Spoon question??

[SKTR 20i]

I seem to continually foul my spoon hook on the line and was wondering the set-up you guys use and if it happens to you?

I typically use a 7' med action rod with 14 lb mono line or a spinning rod with 8 lb flourocarbon. With spoons from 1/2 to 1 1/4 oz. BPS Strada or DUH spoons and with a swivel or w/o.

Seems I pop it a few times and it is fouled on the hook!! It doesn't seem to matter if I have it on the bottom or suspended in the bait; it fouls.

Thanks, John.

[skeeter zx202c]

I usually spoon with a 7'2" medium action rod, 12lb test line and a 3/4 oz hopkins. Use a good ballbearing swivel if you choose, the main thing to prevent fouling the line and spoon is to maintain contact with the spoon as it drops. This will also help detect subtle/soft bites on the fall. Good luck!!

[Oldschool]

Try to keep control of the spoons fall, don't just drop the tip and let it free fall on slack line; slow down the lift and fall speed.
I'm not a fan of swivel clip combinations, will use a Berkley clip, no swivel. Some anglers use a swivel about 12" above the spoon.
The spoon rod should have a crank rod type of modified action or slower tip section for a few reasons; it helps to prevent what you are experiencing and loss of bass near the boat from hooks pulling out of the soft tissue.
tom

[SKIPER]

Your set up is fine, although I would personally hesitate to go as light as 8 lb test. I have recently been spooning quite a bit for stripers and was having the same problem. I was droping the rod too quickly which caused the hooks to catch the line. Keep the line taut (but not tight) as you drop your rod tip. Still happens occasionally but much less so.

[SKTR 20i]

Thanks guys, that is good information!!

John.

[Johnny C]

Try to keep control of the spoons fall, don't just drop the tip and let it free fall on slack line; slow down the lift and fall speed.
I'm not a fan of swivel clip combinations, will use a Berkley clip, no swivel. Some anglers use a swivel about 12" above the spoon.
The spoon rod should have a crank rod type of modified action or slower tip section for a few reasons; it helps to prevent what you are experiencing and loss of bass near the boat from hooks pulling out of the soft tissue.
tom

+1

[Rick Tietz]

I always use 15 to 20lb. or heavier mono. This with create enough water resistance to slow the spoon down a little and help prevent fouling. A spoon is a reaction lure and the use of heavier mono will only make it work better. Also, when ever possible, try to work the spoon off at an angle. This will give a better flutter, slow it down and keep the hook away from the line.

[Cooch]

I always use 15 to 20lb. or heavier mono. This with create enough water resistance to slow the spoon down a little and help prevent fouling. A spoon is a reaction lure and the use of heavier mono will only make it work better. Also, when ever possible, try to work the spoon off at an angle. This will give a better flutter, slow it down and keep the hook away from the line.

Two excellent tip, Bubba up, especially if yer here on the Delta fishing fer stripers!

I know most of us when we think of spooning, we're thinking of and using a verticle presentation. I learned a great presentation, which I now use more often today, while fishing a RED Qualifier up at McClure many years ago from Dink Mendez. It's the long cast, flutter sink and slow hop back to the boat retrieve. This is deadly in many situations and allows ya to cover more water than a verticle presentation. Like Rick stated, it is a reaction presentation, and many times will out produce a verticle presentation which only focuses on a smaller strike zone. This technique allows you to stay in contact with the bait more as it swims thru and the hooks are always trailing yer line, hence never fouling.

[elfish16]

i like cooches idea...its a deadly technique in catching spoon fish. if I am fishing vertically I will use a blade bait or an ice jig. if casting then I go to a standard spoon, Spait Spoon, BPS Tungsten or Hopkins. I use a soft tip rod to keep the hooks buried without ripping out and generally 12-15lb Maxima.

[Oldschool]

I don't know if the spelling is right; (Dick Gomer) did some spoon fishing seminars back in the late 70's that instructed the use of spinning reels and structure spoons. Dick presentation was an under lob cast out the distance or past the depth the bass were suspended. The spoon shoiuld land softly and pendulum swing down on a controlled fall, arcing back towards the boat. Another technique was reversing the Hopkins Shorty; wide end with the hook and hopping it off the bottom like a long cast jigging presentation. Oldschool stuff that still works today.
Tom

[Johnny C]

Dick Gaumer...Freakin great knowledge Old School!!!!

[Jim Moulton]

Also try lifting your spoon instead of popping it up. What happens is the momentium of the quick jerk has the spoon passing up your line and then falling back over your line and catching it. 2nd Option is to slowly let your rod tip back down as skiper earlier stated.

[Andy Giannini]

A thought towards Delta stripers, I just cast towards the bank or tule island and hop it back. You can hop it and flutter and not worry too much about snags. The tule islands are probably an old levee, and only has rock near the waters edge. Cast just off the rocks, and hop it back on the mud/sand. There is not that much wood in the Delta, don't worry about snagging up. You can fish all kinds of structure find drop offs, fish holding areas etc, in a short amount of casts. If you get hung up, use the weight of the spoon as a lure knocker and shake it off.

Spoon fishing is a great way to get bit when nothing else seems to work. The guys that are really good at it just won't talk about it at all!



A.G.