Super usefull tip.

Bushleague · #1 06-10-2019, 04:06 PM

In the past I've tried tipping my favorite spoons with plastics to create a larger profile and been generally disappointed, the added drag mutes the action and the lure is usually less effective. Well just this year it finally clicked that I could use this effect to my advantage, by adding a plastic trailer I can prevent spoons from spinning and twisting up my line. This is handy if one wants to fish a spoon outside of its normal speed range, or on models of spoons that are prone to twisting.

I hate spoons that roll over and spin, but I use spoons a lot and like to experiment with different models. As a result I have a bunch of spoons that I don't use much because of their tendency to twist my line. After some experimenting with the size and type of plastic I tip them with I've got most of them to quit spinning, and these spin-prone spoons still have lots of wobble and seem to catch fish well with the right sized trailer.

Drewski Canuck · #2 06-10-2019, 04:27 PM

If you are trying to battle line twist / spin, you need to go to ball bearing swivel snaps. If one can't take the twist from a large spoon, two in a row will.

Yes they are pricey, but they do work wonders.

If you ever run a spinner rig with a dew worm or leeches, and you rig it with the biggest colorado blades, and perhaps 2 colorodo blades separated by a number of beads, you will know how bad line twist can be.

You cannot buy these big mutli blade set ups, but they really really work on big fish, especially if you run tandem 1/0 hooks with big big dew worms. Trouble is your leader, even 17 pd florocarbon, is wound up tight as a spring very fast, unless you use ball bearing swivel snaps on the leader.

As for putting a big jig body on a big red five of diamonds, and bouncing it off the bottom for deep walleye, I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THAT TECHNIQUE!!!

Drewsk

Kurt505 · #3 06-10-2019, 06:16 PM

Spoons are supposed spin, flip, and flutter, that’s how they attract fish. Like Drewski said, spend a little extra on your swivels and leaders. You use one swivel or leader for all your hooks, it shouldn’t be the weakest link.

If you’re set on putting a plastic body on your spoon, use a sharp gamakatzu J hook and use a 4 or 5 inch grub with half the body cut off so it’s mostly tail.

Red Bullets · #4 06-10-2019, 09:06 PM

Spoons can be tuned for action. The end of the spoon that connects to your leader... with vise grips or in a vise bend the spoon. Bending the end towards the outside,( convex side), the spoon will wobble more. Bending the end to the inside, (concave side) will make it spin more. Not much of a bend can make a huge difference in action.
To add something more to a spoon I like adding a 3 to 4 inch strip of colored silk. It doesn't change the spoons action too much. Moves nice in the water.

Bushleague · #5 06-10-2019, 10:51 PM

Well, you folks say/ do what you want. All I know is that I've tuned a bunch of spoons not to spin in the last couple of weeks simply by putting on various plastic trailers, and the spoons in question are catching fish as well or better than ever. Do with this information what you want, but it is working nicely for me.

To be more specific.
Len Thompsons, don't mess with them, same with pretty much any other spoon that wobbles rather than spins.
Williams Wabblers, some sizes seem to be more prone to spinning than others, a 2-3" grub will sort things out.
Williams Trophys, these buggers like to spin a 3-4" paddletail gets them wobbling nicely.
Lucky Strike Lizard, same as Williams trophy.
Gibbs #4 One eye Wiggler, a 5" squid teaser tames the rollover and makes it into a glorious lure for big pike. It just snakes through the water with a super wide wobble that has been catching like crazy the last couple days.

If you really overload the back end, the spoon will plane on the surface at a pretty slow speed, and can be fished as a topwater quite effectively.

Yes, I do get a bit nerdy about spoons.

mapleleafman3 · #6 06-11-2019, 01:16 PM

Doesn't the speed of the spoon, trolled or retrieved, have a major affect on the wobble/spin?

lds · #7 06-11-2019, 02:43 PM

I always like trying something different so I will definitely try it. Sometimes Justus have to do the strangest things that a fish has never seen before to get a bite

Lowrance Fishburn · #8 06-12-2019, 10:06 AM

Putting a jig body on a spoon, a crankbait, a swimbait, anything other than a jig head seems pretty silly to me. The action of these lures is designed to run without interference. I also don't see how it would help catch fish, but fishing and experimenting is half the fun so in that sense, do whatever you like!

Bushleague · #9 06-12-2019, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowrance Fishburn

Putting a jig body on a spoon, a crankbait, a swimbait, anything other than a jig head seems pretty silly to me. The action of these lures is designed to run without interference. I also don't see how it would help catch fish, but fishing and experimenting is half the fun so in that sense, do whatever you like!

I tip lures because I want to alter their action, that is the whole point and that is how it helps catch fish. I personally don't think the jig ads any other benefit, though some would probably disagree. I use the jig to alter the wobble of a spoon, or to make a spinner run shallower. I don't tip crank baits but on some models removing some of the hooks can make for a wider, more aggressive wobble that can be beneficial sometimes.

Some lures work about as good as they can right out of the box, others can be improved upon, and still others can work better one way or the other depending on the day or the condition.... IMO. If this all sounds crazy to you don't bother, but in my experience the action and vibration of a lure will often be of more importance than the color or even the physical size.

Smoky buck · #10 06-12-2019, 08:34 PM

It does not take much to change the action of a lure and you are just scratching the surface. I build a variety of lures and over a ton of experimentation I can say there is lots of ways to change action on a lure

As for the whole debate over if a spoon should flip over or not it all depends on what the fish want. Sometimes unconventional is the best action and sometimes it’s not. The action fishermen envision as the correct way a lure should move is not always what fish want

Bushleague keep tinkering try picking up some lead tape and see what you can figure out. Throw the balance off just right and you can cause some lures to “hunt”