[mitch184]

I crack myself up sometimes. Anyways, I got hooked on spoon fishing earlier this year after hooking back to back brats 1st and 2nd casts with a spoon. I've been trying to repeat that with little success. Here's my question, say you're fishing a medium walking pace paced run of about 6-8 ft depth. I'm just having trouble feeling the spoon until it is roughly 60 degrees downstream. Then it's starts pulsing. I usually cast out, maybe slightly upstream, and then free spool slowly trying to build a good belly in the line. Then about 30-35 degrees down it starts pulsing maybe ticks the bottom so I take in a little line to get it up off the bottom. I know the strike zone isn't till the swing, but just seems like there is alot of dead time trying to get the spoon down/getting in pulsing during the first part of the drift??? Does this make sense?? Just trying to figure out what i'm doing wrong or if that's just how it is?? Can't find my herzog book lately.

 

[irishrogue]

I've read Herzog's book a couple times as I'm learning, and each time I pick up more useful stuff. Copies are easy to find here:

http://product.half.ebay.com/_W0QQcpidZ912804QQprZ652340

 

[fishin musician]

You crack me up too. Watch out for that hook...

 

[steelspanker]

quote: " I usually cast out, maybe slightly upstream, and then free spool slowly trying to build a good belly in the line. "

Therein lies the issue. You'll get enough belly without feeding out more line. Generally I cast straight out or slightly *down* stream with spoons, count a couple/few seconds so it can sink, then tighten up a bit and almost immediately the thump thump is working. Casting upstream (except in rarer situations) is not going to position your spoon into the "working" postition until you've lost much of your drifting area.

There are some better spoon experts on this board who will likely expand on this.

 

[Bent Rod]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. It should look something like this. Hope this helps.

Bent rod

 

[HickvilleFF]

lol, great rod seems to have it down! lol. Redneckerson loves spoon fishing and Iv seen him put a hurting to some fish doing it. Pm him, or just wait for him to throw in his .02 he is prolly the best all around fishermen iv ever seen. He can drift, bait, spoon, bob n jig. and catch fish doin it all with consistency!

 

[Red Neckersom]

Thanks for the kind words Ryan. So what secret do you want now? :lol:

Mitch, I would say maybe you should have switched styles of spoons,just guessing you were using oval style. I usually carry two styles the old fashioned teardrop and the more famous oval style such as Rvrfshr and Pen Tac. I like to have 1/2 oz teardrops for shallower water and fishing runs just like you are talking about. It will flutter to the bottom slower allowing you to cast upriver and by just barely putting pressure on the line you should feel it thumping just right. The teardrops take less current to work just right and are a great spoon for three to eight feet of typical winter water, they seem to be a little more user friendly for beginning spooners.

The oval style takes a little more control and time to really get the hang of, they tend to sink faster. I like to carry the 2/5 oz and 1/2 oz and it suits just about all my winter needs, sometimes Ill carry 3/4 for fishing big rivers such as the Hoh or higher water periods on the local streams.

Try switching up spoons if you cant get the right action in the area of the holding water you want to concentrate on. Sometimes you have to almost write off the rest of the water and focus on which spoon will work better in the holding area.

Clay

 

[SeaRanger21]

Line diameter can also have an effect on how your spoon will work for given circumstances,a larger diameter line will get the belly in the line sooner,getting your spoon working in the process I use 15lb Maxima chameleon on my spoon rod and try to use no less than 12lb if I'm going to be using one rod for different methods.

 

[Red Neckersom]

Line diameter can also have an effect on how your spoon will work for given circumstances,a larger diameter line will get the belly in the line sooner,getting your spoon working in the process I use 15lb Maxima chameleon on my spoon rod and try to use no less than 12lb if I'm going to be using one rod for different methods.

Good Tip SeaRanger Tup:

 

[powder]

Is braid bad to use when spoon fishing? I don't alwasy have my 12lb mono spool with me when i'm not hittin anything with float and jig.

 

[Todd]

Good advice above...especially to use the Rvrfshr spoons

Especially good tip on using heavy mono...I use 15# Crystal Ivory on my spoon rods...it's larger diameter allows for the perfect "bow" in the line to get a spoon to work properly, and I can put a hurtin' on big fish using it, too!

Powder, braid is not so good for spoon fishing, in my opinion...it sinks too fast, and really only fishes properly when the spoon is almost directly below you...the "sponginess" of mono is also part of getting the good "throb" and wobble out of a spoon, rather than a tight spin or fast wobble...

In lots of situations, and with lots of fish, it might not matter so much, but in the long run you'll get more hits if you have that proper bow in the line, and you can't get it with braid.

