# Spoon fishing



## slingblade625 (Nov 27, 2016)

What are some of the jiggin spoons you guys use an get the best results on. I watched a guy jig up fish after fish Saturday an I had been jigging basically the same area before he came in. I did not catch a fish on a spoon. I started to float over an ask him what spoon he was using but I believe he was tournament fishing,so I didn't since I was just fishing. It looked like it was a vertical flutter spoon!! Not exactly sure but what he was using certainly wasnt what I used, because he was catching fish by the basket full.


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## WPrich (Nov 27, 2016)

I just use plain kastmasters, but those Ben Parker spoons have been the craze so he may have been using them.


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## cutsawah (Nov 28, 2016)

Flex-it,white with blue reflective tape seems to work best for me. 1/2 ounce.


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## TroyBoy30 (Nov 28, 2016)

flex it .60 white body with silver foil

caught 10 on it saturday


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## Coenen (Nov 28, 2016)

The spoon remains a mystery to me as well. I'm making an effort to throw them more, but just not having much in the way of luck. Must not have the right angle in my dangle.


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## ryork (Nov 28, 2016)

I like the Flex-Its as well. If you're using one of the spoons that doesn't come with an o-ring or swivel, like the old style Hopkins spoons, it is worth the effort to attach one to tie the line on to. Makes a big difference IMO.


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## slingblade625 (Nov 29, 2016)

Yes guys, I use flex it spoons all the time an used them Saturday but no takers on it. He had what looked like a spoon that would flutter he was vertical jigging it an It looked to be 3" to 4" long an chrome. I thought someone may have an idea as to what it was. I know it was catching fish that would not hit a flex it spoon or any other spoon I dropped down.


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## Coenen (Nov 29, 2016)

slingblade625 said:


> Yes guys, I use flex it spoons all the time an used them Saturday but no takers on it. He had what looked like a spoon that would flutter he was vertical jigging it an It looked to be 3" to 4" long an chrome. I thought someone may have an idea as to what it was. I know it was catching fish that would not hit a flex it spoon or any other spoon I dropped down.


Could've been something like a Johnson Shutter or a Nichols Mojo.


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## NCHillbilly (Nov 29, 2016)

Hopkins, Cotton Cordell, and Flex-its have all done well for me on bass, walleye, white bass, and other species, in roughly that order.


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## bfriendly (Nov 29, 2016)

Coenen said:


> Could've been something like a Johnson Shutter or a Nichols Mojo.



I was thinking a Mojo too....I make the Do-It mold casting spoons........I have one mold that makes 4 different sizes. I have had good luck on them. I color them white or Green pumpkin. I need to get some Chartreuse powder to make some of them that.........Does not sound like he was using them though.
Did you happen to notice how he was working them? Many times just leaving it hanging there a few inches off the bottom will get them smashed. My luck is hit and miss for sure


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## slingblade625 (Nov 29, 2016)

It looked to be shiney chrome. An he was working it in short 18" jerks,Constantly except when a fish was on it. Which went on til he got tired of catching the same size an went looking to upgrade on size. (He left) fish biting. Wish I had just slid over closer an just ask but I didn't want to bother him while he was tournament fishing


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## 61BelAir (Nov 29, 2016)

I've never caught a fish on a spoon.....or any bass on a vertical presentation except once by accident while dropping my line straight down to test depth of a chalk pond.  That being said I have to ask:

So did you go over there after he left and give them another try?


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## slingblade625 (Nov 30, 2016)

I had been their already, No takers. I had moved to bank to throw crankbaits, caught 5 before the day was done but he caught that many in less than 5 mins or so. An I dropped different spoons trying to get bit, then I move an he floats in an well you know how it went.


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## NCHillbilly (Nov 30, 2016)

One thing I have found is that a lift works better than a jerk or snap, and letting it flutter down completely slack is the key. Timing is everything, too. Pretty much 100% of the hits happen on the slack fall. You usually don't feel the hit, you know a fish is on it when the spoon doesn't hit the end of the line when it's supposed to.


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## Kestas69 (Nov 30, 2016)

Deep fish could be scattered all other the place, or concentrated in one particular spot. Fishing same area, or same spot-to different things.
In one area, Saturday I caught  20-30 bass. Fish was chasing small baitfish and hitting spoon all over the ditch. Came back to the same area on Sunday and caught fish only from one spot. Fish was concentrated around fallen tree next to road bed in the middle of the ditch and didn't move around at all.


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## Coenen (Nov 30, 2016)

NCHillbilly said:


> One thing I have found is that a lift works better than a jerk or snap, and letting it flutter down completely slack is the key.


Maybe that's it; for some reason I was thinking you really had to crank on it. Good info in that post.


