I've read several times before that spoons can be worked deeper than spinners and are therefore a better choice for winter/cold water fishing. I've fished them a fair bit this year and have not found this to be true. I seem to be able to get a #5 Mortac spinner down better than the 2/5 oz Mortac spoon and 1/2 oz. Steelie I've been using. One advantage I've noted with the spoons is distance....I can cast them 10-20 feet farther than the spinners. Anyone else got an opinion?

I use spinners and spoons almost exclusively and have been fishing that way for about 7 years. I prefer to use a spoon in deeper water or faster water because I can get them down to where the fish are faster. Of course it depends on which spoon I am using. Steelie spoons are useful for fishing summer runs and shallow water holding areas. I consider them basically a surface lure. Mostly I use Mor-Tac and, when I can find them, Pentac spoons. In heavier flows I'll use the 3/5ths.

There are several 'tricks' to getting a spoon to the desired depth...First use a longer rod if you can, this will keep more of your line off the water and help reduce the belly in your line. Instead of quartering your cast upstream as you would with a spinner cast slightly downstream. Instaed of clamping your thumb on the reel when the lure hits the water, stop the lure so you don't get a back lash and then let the spoon sink, engage the reel when you think you are close to the bottom. In fast water that extra rod length really comes in handy because you can put a mend in the line and keep it off the water.

Lastly if you haven't already, change all of your hooks to Siwash. There are three extremely good reasons to do this...1. Higher hooked and landed percentage....2.Fewer hangups and lost lures...3. Better hydronamics, the lures will sink better.

Hope this helps...btw...I use a lot more spinners in the summer time because the flows are generally lower which makes for a better spinner presentation, IMO.

Stlhd2o,

Appreciate the reply. I usually throw hardware with a 10.5 foot Lam Cert Pro spinning rod and 14# Fireline. Getting the lure down is no problem, I cast about straight across in most runs (depending on speed/depth), mend upstream as soon as the lure hits the water and don't engauge the reel until after counting down. My problem has been keeping the spoon down. I have found I can keep a spinner blade moving with less pull than it takes to keep a spoon wobbling. The added pull required to work the spoon brings the spoon toward the surface. Also, the 2/5 oz Mortac spoon that Zog raves about so much doesn't sink as fast as a #5 Mortac spinner. It seems to flutter side to side while sinking, where as the spinner just sinks. I have not tried the larger Mortac spoon because it's starting to get out of the ideal lure wt. for my rod and I was trying to stick to Zog's recommendation. I suppose I might be favoring faster water than him. Maybe next winter I'll order larger spoons.

Sounds like you've been at this awhile...

Another thing I have learned is to live without feeling the throb of the spoon on the end of my line like you would a spinner, if you are waiting to feel this the lure is probably working too fast and too near the surface

Wild Chrome, line tension plays a big part in flying a spoon properly. Perhaps you are applying properties associated with spinner fishing to spoon fishing. Feeling the throb on a spoon is like 2o says...a feeling you should learn to live without.

Did I just agree with Headwater?

Thanks for helping me to understand why I'm not very successful tossing spinners.

FJ...out.

I do so miss feeling the throb at the end of my rod....not that anyone here could help me with that

Sorry to hear about your fishless funk 2o...looks like you'll have to work through it on your own.

FJ...out.

Has nothing to do with going fishless...would the joke have been funnier if I had said "throb at the end of my pole??"

Knob maybe...but then you would have sounded desperate or hopeless. :p

FJ...out.

I just want to state that, in starting this thread, I in no way, shape, or form meant to imply that there is, was, or will be a problem with the throbbing of my rod....pole.

Thank you

I think you need to use a heavier spoon with a different shape. If you used a big Krocodile spoon that is elongated than that will sink really fast. I like spoons that are little cleo shaped. Wal-mart now has some generic little cleos that are $1.74. Those steelie spoons work best in tailouts where you don't want it to go deep. Good luck!

~ Dr Pepper

Shiny is the important thing.I would have to say that you have gotten used to the feel of the spinner vs the spoon so you are fishing it more eficiantly.Why worry about it.It is not the lure that will catch the fish it is the fisherperson and it sounds like you have it figured out.I do not think you need advice just a pat on the back.

I think the difference between a spinner and a spoon is the fact that a spinner you are always trying to put a little tension on the line and a spoon you are always trying to have the line just on the side of tension free. To work a spinner properly I always find that I am changing the rod angle constantly or reeling in line in order to ADD just the right amount of tension to feel the slow pulse of the lure. With a spoon, I am constantly changing the rod angle in order to FREE the spoon of tension or in extreme cases I may slowly feed some line. If my line forms a slight belly with the spoon that is good. With a spoon I am happier with the action if I error on the side of feeling nothing. The worst action in my opinion for a spoon is a fast spinning action which you feel as a very fast throb(much like a spinner). This being said, in general, I think spoons are easier to get down in faster water than spinners. I also fish with the mortac spinners and spoons you mentioned.

A good way to demonstrate this is too cast the spoon upstream and bring it back to you.If you can, watch the spoon and you will get an idea what it takes to get the spoon to behave properly.Then try it with a spinner and I think you will start to get comfortable with the differance in the two.

Call it serendipity!

You've all been very helpful. The comments regarding loose tension have made me realize I was putting too much tension on the spoon. I had the opportunity to float the Clackamas yesterday and put some of you're advise to practice. I caught one early on a jig, then switched to spoons. Missed a fish around 1 pm with no tension on the spoon. That frustration was more than made up for later, as I caught a 36 inch, 16 pound, bright summer hatchery buck on a 1/2 oz. Steelie. That is my all-time biggest summer run! I'm still shaking!

Thanks again dudes!

Freakin' awesome!!

Its almost like having caught a fish today myself while working, only different...