Bert Swope
A small spoon with a leader can be an effective lure when fishing for pike in dense cover, as its leader helps protect fishing line from getting tangled with their teeth, as well as adding extra action and motion to the lure.
Most spoons work best when handled slowly; allowing it to sink and flutter as you retrieve, simulating an injured baitfish and drawing pike to strike.
Spoons with slow retrievals can be effective tools when fishing in shallow water. Scout out areas favored by pike such as cabbage patches, rocky shoals and long points where pike might gather.
Rather, light-colored spoons like the Johnson Silver Minnow wobble on an acute angle while an oblong spoon like Dardevle moves along an expansive one.
Effectiveness
Post-spawn periods on small inland lakes can be challenging for anglers since pike have finished breeding and turned their attention back toward food sources. When these fish have finished feeding on eggs they become highly targeted; spoons can be highly effective during this period.
Spoons are particularly effective due to the vibration they produce. Like other forage fish, pike are extremely sensitive to vibrations their prey creates as they move through the water; an effective spoon replicates this effect and triggers pike’s predatory instincts.
Spoons are extremely effective fish lures because they attract fish from across the water column. While they work particularly well in shallow bays or casting across main bodies of lakes, spoons also work wonders on bottom structure such as rocky shoals or long points.
Spoons can be utilized most effectively when fished with a depth control sinker rig. A long leader is tied to one end of the sinker while a Johnson Silver Minnow spoon (often tied at both ends of its wire line) is attached at the other. Once set at a particular depth – usually only several feet off bottom – retrieval speed mimicking that of crankbaits allows anglers to use either technique on any structure they target.
Many anglers find adding a trailer hook to their spoon useful when fishing around thick vegetation; the extra security offered by this small hook attached to its lead hook ensures better hook-ups.
Spoons are also an excellent option when pike hide out in vegetation after a weather front passes, especially with their addition of weedless versions like Johnson Silver Minnow Weedless. A slow retrieve allows the spoon to “flutter” side-to-side as it falls, often prompting strikes from submerged pike.
Color
At the start of each season, when pike and muskie are still warming up along banks and warming their bodies up for battle, spoons with bright colors like orange, green, red, or neon yellow will likely produce the greatest success. They also work especially well over rocky bottoms where light reflecting off them warms the water more evenly than shallower areas do.
Spoons are metal pieces hammered or stamped together with concave and convex sides that cause them to oscillate side-to-side, making the lure perfect for beginners as it doesn’t require too much skill to use properly. Simply cast beyond where you wish to fish, let the spoon free-fall, reel it in at a pace that allows you to feel its wobble, and then stop reeling for short jerks up and down.
Fluttering action is key for drawing fish in, particularly pike and muskie. Pike and muskie fishers are particularly sensitive to vibrations in the water that they pick up through lateral line reception; wobbling spoons produce these vibrations, which trigger strikes from hungry pike and muskie. Narrower spoons create less noise while vibrating more rapidly than wider ones – ideal for fishing over rough bottoms.
Spoons offer another advantage, as they’re easy to customize according to the size and color of the baitfish you’re targeting. Simply attaching some bucktail, marabou, or tinsel will add visual interest, or etch scales or gills onto them using a Dremel tool can even do the trick!
As temperatures warm and pike and muskie become more aggressive, trolling at various speeds and angles will tempt them to bite. But as they become less active, slower speeds with spoons that flutter or pause will prove most successful as their action mimics wounded or panicked baitfish, drawing in predators who would otherwise miss an opportunity for striking. Furthermore, slow-falling techniques provide extra time for zeroing in on presentations to target holding tight to cover or suspended in midwater environments.
Size
Spoons come in a variety of sizes, ranging from the tiny Dardevle spoon suited for trout and panfish, to larger options like the Northland Bulldog created specifically to target pike. For optimal success, match a spoon’s size to the forage fish consumed by your targeted predators; this may prove challenging due to the different growth rates among baitfish species. Furthermore, you must consider where and under what cover your target fish are situated; shallow weed beds growing quickly near dense vegetated drop offs make an ideal home for pike hiding spot!
Similar to trolling at slow speeds across likely pike areas, small spoons work best in open water areas like bays or narrows. By contrast, larger ones may work best when fishing deeper water areas or shallow waters near rocks shoals, long points or cabbage patches. To find your ideal spoon size on any given lake, experiment with various sizes by trolling slow speeds over likely pike locations.