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## slingblade625 (Nov 30, 2016)

Kestas69 said:


> Deep fish could be scattered all other the place, or concentrated in one particular spot. Fishing same area, or same spot-to different things.
> In one area, Saturday I caught  20-30 bass. Fish was chasing small baitfish and hitting spoon all over the ditch. Came back to the same area on Sunday and caught fish only from one spot. Fish was concentrated around fallen tree next to road bed in the middle of the ditch and didn't move around at all.



Understood, been their done that!! What spoon were you using or lure I might ask?
I've sat on fish an caught bass, perch, catfish an also an ocassional carp, an white bass by the dozens (when I find them) but their was define toy something different about the spoon the man was using cause I sat all over the same spot,ditch/ Timberline as he was an no fish for me. 

What's a mojo spoon?


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## slingblade625 (Nov 30, 2016)

Where do y'all get the mojo spoon? I'd like to try it! Don't think it is made to vertical jig but ill try it. 

Any tackle stores around lanier/ Gainesville area have any they stock? Ill make a trip.  Thanks


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## Coenen (Nov 30, 2016)

slingblade625 said:


> Where do y'all get the mojo spoon? I'd like to try it! Don't think it is made to vertical jig but ill try it.
> 
> Any tackle stores around lanier/ Gainesville area have any they stock? Ill make a trip.  Thanks


Tackle Warehouse for me. Best bet locally is probably Oakwood Bait and Tackle.


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## Ironrabbit (Nov 30, 2016)

This is the one I always use and have tied on every time I go out.


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## NCHillbilly (Nov 30, 2016)

Ironrabbit said:


> This is the one I always use and have tied on every time I go out.



How much do those weigh?


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## slingblade625 (Nov 30, 2016)

Ironrabbit said:


> This is the one I always use and have tied on every time I go out.



Yea, I'm wondering also, I like it thou. That has possibilities if its about 3 1/2" or so. Info on where to get a few please.


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## StriperrHunterr (Nov 30, 2016)

NCHillbilly said:


> How much do those weigh?



From what I know they come in two sizes, the big magnum that I used over the summer that's 3 ounces, and this one I think is the 4 inch which is one ounce. 

It's a very slow fluttery fall compared to other spoons I've fished.


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## Coenen (Nov 30, 2016)

The Mojo is the baby of the bunch, they're about 3 inches overall and right around a half ounce.


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## wcbjr (Nov 30, 2016)

War Eagle Jiggin' Spoon - 1/2 oz. , silver or white  - has an integral swivel and stickey sharp Gamakatsu hook - catch fish in any lake  - see fish/shad on sonar , drop feathering it down , lift with sharp wrist motion , repeat , keep loose contact with spoon at all times .
   Happy Hooking ,
         Charles


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## Kestas69 (Nov 30, 2016)

slingblade625 said:


> Understood, been their done that!! What spoon were you using or lure I might ask?
> I've sat on fish an caught bass, perch, catfish an also an ocassional carp, an white bass by the dozens (when I find them) but their was define toy something different about the spoon the man was using cause I sat all over the same spot,ditch/ Timberline as he was an no fish for me.
> 
> What's a mojo spoon?



Crippled Herring in silver and War Eagle in white worked for me


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## Kestas69 (Nov 30, 2016)

Crippled Herring


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## slingblade625 (Nov 30, 2016)

Kestas69 said:


> Crippled Herring



Can they be bought local? I like the size, I'd like to be able to put my hands on it, don't want to order unless I have too.

Who has a large selection of spoons around the north ga area? Someone mentioned oakwood earlier, how about hammonds! I've never been to either one but they aren't that far from me I just never go that way anymore


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## Kestas69 (Nov 30, 2016)

slingblade625 said:


> Can they be bought local? I like the size, I'd like to be able to put my hands on it, don't want to order unless I have too.
> 
> Who has a large selection of spoons around the north ga area? Someone mentioned oakwood earlier, how about hammonds! I've never been to either one but they aren't that far from me I just never go that way anymore



Hammonds


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## slingblade625 (Nov 30, 2016)

Kestas69 said:


> Hammonds



Thanks, ill look into it


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## TroyBoy30 (Dec 1, 2016)




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## slingblade625 (Dec 1, 2016)

TroyBoy30 said:


>



Yes Sir, caught many fish on that spoon, hard too beat but I seen they don't always go for it.


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## wncslim (Dec 1, 2016)

Don't forget the Rapala ice jig, it works when spoons don't and falls much quicker which is good if fish are over 30 feet deep. I also use an 1/8th oz jig head with zoom mini fluke, it takes longer to sink but they will hit it faster than spoons or raps, just lower to fish and barely jiggle it.


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## slingblade625 (Dec 1, 2016)

I've caught fish as deep as 70' on a fluke weighted with a pegged 3/4" sinker takes awhile to get a 15-20 striper off the bottom with a bass rod an 10# test line. Fun thou.


