Single-hook spoons are easier to dislodge than treble-hook models.
An angler can impart even more action to a spoon, and keep it higher in the water by varying the rate of retrieve, and bringing the rodtip into action. Speed it up to make it rise and slow down to make it sink. A simpler way to achieve an up and down “flutter” is to retrieve steadily and quickly raise and lower the rodtip. I’m not convinced that baitfish swim in the yo-yo fashion this will produce, and have had more success with a steady retrieve when fishing a spoon.
Manufacturers do several things to enhance spoon flash. Either one or both sides of a chrome- or gold-plated spoon are highly polished to reflect light. Some manufacturers hammer one side of a spoon to put dimples or pock marks in it. This process diffuses the light reflection so that it is less intense, and up close, the dimples look like fish scales. Another manufacturer puts small steps akin to chines of a boat hull on their spoon. Still others attach a prismatic film to the spoon, much like reflective tape.
For flats fishing, a weedguard is a must. Most spoon guards are one or two pieces of wire strategically positioned in front of the single hook. Some use stiff mono strands. The wire prong is rigid enough to deflect vegetation away from the single hook but will flex to allow a hook-set when a fish bites. I have found weedguards to work with varying degrees of effectiveness.
SPOON MAINTENANCE
Metal objects get tarnished in salt water and spoons are no exception. Rinsing them with fresh water after each trip helps, but most will lose their luster after swimming a few times in the brine. If the tarnish is not too severe, try putting a dab of toothpaste on the spoon. The fine grit in toothpaste will rub the tarnish away and restore the shine. If the tarnish gets more severe, I use steel wool (inset) to take it off. Avoid the coarse stuff which will scratch the finish and go with 4/0-grade to buff away the tarnish.
Hooks, feathers and weedguards can all be replaced, as needed, on those spoons where the hook is attached by a screw. Replacement parts can usually be ordered from the maker of the spoon.
Most casting spoons were designed for use in fresh water and have been converted to saltwater applications where they typically work well. I spoke with Capt. Mike Hakala, of Capt. Mike’s Guide Proven Lures, who has designed a spoon specifically for use in shallow coastal waters. Hakala’s Willow Spoon comes in 1⁄4- and 3⁄8-ounce sizes, but they are thinner and wider than other brands of the same weight. With their slightly larger surface area, they tend to displace a bit more water, so remain higher in the water column and still wobble, even when retrieved very slowly. Hakala selected the smallest diameter wire weedguard that would still function so as to minimize weight, and he has also tinkered with colors. It is a great spoon for shallow, grassy areas and around oyster bars favored by redfish.
Some manufacturers use colored feathers that open and close with the spoon’s movements. Others put a soft-plastic body on the single hook so that it extends behind the spoon. Many anglers also modify their spoons by adding their own soft-plastic body. This gives the spoon a dash of color, a larger pro-file and a different kind of movement.
Advocates feel that they prevent the spoon from “over-spinning” on its axis, and even dampen the landing a bit, a good thing when casting to spooky fish in shallow water. Attachments of any kind, however, can cut down on casting distance into the wind, and can cause the lure to carry off target in a crosswind.
Spoon Presentations
Although not as exciting as casting a fly or soft-plastic bait to visible fish from reasonably close range, spoons are top “fish-finders” or “search baits” when low light or dirty water makes sight-fishing tough.
Because spoons cast very far, you can cover a lot of water. Long casts are not always necessary, but under some situations, they are the order of the day. Fish in shallow, gin-clear water can be very spooky, especially the third afternoon of a three-day weekend. There are times when you can see fish or know where they are feeding, but cannot get close enough to cast before they flee. A good angler can cast a spoon two to three times farther than a fly or soft-plastic bait. That extra distance can be the difference between frustration and success.
Some days it seems that redfish tail, do belly rolls, and wake about everywhere but where I am. It’s as if I have an imaginary circle devoid of fish around my flats boat that extends in all directions just out of my casting range. Again, because a spoon can be cast so far, it can be fished beyond this “force field.”
When reds are present but not tailing, or big gator trout are hunkered in potholes or in the grass but not moving, a spoon is hard to beat. Long casts are the key because the fish have yet to detect your presence.
Dirty Water and Dropoffs
Though sight fishing may be your aim, don’t overlook the potential of a spoon for blind casting in stained or muddy water. Flash and vibration give fish a chance to find your lure in the off-colored water. Again, long casts also mean that you are covering more water.
Spoons are top producers in muds caused by grazing mullet, or burrowing stingrays, too. In that situation, any gamefish hanging around muds will not hesitate to clobber a spoon flashing in their face.