Fishing shallow weed beds with a spoon requires carefully placing the lure in pockets between higher clumps. Once in these pockets, a short flutter of your rod tip and some short pauses should lead to strikes from lurking pike.
Add natural fish scent to make a spoon more attractive. Pro-Cure contains real forage fish such as smelt, alewives, herring, and shad, giving extra lifelike appeal and helping mask any unwelcome odors such as sunscreen, insect repellent, or fuel that might otherwise remain.
One of the great advantages of spoons is their ease of use. Cast, and they allow anglers to spend plenty of time fishing their hook in the water – giving them time to observe how a lure reacts under different conditions, enabling them to adjust their presentation as necessary. For instance, if your lure flops or wobbles too often during certain conditions, it might be too heavy – by altering its weight or switching out for something lighter, you could potentially enhance results.
Techniques
Spoons can be used to target many species of fish. Walleye are attracted to minnow-style jigs; trout are drawn to in-line spinners; smallmouth bass cannot resist tube baits, and muskie seem drawn to their flash and action of spoons.
Spoon lures can be an effective tool when used correctly, as their design relies on reflecting light and moving with the water, acting much like wounded or fleeing prey fish would. As such, they make ideal targets for predators that rely on sight to locate their next meal.
Anglers looking to maximize the effectiveness of spoon lures should position themselves near structures such as weed beds, rock piles, sloughs or inflow/outflow areas. Furthermore, anglers can use spoon lures in shallow shorelines and deep bays where water temperatures tend to be slightly cooler, rendering spoons even more effective in terms of fishing activity.
Anglers fishing spoons at different speeds may adapt their speed according to conditions and target fish accordingly. A faster retrieve allows the lure to hover just above the bottom, while slower retrievals let it flutter freely into the strike zone. A medium retrieve speed with frequent rod tip twitches may even encourage reactionary bites from wary fish.
Slowing your presentation when targeting muskie, in particular, can help bring the lure right up into its face and prompt attacks from predatory fish. A fluttering spoon may give off an impression that an injured or wounded prey animal has come under attack by predatory species – this often prompts strikes from them.
Sight fishing can also help anglers lure big muskies into striking, as long as you position yourself over their path and use a spoon that mimics natural prey to bait their strike.
Anglers looking to increase their odds of landing an enormous catch can add leaders to their spoons for increased success. These leaders may consist of coated wire, which reduces line stretch, or thicker single-strand titanium wire known as a jerkbait leader that’s designed to withstand toothy predators’ strikes, including sizes specifically suitable for muskies and pike.
Fishing spoon lures for pike fishing in October
The choice of fishing spoon lures for pike fishing in October can vary depending on the specific conditions of the water body you’re fishing in and the preferences of the fish. However, some popular spoon lures that are commonly used for pike fishing in the fall include:
- Johnson Silver Minnow: This classic spoon lure is effective for pike fishing. It has a weedless design that allows you to fish it in areas with vegetation and is known for its ability to mimic a wounded baitfish.
- Dardevle Spoon: The Dardevle spoon, also known as the Red Devil, is a popular choice for pike anglers. It’s available in various sizes and colors, making it versatile for different water conditions and pike preferences.
- Mepps Syclops: Mepps Syclops spoons are known for their enticing action and ability to attract pike. They come in a variety of colors and sizes, so you can select the one that matches the local forage.
- Williams Wabler: The Williams Wabler is a Canadian-made spoon lure that has a unique, wobbling action that pike find hard to resist. It’s a great choice for both casting and trolling.
- Blue Fox Vibrax: While not a traditional spoon, the Blue Fox Vibrax is a spin-type lure with a spinning blade that creates vibration and attracts pike. It’s a versatile option for various fishing conditions.
- Acme Little Cleo: The Little Cleo is another popular spoon lure that’s effective for pike. Its erratic swimming action and flashing sides make it a good choice for enticing strikes.
- Len Thompson Five of Diamonds: The Len Thompson Five of Diamonds is a classic Canadian spoon lure with a unique diamond pattern that imitates fish scales. It’s known for its effectiveness in catching pike.
When selecting a spoon lure for pike fishing in October, consider factors like water clarity, weather conditions, and the size of the pike you’re targeting. It’s also a good idea to have a variety of sizes and colors in your tackle box to adapt to changing conditions and the preferences of the fish on a given day.
