FST Spoons

Anyone ever use these?

I was going thru one of my dad's old tackle boxes last night and came across about a dozen bronze/chrome FST spoons of various sizes.

He was an avid Willamette river Spring Chinook fisherman.

I fish around the San Juan's now. How can these be used?

Thanks.

Mike

Sea-run cutts and coho in rivers. Troll them using a drop sinker about 6 feet above the spoon. Good luck.

Fever -
A common use of "wobbler" type spoons such as the FST in salmon fisheries has been in river boat plunking situations. Much as suggested by Snake Pliskin they are fished off three way rigs though for plunking the leaders are usually a little shorter. Spoon sizes and leader lengths adjusted to have the spoon "wobbling" at just above fish eye level.

Local the smaller sizes are used quite abit on the Skagit during the pink runs and to a lesser degree for coho - especially popular there is the silver with red head color. The larger sizes are more commonly used in chinook fisheries such as the Columbia summer/fall runs. However in those fisheries the FSTs are being replaced by a new generation of wobbling spoons.

For salt water applications it seems like the narrow spoons - ala the coyote and coho killers -are more effective.

Tight lines
Curt

I troll Gold Star Fiesty spoons and do real well on the coho in the salt.
Swap the hook to the fat end and you will have very effective trolling lures. My 2 cents.

Hans

Use it off a cannon-ball sinker on a reef for lingcod!

Get to work! 7:13 AM!??!

Yah...6:13 PM now....

Beer o'clock is right. (Home now, tho...)

Tomorrow I'm leaving on time and the wife and I are going to soak the crab pots for a few hours while we get all liquored up.

Fever:

Size 2, 3, 3.5.......just aren't any good for anything....so you don't have to worry yourself, about what to do with them........I'd be glad to add them to "my others" and just put them on a shelf ........ hehehe, for about 2 months more. Then its "katie bar the door"!!!!!!!!

Fever, I was introduced to fst's a few years ago by undeniably the best river fisherman with them that exists in this state. He fishes the Chehalis and Satsop for fall fish and really loads up on all species. I don't know or have never heard of anyone else who will catch (and for the most part release) up to 30-40 fish per day using only fst's.I have only tried this from a boat, but you could probably do it from the bank if you found the right water. He likes to set up just above a riffle where he has determined the fish travel over in that area. Usually about 70-90' above the break. He will then let the fst back with no added weight until it is lying on the bottom . Next, pick up just enough line to feel the spoon start to pulsate very slowly. If it is moving any more than a slow thump, let out more line in rapid amounts by stripping like you were mooching for 6 or 7 pulls to the first guide. The idea is to get the fst down to the bottom very quickly without any lead. He likes to have the fst stop about 6-8' above the break where the tailout just starts to break out of the hole. This is so the first thing the fish see when they charge up out of the fast water is your spoon right in their face. At first I didn't quite understand the concept, but as I have used this method I have grown to really appreciate the simplicity and great success that goes with it. I really like having nothing but a swivel and spoon on your line so when you get bit it is usually a pretty violent take down and not very many come unstuck. Also with the right size siwash hook, 99 percent are lip or front of the mouth hook ups so release is very easy with minimal distress to the fish. I have also found that as you get higher water or more current you can increase the size of the fst or use a larger hook to add weight instead of adding a sinker to keep it down. When the high water comes with the rains you can always slide a piece of surgical tubing up your line to add a small piece of pencil lead if needed. It does take away from the action somewhat but is a trade off to still be able to stay in the zone when the fish are cooking through there. I hope this has been some help, I'm not the best at writing down and conveying the message in easy to understand terma. Feel free to ask for any futher explanation and I will try to be more precise.

Laterun... Excellent narrative. No need to improve upon it.

Thanks.

And thanks everyone else for all the tips. Much appreciated.

Mike