Spoon lures can appear to be very simple fishing lures. A spoon lure typically consist of a curved metal piece with a hook attached to the back of the metal piece. In addition to these components, a spoon lure does not appear to be a lure that would have any significant problems associated with its function.
However, any angler that is familiar with spoon lures understands that they can be difficult to fish with. Using spoon lures can create significant problems for an angler; the angler can experience line twists, fouled hooks, lost fish, and retrieves that dont work correctly with spoon lures. Each of these problems can be frustrating for an angler and cause them to question there skills in fishing with spoon lures.
However, each of these problems has a cause and solution so that the angler can overcome these issues. Each of the problems that can occur while using spoon lures can be solved. Spoon lures have common problems that can affect both beginner and experienced anglers when they is fishing with these lures.
Common Problems When Using Spoon Lures
1. Line Twist
Each problem has a cause and a solution for the angler to overcome the problem that they are experiencing while using spoon lures. The most common problem for anglers using spoon lures is the issue of line twist. When using spoon lures, the angler may complete a long retrieve of the spoon lure, but when they attempt to flip the bail on their fishing line, they find that the line has significant amounts of twist to it.
This issue occurs because spoon lures can often exhibit a tendency to spin while they are falling or while they are swinging. Because fishing lines have the ability to remember the position of the line, this line twist can significantly impact the angler’s ability cast their line and to avoid backlashes when they perform another cast with the spoon lure. To avoid this problem, the angler can add a quality ball-bearing swivel to their fishing line about one or two feet from the spoon lure.
A barrel swivel may appear to be an alternative swivel to use, but it does not provide the same freedom of movement as the ball-bearing swivel when there is pressure on the fishing line. This difference becomes noticeable in the way the line lays on the fishing rod when using a spoon lure. For those anglers who would like to avoid the use of a swivel, spoon lures can become problematic if the angler experiences any line twist.
However, if the angler experiences line twist with the spoon lure, the angler can allow the spoon lure to hang from the fishing line in a straight position in the water. This will allow the spinning spoon lure to work out its line twist. Although this may seem like it will take up some of the angler’s time, this method is the best way to avoid creating a tangle of line that the angler may encounter with every casting of the spoon lure.
2. Exposed Hooks and Snags
Another problem with spoon lures is the fact that spoon lures have a hook that is exposed from the spoon lure. The reason that spoon lures are able to hook the fish is due to the fact that the hook is exposed from the spoon lure. However, this same exposed hook can cause the spoon lure to snag on rocks, weeds, or submerged branches in the water.
This will allow the fish to be hooked to the spoon lure, but it can also cause significant difficulties for an angler because the angler will have to clean up any vegetation that has become hooked to the spoon lure. The reason that manufacturers typically manufacture moddern spoon lures with a single hook instead of a treble hook is to avoid this very problem. Because the single hook allows for the spoon lure to penetrate the fish when the fish bites, but it also allows the spoon lure to collect less vegetation while it is moving through the water.
If the angler is fishing in areas with heavy vegetation or cover, the angler can add a small weed guard to the spoon lure. The weed guard can be created with light monofilament, or it can be bought commercially. The weed guard will not add significant weight to the spoon lure.
Instead, it will allow the spoon lure to keep its exposed hook just behind the vegetation rather than in the vegetation. In some instances, this will result in a slightly lower rate of success when the angler is fishing for the lightest of fish. However, this benefit of being able to avoid snagging on vegetation typically provides more value than the potentially lower hookup ratio for light biters.
Anglers that are experienced with spoon lures have both types of spoon lures so that they can switch to a guarded spoon lure when they are in an area with heavy cover and to an unguarded spoon lure when they are in open water. A third problem for anglers who use spoon lures is the depth at which spoon lures can be controlled to target the fish. The depth at which spoon lures fall is based off the thickness of the spoon lure, the curvature of the spoon lure, and the weight of the spoon lure.
If an angler casts a spoon lure into a body of water, they may expect the spoon lure to reach the thermocline in a certain depth in a certain amount of time. However, the spoon lure may exhibit a tendency to plane the spoon lure sideways so that it does not reach the targeted depth. The spoon lure that exhibits this problem has the same shape that is desired for spoon lures to exhibit a wobble in the water when being retrieved.
To fix this problem, the angler can add a small split shot weight to the spoon lure about six inches from the spoon lure. This weight will ensure that the spoon lure reaches the desired depth before the angler begins to retrieve the spoon lure. On other days, the fish may be interested in observing a spoon lure that exhibits a fluttering fall into the water rather than a straight spoon lure drop.
In these instances, the angler can use an unweighted spoon lure. To understand when to use each type of spoon lure, the angler needs to be able to understand the conditions of the body of water prior to casting the spoon lure. Spoon lures can fall short of the desired distance on days when there is a significant amount of wind on the body of water.
In these situations, the angler can use a thicker spoon lure with more surface area or a spoon lure that has more weight to its spoon to ensure that it does not plane the spoon lure sideways in the water. A fourth problem with spoon lures is the sharpness of the hook. Because spoon lures have a tendency to exhibit a wide swing as they are catching the fish, the fish may exhibit a tendency to swipe at the spoon lure with the side of their mouths instead of taking the entire spoon lure into their mouths.