Fish on...

Todd

 

[spareoar]

IMO I feel braid is the exact opposite when spoon fishing. I can feel that perfect throb a lot better, and can impart whatever action necessary to get back to the throb. To slow reel slowly, to fast pay out a little line.

 

[HickvilleFF]

Thanks for the kind words Ryan. So what secret do you want now? :lol:

Mitch, I would say maybe you should have switched styles of spoons,just guessing you were using oval style. I usually carry two styles the old fashioned teardrop and the more famous oval style such as Rvrfshr and Pen Tac. I like to have 1/2 oz teardrops for shallower water and fishing runs just like you are talking about. It will flutter to the bottom slower allowing you to cast upriver and by just barely putting pressure on the line you should feel it thumping just right. The teardrops take less current to work just right and are a great spoon for three to eight feet of typical winter water, they seem to be a little more user friendly for beginning spooners.

The oval style takes a little more control and time to really get the hang of, they tend to sink faster. I like to carry the 2/5 oz and 1/2 oz and it suits just about all my winter needs, sometimes Ill carry 3/4 for fishing big rivers such as the Hoh or higher water periods on the local streams.

Try switching up spoons if you cant get the right action in the area of the holding water you want to concentrate on. Sometimes you have to almost write off the rest of the water and focus on which spoon will work better in the holding area.

Clay

How bout you just go fish the Kalama with me a couple times. Thats what i would do, you can do what you want.... ! I dont know if i can handle many more secrets, might as well just let you hook em and ill reall em in. Tup: Tup: Im stoked. last year was the ice breaker, this year I've got a Herzog, bring on the whuppuns!

 

[Red Neckersom]

The great late debate of braid or mono for spoon fishing. Well I have to say I dont like braid for spoons myself, but to each their own. I agree with Todd about mono making your spoon work better. I have seen it with my own eyes, as well as another member on this board. We tested it. Mono kicked braids butt, bad!!

 

[Red Neckersom]

How bout you just go fish the Kalama with me a couple times. Thats what i would do, you can do what you want.... ! I dont know if i can handle many more secrets, might as well just let you hook em and ill reall em in. Tup: Tup: Im stoked. last year was the ice breaker, this year I've got a Herzog, bring on the whuppuns!

You can do what you want. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Ill be there man. I think you have learned plenty Danielson, now Ill teach you how to catch fly's with chopsticks, lmao.

 

[HickvilleFF]

How bout you just go fish the Kalama with me a couple times. Thats what i would do, you can do what you want.... ! I dont know if i can handle many more secrets, might as well just let you hook em and ill reall em in. Tup: Tup: Im stoked. last year was the ice breaker, this year I've got a Herzog, bring on the whuppuns!

You can do what you want. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Ill be there man. I think you have learned plenty Danielson, now Ill teach you how to catch fly's with chopsticks, lmao.

Lol! Chris needs to get his kalama cherry popped too, so we will have to work on that. Im just redicously excited! In about a month we are gunna be all over that river. Ill give ya a call when i head over, you just have to answer!

 

[mitch184]

Thanks for all the info. So, when you guys are letting this bow form, are you letting out line, or do you just start with the rod tip real high and then slowly let it drop? I guess that would depend how deep the water is though huh? Just for the record, I was using a 2/3 oz bc steel paired with a St Croix scIII 1143. I haven't placed another order to Rvrfshr yet for more 2/5 and 1/2 oz. I guess when trying to form the bow, I was just making sure the line had a very noticeable droop before it entered the water. i think herzog was right in his sts article when he said that fishing spoons effectively was one of the hardest methods.

 

[tahuyamg]

Love the Kalama. It's a great place to throw hardware especially up in the canyon. Interesting I was going to post a question about spoons and spinners, then I read this. Have any of you had much luck throwing tarnished black spoons or spinners for winter steelie's. I love to throw hardware myself, but I haven't done a lot w/ the tarnished black for winter steelie's. I guess I've just felt more confident in the silvers, brass, and gold colors. Another nice thing about throwing hardware is you can cover a lot of ground quick.

 

[backlash II]

You need mono for spoon or spinner fishing for the reasons mentioned above. In slower water try Rainbow Plastics hammered brass (looks a lot like a Little Cleo). It's a lot lighter and doesn't fall as fast. When your spoon is falling watch your line for slack line bites, some times silvers and steelies will pick it up and just hold it for a few seconds.

 

[THE TRAPPER]

I can feel my Little Wee Dick Nite Spoon (or Lead) as soon as I toss it in, (even up river) rigged like this.....

It's taken alot of Fish out of the Green this last season. Tup: "TRAPPER"