Spoon Em Up

[Ham]

I'm all ears on suggestions for a best jigging spoon combo for bass/walleye/white bass.

I've been using a 6'6" to 7' MH fairly fast action rod with 14-17 lb mono.

I know I'd want a rod that can handle the weight of the spoon, but for jiging the spoon or getting the fish to the boat is there a "better" rod for me to be using?

[RSBreth]

Bass/Walleye/White Bass to me are very different things as far as technique goes. At least as far as Winter spooning is considered. Or any spooning is considered.

But recently, spooning on Table Rock and Beaver have been a little different, too. Unless someone is waaay behind the curve.

http://www.in-fisher...l-spoons-bass/1

I've been throwing some bigger "flutter" spoons for a couple of years, but I haven't really said much about it.

That being said, I like a softer medium action or so rod, but it's mostly because I use superlines.

[Ham]

I guess I should have posted this on the TR forum where it would get more looks. I appreciate you comments RSB, but I was hoping for a half dozen or so folks to comment.Lots of guys use spoons. Does the rod not matter?

[Stoneroller]

I'd also shoot for a medium action, as you are unlikely to be tossing a jigging spoon into heavy cover, although you might be jigging in some, but the chanch of getting hung up is less, thus lighter weight, which should equate to more sensitivity. Fast or X Fast tip, and some kind of braided line, you can use a fluoro leader if you think the fish are seeing the line. I think length of rod kind of depends on depth with jigging a spoon, deeper you go, longer the rod for more leverage. overall i'd say get something very sensitive as you want to be able to feel as much as you can to pick up on those lighter bites that can come during cooler water. you might also go with a 10-15lb braid since open water, winter fishing tends to mean fewer snags, but go with what you are comfortable with. confidence in your gear can mean more than all the recomendations in the world.

Bass Pro has their carbonlite rods on sale till dec 5th. $20 off reg price. they have a couple of different spinning models that would be great for jigging spoons. i'm sure they have some casting models that would work if you use that technique.

[Fly_Guy]

I use a Berkely Lightning rod (medium action), with braided line. It's sensitive, and the lightning rods seem to have enough backbone to handle spooning. I have a friend that I fish with who also uses the lightning rod while spooning.

For me, more important than the rod is the line.

[Stump bumper]

I like a short 6ft medium heavy or Heavy rod myself, it is just easier to work a jigging spoon on a shorter rod.If you are using a good quailty rod and don't have your drag to tight I don't think that a short rod hurts on fighting big fish, I have landed 20lb stripers on beaver with a 6ft rod. I like a much longer medium rod if I am casting spoons and keep both handy in the winter. I think the reel makes a lot of difference on jigging spoons and its the only reason I own an ambassador 500 reel so I can watch the line guide go back and forth and get back to the proper depth quickly.

I know the big casting spoons are "in" but I think that a match the hatch apporach on vertical jigging is the most productive apporach to cold water fishing, and there is nothing like watching that straight line coming off the bottom heading toward your spoon line on the depth finder.

I also have switched to braided line and a flourcarbon leader for spoons and it has increased my feeling and hook ups.

[RSBreth]

I guess I should have said that there's a big difference between casting and vertical jigging. I like a softer action on the casting rod, but a little stiffer for vertical jigging.

I do have to confess, I don't do the vertical jigging thing very much - days when it should be the thing I usually find find something else works better. I know someday I'll hit the mother load on it, so I keep a little box on the boat with some in it.

The casting spoon thing is considered new, but I remember being a teenager using the smaller Johnson's Silver Minnow with a pork eel trailer all the time, and mostly used it the same way.

There's no law you have to use a big spoon for casting, just this past Summer I caught a nice mixed bag of White's, Schoolie Stripers, and Black Bass on a clone of the Little Cleo spoon, the 2/5th-ounce size with a dressed treble. Not a big spoon, but matched the size of the shad they were busting.

Maybe some more folks will respond again.

[Guest]

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[Stoneroller]

I like the berkely lightning rod too. i recently got one of their amp rods and am looking forward to trying it out on some vertical techniques to see how I like it.

Don't forget blade baits for verticle jigging too, especially down there in so ill. banging a blade bait off the rocks over and over and over pisses off the fish and they'll smash it on a drop. you only need to hop it up off the bottom about 4 inches or so. works best on rock bottoms/shelfs/slopes.

[walleyerich]

I like medium action for walleye spoons and jigging raps. Too bad I snapped my favorite rod on the Eleven Point last month trying to get out of Halls Bay.