Looking for spoon 101

[Blll]

In my continuing quest to learn Beaver Lake, I have a question on jigging spoons. Do you normally use any kind of snap or swivel? I have been using a snap swivel to prevent line twist but get the hook caught on it frequently. What am I doing wrong? Do I need to let the spoon fall back on a tight line or what? Appreciate any help.

[Dan the fisherman]

Vertically, I let it fall on tight line.  I don't like when I can't feel the bait.   I get a lot of strikes on the fall and like to snap that hook into there faces as soon as they hit.  The only time I leave slack on it is when I cast the spoon and jig it back

[Stump bumper]

I only use a split ring on the spoon, if you don't troll with it the line twist is not an issue. There are two different schools on how to let the spoon fall, myself I like the free fall. I have found whites like to hit on the fall and stripers on the way up. If I see big fish on the screen I let the spoon fall past them about 10 feet the reel up fast then fall again. I find when I overwork the spoon is when I catch the hook. Jerking the spoon up ten feet is not necessary, if you want it to do up ten feet, reel then release from the reel and you will be ready for that sudden stop and you won't wrap the hook. If you lift straight and controlled then let the spoon flutter you won't wrap the hook.

With walleyes I find they like to have the spoon hit the bottom and sometimes hit the spoon several times before getting hooked. I have more success by reeling up then dropping the bait back down on hit like that, they don't want the pray to escape.  

I see a lot of people jigging on the lake looking like they are trying to snag, that is why they wrap hooks and have massive line twist, but please don't say anything to them they will give up and leave more fish on the bottom for me. 

Another tip is one and one and half ounce spoons come off tree limbs much easier then 1/2 or 3/4 oz spoons and always use heavy line and the trolling motor to get big fish out of the trees fast.

[rps]

Great question Bill.

First, with some spoons, like the War Eagle, a swivel is built in. In others, not. Where no swivel is built in, I use a snap or I add an O ring. The loose fall flutters better than a spoon tied to the line. As for line twist, I simply allow the line to unwind from time to time. If I have spoon jigged all day, at the end of the day I cut the bait off the line and slow troll about 100 yards of loose line for five or ten minutes to remove all the twist before I stow the rod.

Good luck.