3. Dull Hooks
If the spoon lure has a dull hook, the hook may not become embedded into the fish when the fish swipes at it. The hooks that come on most spoon lures that are bought from commercial stores may need to be sharpened prior to being deployed into the water. Using a quality hook file will allow the angler to sharpen the hook enough to create a flat spot on the tip of the spoon lure hook instead of a thin point.
This flat spot will allow the hook to become embedded into the fish when the fish swims past the spoon lure. The sharpness of the hook with spoon lures should be checked after every few fish are caught with the spoon lure. Additionally, if the angler bumps the spoon lure against the bottom of the water, the hook may need to be checked.
Even a slight bounce against rocks may create issues with the spoon lure hook. Additionally, the angler can replace the hook on most spoon lures because the eye of the spoon lure is large enough to incorporate aftermarket hooks. A single siwash hook will provide better results than the treble hook that is on most spoon lures.
This is because when the angler sets the hook with a smooth motion, the hook can remain in the mouth of the fish for longer and the hook will have a better chance of landing on a larger fish. This is true of spoon lures with a siwash hook because larger fish tend to throw spoon lures out of their mouths when they are hooked by spoon lures. A fifth problem with spoon lures is if the spoon lure does not have its shine.
4. Loss of Shine
If the spoon lure has become tarnished or scratched, the fish that were previously interested in the spoon lure may no longer be interested in it. This is particularly true for spoon lures that are used in saltwater environments. The shine on a spoon lure can be restored in a few seconds by using a polish product with fine steel wool, or a dedicated metal polish can be used on the spoon lure.
Some anglers prefer the spoon lures to become naturaly dull in their appearance. While this may work for some fish and some environments, the flash of the spoon lure will always account for the majority of strikes that the angler will experience with spoon lures in clear water. In the angler’s tackle box, there should be one polished spoon lure and one aged spoon lure so that each problem can be overcome and tested with the spoon lure.
5. Repetitive Retrieve Rates
A sixth problem for anglers who use spoon lures is if the angler continues to use the same retrieve to fish with the spoon lure. Anglers may find significant success in using spoon lures with a certain retrieve rate when they first start fishing. However, after a period of time, the fish that were previously interested in the spoon lure may no longer be interested in it.
The spoon lure that has become very popular among anglers has a tendency to fall into a retrieve that is the same retrieve with every cast of the spoon lure. This retrieve may have worked for the angler an hour earlier when the fish were more aggressive about attacking the spoon lure. A spoon lure should move fast enough to exhibit a wobble in the water, but it should not move that fast with such a retrieve.
If the tip of the fishing rod exhibit pulsing with each wobble in the spoon lure, the angler is using the correct retrieve rate for the water and the fish. If the pulsing goes away, it could mean that the angler is using too slow a retrieve or too fast a retrieve with the spoon lure. To avoid this problem, anglers should vary the retrieve of their spoon lures.
Depending upon the condition of the fish and the success of the angler with that specific spoon lure, varying the retrieve can often yield the best results for spoon lures with the least amount of additional tackle.
6. Improper Knots
Knots deserve to have their own section on the list of troubles with spoon lures. Using the wrong type of knot or tying the knot improperly will cause the spoon lure to not exhibit the natural movement that it is capable of when properly cast and baited.
Instead of exhibiting the natural movement of the spoon lure swinging from side to side, the lure may spin in circles or track straight through the water like a minnow that has no life. The improved clinch knot is a favorite among anglers because it retains the spoon lure in place and keeps it from moving in an unnatural way. Leaving a small tag end of the line after the knot is tied will help to retain the spoon lure in place.
Many anglers will also add a small amount of super glue to the knot for the extra security needed if they are fishing for big fish like pike or muskie. Finally, the storage of spoon lures is another issue that can ruin the life of a spoon lure. Spoon lures that are stored loosely in a tackle box can easily become entangled, the points can dull and the finishes of the spoon lures can get scratched up.
Using a small dedicated spoon wallet or a plastic box with foam inserts will keep each spoon lure separated and ready for use. It will take a few extra seconds to place the spoon lures in their designated spot each day but it will save time the next time you reach for one of your favorite spoon lure patterns. While pliers can straighten bent spoon lures, the metal can fatigue and the spoon lure may not wobble with the same ease as before.
Prevention is better than repair every time. These problems with spoon lures might seem significant on dry land when reading about them. However, when on the water, any of these problems have the potential to ruin an otherwise great fishing outing.
The common thread among all these problems is the need for anglers to pay close attention to detail when using these spoon lures. Paying close attention to detail with the use of the proper swivel, hook, weight, and retrieve will make all the difference in the world with your success with your spoon lures. Once all the problems with spoon lures are solved, there is no better way to cast a spoon lure into the water and watch it naturally wobble to attract the attention of the fish in the water.
That is how the best days fishing with spoon lures usually begin.