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## StriperrHunterr (Dec 2, 2016)

slingblade625 said:


> I've caught fish as deep as 70' on a fluke weighted with a pegged 3/4" sinker takes awhile to get a 15-20 striper off the bottom with a bass rod an 10# test line. Fun thou.



Yep, you have to have your drag set right and be prepared to chase them.


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## Gordon (Dec 6, 2016)

Kastmaster and Strike King Sexy Spoon.  All takes are on the fall/flutter down.


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## greg_n_clayton (Dec 7, 2016)

Been following this thread. Our choices in these parts are limited. Don't want or mean to high jack the OP; but what weight line is best used with you guys' preferred jiggin spoons ??


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## Gordon (Dec 7, 2016)

I like to use 10lb line when using Kastmasters, I use the 3/8 spoon.  When using bigger spoons I go to 17lb, you could probably go to 20lb.  With heavier line you can jig your spoon over the treetops on Lanier for example and hopefully be able to retrieve your spoon too if you get hung up, well 80 or 90% of the time.  If your not getting hung up sometimes, you are fishing in the wrong place.


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## StriperrHunterr (Dec 7, 2016)

Gordon said:


> I like to use 10lb line when using Kastmasters, I use the 3/8 spoon.  When using bigger spoons I go to 17lb, you could probably go to 20lb.  With heavier line you can jig your spoon over the treetops on Lanier for example and hopefully be able to retrieve your spoon too if you get hung up, well 80 or 90% of the time.  If your not getting hung up sometimes, you are fishing in the wrong place.



On my 3 ouncers I go for 20lb Big Game and yes, once you learn how to tell a fish from a tree, sounds simple but is not, you limit the amount of times you bury the hook in wood and can much more easily get them out. 

Anything an ounce and under and I'm using my 10lb Silver Thread Copolymer, but I'm also usually using that to target bass vs stripes.


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## greg_n_clayton (Dec 7, 2016)

Very little submerged structure up here in Ga Power lakes. Jiggin drops/channel edges works for me; what little jigging I do in cold weather.

Thanks for the replies guys !!


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## Scout'nStripers (Dec 8, 2016)

I wrote this piece about this time last year on my blog concerning the spoon bite on Lanier and a few of my observations....

