mmmmm spoons

2/5ths little cleo's and the large size Stee-lee brand spoons ( not cheap steelee imitations)

1. switch hooks over to gami or owner siawash

2 put a split ring and a barell swivel on the nose of each spoon.. Much better than snaps in my opinion.

3 colors worth trying are chrome , gold and copper.. Other colors certainly work and work well bt thats what i carry in my box.

there are two basic methods of fishing spoons
I do both and a combo method

1. The easiest way to fish a spoon is to cast it across stream and let it swing. The key to this method is to swing the spoon as slowly across as possible. This works great for covering large expanses of featureless water.

2. this method is my favorite and works well when you have targets to cast to or target "lies" that you want to cover. This method consists of casting slightly up stream and leading it with the rod and speed of retrieve through precice locations where you know or expect a fish to be. You want to reel just fast enough to keep it off the bottim and to keep a positive feel on the spon ( no slack)
Some guys like to actually drift the spoon by not retrieveing at all. I personally don't like that thats a great way to miss a strike or lose a spoon but thats just my opinion.. The key to this method is to have spots identified where you expect a fish to be.. behind boulders against log jams or whatever structure you are expecting a fish to be in and fishing it as slowly as possible with a tight line. If the water is clear you should see your spoon flash every now and then it should however NOT be constantly spinning. You are just finessing it through the sexiest part of the run.

Combo method.. I use this when i come across a large area with lots of structure where there are so many good lies that it's hard to cover them individually.
I cast straight across stream and let a downstream Bow form in the line( but a tight one) and bring the spoon across in a large sweeping arc but slower than the straight down and across described above. You wanna keep the spoon moving so you can cover water but you wanna be slow enough to cover all the good lies..

Another thing about spoon fishing.. In using such lures you are looking for the most agressive fish in the river!! Therefore covering water fast is very important. This is not going to blue creek and standing in line for a few hours in th same spot.. every cast needs to be covering a new lie or the same lie from a divverent angle or location.. A fish that is going to take a spoon will do so on the first or second cast.. COVER WATER!!


A friend of mine will not leave a visible fish alone and it drives me crazy.. Once he fishes over a fish with a chrome spoon he feele he has to cover it with a gold and a copper spoon also to be thurough. I think it is a waste of time. An aggressive fish isn't gonna turn his nose up to a gold spoon then slam a chrome one on the next cast.. Covering lots of water if your best bet for being an effective spoon fisherman...

well there it is.. hope it all made sence..