about spoon fishing in winter but not much.
I really want to learn more and catch more using deep water spoon techniques. Can anyone on here shed light on winter spoon fishing? Sizes, colors, patterns, etc.. ???
[QUOTE=smljaw;349261]I'm all about jigging spoons right now. Back in November I used them and caught several hybrids and sauger on KY River. I've read a few posts on this board about spoon fishing in winter but not much.
I really want to learn more and catch more using deep water spoon techniques. Can anyone on here shed light on winter spoon fishing? Sizes, colors, patterns, etc.. ???[/QUOTE]
Good post, I to would like to become better at this. I have had some success at Cumberland and at Dale on smallmouth doing this but would like to become better. So far my limited success has been mainly going after fish that were in the jumps and then went down. I knew the fish were there and probably still in the mood. But what I would like to do is find fish suspended in 30,40,50 foot of water and learn how to target them with the spoons with a better hit ratio. There are guys out there that slay big fish of all species doing this in the cold water months.
I fished with Doc Claimen on Bull Shoals, he is a noted bass proffessor on the big bull in fact when i fished with him some 8 years ago he at that time had won 10 boats, the other notable I have fished with on Bull Shoals is Tony Albrights son. Both times I've fished with these fellas we were spoon fishing, and I learned that I knew nothing because I always thought that spooning was with a Johnson silver spoon that fluttered down and it would take minutes to reach bottom.
I was wrong they used slab spoons 3/4oz in silver, white w/chartruese head or red head or all chartruese. To me these spoons looked like a 3" lead nothing they were straight and had little for my eyes to go oooohhhhh. no fancy eyes, nor fancy paint, nothing but maybe impressions of scales made during molding.
We would troll at slow speeds in certain areas looking for "balls" of shad they would show up as a darker circle and we would free spool the spoons through them till they hit bottom, then reel in 1 crank on the reel and then "jerk" or "rip" the bait with our rods 1-2 foot or so at a time and let it fall on tight line not real tight but snug. when you got a bite it felt like a tick/tap on your line you set the hook. they stayed on the shad with the trolling motor untill they moved too fast then we would troll some more find them and go again.
funny thing is we caught a smallmouth and Doc said "lets get outta here, we don't want these brown fish" WHAT?!!! I said I'm tickled to catch them he just groaned and told me about the state record smallie he caught by accident on a jig in the pontiac area that was the record for like 7 years in missouri.
hope this helps guys
I fish spoons on the Ohio River, Brookville Lake and Cumberland. Offdtop is correct. You need to find the huge balls of shad. Once you find them I postion by boat with the trolling motor over the top of them and drop the spoon to the bottom and start rippin it up and down, wind up a lttle, rip up and down, until I get bit. On the Ohio River, I look for the schools of shad at the mouths of creek or around warmwater discharges. Another good place to find the shad is on the main river or lake where the main river channel swings in close to a bank. Usually there will be a rocky bank there. Also look for underwater brush, humps with shad too. I use silver buddies, hopkins silver spoons and a lure called vibees, similar to silver buddies but in different colors. Gold and Chartreuse colors are good bets other than plain silver.
Bassky
Looks like New Years Day is shaping up for a day of fishing! I plan to vertical jig most of the day. I'll be sure to report how we do... Thanks for the info.
Good stuff thanks fellas. But a man that leaves smallmouth to catch largemouth just ain't quite right in my opinion, lol.
[QUOTE=mhall;349363]Good stuff thanks fellas. But a man that leaves smallmouth to catch largemouth just ain't quite right in my opinion, lol.[/QUOTE]
LOL, That's what I thought! He just chewed on his cigar and grumbled like I asked him to go drum fishing or something. But the info on the spoon fishing was invaluable and to actually see how it was done efficiently was awesome. But I have a tip for ya shhh! don't tell anybody but you can drop shot the same schools of shad and catch what the spoon doesn't! It is a great 1-2 punch and if you are using a spinning reel with the drop shot it falls just as fast! With the spoon pay attention to how deep your fishing and if you don't get a bite within 5 or 6 jerks reel up 1-2 more turns on the reel try again then reel in, then reposition the boat on the school and go again
Fella's speaking of spoons, in this months Bassmaster Mag. There's an article on spoon making, using copper pipe this time. Also have an article cut out and stored on how to make a spoon out of a Spoon... I've got them in my boat and so far have only caught bass on the long skinny ones....Fished them up at patoka next to the cedar trees in early spring.....