*Fishing the Winter Spoon Phase*
"Sometimes I try and think of my first catch with a certain piece of tackle and most times I can come up with an interesting story about that piece of tackle but in the case of the spoon I honestly don’t remember spoons being used for the kind of fishing we did in my younger days. About as far as my memory goes back with a spoon is back to my military career, during the Cold War of the 80’s we used Red Devil spoons for Canadian Pike on our squadron trips to a small Canadian air force base in the far northern province of Alberta. To our fighter pilots, going to northern Canada was an opportunity to play with the Russian fighter pilots and for me it was an opportunity to play with the local pike population. That kind of fishing was mostly casting and retrieving and I’ve never really spent much time with jigging spoons till coming to the south. I’ve been fishing the lake for 18 years now and the way I figure it, there are 2 spooning phases here. The first occurs in the hottest days or the “dog days” of summer from July through September as the surface temps top out for the year and the bite is more striper oriented. The other occurs at the other end of the spectrum when the surface temps drop during the coldest months of the year and the bite is more bass oriented. As a striper fisherman that primarily used live bait, spoons didn’t get used that often in my boat and there wasn’t a big window of opportunity for me to catch a big striper on a spoon. You’ve got the hottest part of the summer using a big spoon like theCensored8 inch Ben Parker spoon and the colder months of the winter with a much smaller spoon like a 2 inch Flex-it spoon, but other than those times catching a striper on a spoon is the exception more than the rule.
Since channeling my fishing efforts to bass the spoon has taken on a different role and this is the time of year the spoon comes out for the bass portion of the “spoon phase”. Last year was my first year for using the spoon for bass and I found it to be a helpful tool in 2 separate scenarios when the water temps dip into the lower 50’s and below. The first scenario is a shallower bite and plays out over and over again in our creek pockets. There is a good population 1-2 inch threadfin shad cruising around the creek right now and some of the backs of the creek pockets are just loaded with schools of these threadfins. At the same time there are a lot of hungry bass that are feeding up before their metabolism slows from the winters coldest water temps in the later part of the winter. Since all this transpires under the surface, without the help of birds, good electronics and/or the luck of being at the right place at the right time these annual clashes of bass and bait go unnoticed time after time. Last year a friend and I were fishing on the north end of the lake during a bass tournament and early in the morning we saw some gulls diving in the back of a pocket near the area we were fishing. We decided to investigate the diving birds and eased into the pocket with the trolling motor. Almost immediately we saw some dead 1-2 inch threadfins floating and started marking fish on a 20 foot bottom so we dropped the spoons down on the fish and within seconds we had our first fish of the morning in the boat. This was a school of cookie cutter 2lb largemouth but they provided us with a limit of fish in less than 30 minutes to start the morning. This all happened in less than 20 feet of water in the back of a pocket and was over 15 minutes after it started.
The second scenario with the spoon isn’t quite as exciting but can yield some very nice fish and nice numbers nonetheless. The number of fish moving out to the deeper channels and ditches is growing and a friend of mine has been working the deep spoon bite for the last 2 weeks. While I’ve been concentrating on the first scenario my buddy has been in his boat moving around the deeper valleys and ditches of pockets and cuts in the creek. His efforts have been focused on deep bass moving around the edges of deep timber in these areas and it’s been paying off for him with bigger rewards. Generally we text pictures back and forth while we’re both out fishing and I’ve been noticing his bass are just a bit bigger than mine lately. His bites have been fewer and far between at times, but the quality of the bigger fish makes the down time worth it, I’m sure.
Those 2 scenarios have been playing out for us for the past 2 weeks and I’m pretty sure the bass bite during the winter spoon phase will continue throughout the winter. Although I haven’t done much spooning for bass around docks yet, that’s something that we had a lot of success with last winter and we’ll be doing a lot more of as the water temps drop lower and the fish start hanging around the deeper docks. Basically the pattern for me has been finding pockets and cuts that hold bait and then look for signs of fish either on the graph or on the surface in the backs of the pockets in 25 feet or less. There has been some subtle surface activity early in the mornings and late in the evenings and is a dead giveaway for the fishes location. Sometimes the loons will get worked up and get very active diving for bait which attracts the fish and starts a feeding frenzy under the surface. It’s always good to watch the loons if they are in the area and if they start actively feeding there’s a good chance there are bass underneath. If I mark a few fish in an area, I’m basically dropping a 1/2 ounce white spoon like a War Eagle or Flex-it down to the bottom and using slow choppy bounces and a few bigger bounces but always keeping my spoon oriented to the bottom. You have to be careful and watch your electronics because we all know that there are a lot of obstacles down on the bottom. If it’s a flat smooth bottom it’s no problem but if there is structure it’s best to work the spoon above the structure in a suspended mode. Most of the time the fish will hit the spoon on the drop or fall so a bite can be as subtle as the rod tip just unloading. For me, I like to use a controlled fall so I can feel the bite. By a controlled fall I mean that I never really loose tension in my line during the fall, so it’s not really a flutter or free fall. The free fall tactic will work better during a shad die-off but for right now I’m slowly bouncing rather than a big pull and freefall drop.
At the same time I’m working the backs of the pockets I can usually see my buddies boat sitting out in the deeper center of the pockets and cuts more towards the mouth. Good electronics are useful to find the deeper fish, sometimes hiding in the timber. My buddy uses a bigger spoon bouncing it around the timber in 50-70 feet of water. His spooning in the deeper water is more pronounced and he uses bigger pulls and drops around the deep timber edges. Sometimes the bigger bass have been coming out of the timber and hitting the bigger spoon while suspended. The bites on the bigger spoon in the deeper water aren’t that frequent unless you’re lucking enough to find a nice group of fish holding in an area. Most times when the fish hits the spoon in the deeper water the feeling is nothing more than the rod just loading up. I think the bigger spoon may weed out some of the smaller fish but it slows the process of catching fish.
A couple more tips I can offer during spooning can help put more fish in the boat; the first is to watch the surface of the area you are fishing for floating dead bait. If you’re seeing a lot of 1-2 threadfin on the surface, be sure to match the hatch with the size of your spoon. Another tip would be to put your caught fish in a live well if they are legal instead of releasing them boat side. IMO opinion a caught and released fish can spoil a good bite so I put the fish in the live well for a bit as to not alarm the other fish. Here’s a couple pictures from earlier this week and matching the hatch with the spoon."


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## Lanier Jim (Dec 8, 2016)

I like the Flex-It in .60 andd .75 with Blue or Green prism.   I do remove the treble and put a VMC Wacky Weedless hook on it in size 1 or 1/0.   It basically stops hang ups and the bait getting fouled up.   Mack Farr has a spoon too that I like....it's short and stubby too....kinda like me      Still...I will shorten up my tag  end and just drop small shad style baits on them....3" - 4" if  I can't get them to  hit a 6" plastic.


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## Alex from GA (Dec 11, 2016)

Either a Georgia Blade spoon 1/2 or 3/4 oz or .6 oz Flexit fished on 10 lb mono for under 25' or braid with a leader for over 25'.  A few years ago a buddy and I caught 9 different kinds of fish in one spot spooning in Lake Lanier.  Hammonds has the Georgia Blade spoons.


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