Spooning in the boat.........

[riverrat56]

Jigging spoons that is

I'm looking to add a new technique this year, Jigging Spoons. I have had great sucess using them in winter, and being a more agressive bait, I think they will work well in summer as well.

Looking for anyone with experience using them, as well as time of year, location and techniques and gear.

Thanks guys

[minnesotatuff]

i caught a 24" in august on my little ice fishing pole with a jigging rap & nightcrawler on it. it was about 35fow, marked lots of walleyes but couldnt get them to bit on the summer stuff. got out the ice rap and got bit right away! only used a nightcrawler because i didnt have any minnows.

jigging spoons should work the same way. if they are there and not biting, try the spoons. its something different!

regards,

minnesotatuff

[PerchJerker]

Big jigging spoons in the fall when the fish are in deep water by steep breaks is a fairly common technique.

Blade baits have a reputation as being a river bait, but let me tell you they work great over mid-lake structure in the middle of the summer. Use them vertical, where you would a jig/minnow or livebait rig.

Re: ice fishing jigging spoons, I know people that have used them early in the season for perch and walleyes. I've seen it done three ways, 1 is vertical jigging right below the boat, 2 is cast and retrieve (jigging and bumping them along the bottom), and 3 is using them under a slip float and actively working / jigging / retrieving the spoon.

[tunrevir]

I like to use spoons both on the river and the lakes both early and late. I tend to like little cleos for the cast and retrieve bumping bottom along the way using a snap jigging retrieve later into spring. Early, I like to go vertical and work the edges of structure much like in the winter. Pimples, Williams wobblers and cleos again get the nod. In current, I like the hopkins spoons, pimples and rattling varmints. These can also work well along the deeper edges of weedlines when there isn't current present. Sonars have a distinct wobble as well as chubby darters and also work well in vertical presentations but of course these aren't spoons. I have experimented with crocs and had some success with them as well. The one thing I haven't played with much is the lighter flutter spoons with the exception of the angel eye jrs. They are awesome both winter and summer!

Tunrevir~

[Team Otter]

PJ definitely knocked the nail right on the head. If I was going to respond to this post, I would not have said it any differently.

[Gordie]

riverat I use jiggin spoons under a lighted bobber almost all open water season and pull the rod back about 4-6 feet then the spoon falls to the waiting fish. I call it jiggin bobbers. it works really well on Mille Lacs

[riverrat56]

Alright guys, thanks for the info.

Chubby Darters, I was thinking those might also be a good alternative to a jig and minnow set up on pressured fish.

[Team Otter]

Yes and Cicada's, Northland Buckshot Spoons and 1/16 oz. Rat-L-Traps and/or Rattlin' Raps.

[Stick in Mud]

If you're fishing them vertical, don't forget to hang the Vex transducer over the side to watch for fish! It works just like winter!!

[goblueM]

Personally, I really like Hopkins Shorties and bigger Swedish Pimples

Favorite way is to fish over fairly firm bottom, hop it along with 2-3 foot snaps of the rod, keeping the line tight as you let it fall. In Canada one magical night, my Uncle and I caught between 200 and 300 walleyes combined in less than 4 hours on jigging spoons. It was absolutely unreal. Never think that'll happen again

[Team Otter]

50 - 75 fish/hour for 2 guys is magical. I'm impressed! I'd forget to count after 15...

[riverrat56]

Forgetting and not having the ability aren't quite the same thing, but I can't even catch six, let alone count past ten.

[riverrat56]

Geez TO, I've really been giving you a hard time lately, Rap music , Those Bottom feeders, and now questioning your counting abilities.

Sorry buddy, but these ideas just pop into my head and I can't let them go, so naturally I share them with the whole world.

[goblueM]

yeah it was pretty ridiculous. We stopped counting and just estimated how many we caught every 10 minutes. It was every other cast, maybe 3 casts tops between fish. Lotta small cigars, but a bunch of nice 24-25-26 inchers mixed in.

One "fly in only" lake in Ontario we went to the 'eyes averaged over 3 pounds, I don't think I caught one smaller than 20 inches the whole trip. They were smashing 6 and 8" kalin grubs we were trying to use for pike, it was madness!

All I can say is go up to Canada, bust your butt to get into a remote spot, and take a lot of jigging spoons, grubs, and cranks!

[Team Otter]

If I can give it, I certainly have to be able to take it.

[evinrude19]

i have had a similiar expirence in eagle lake in ontario we cought a bout 100 fish in a hour it was amazing between 3 guys. amazing time!!!!

[icehousebob]

My older brother and I were fishing in N.E. South Dakota in one of the flodded lakes and we anchored over a flooded road for Perch. Other boats were there slip bobbering but I decided to vertical jig a Crusher and minnow head. The Perch went crazy and the other boats were trying to figure out what I was using. About every fourth or fifth fish was a Walleye, that made it fun on my ultralight rod. Because of the boat movement, the vertical jigging lures I carry in my summer tackle box are heavy so you can feel the lure down on the bottom. They are also great for vertical jigging in sunken timber, but use a strong enough line and rod to horse them out so they don't wrap you up.