# Spooning, Lost Art?



## Boozer (Sep 5, 2010)

No, I am not talking about what Hutch does with fish in his boat and posts photos of here. LOL Just messing with you bud...

When I was a younger lad once Fall came I for the most part just fished hardware in the river, more often than not I tossed various spoons and did quite well, spoons actually seemed more effective than spinners. For some reason I moved on from that and have never really ventured back into it.

Being the tinkering type that I am, I am always looking for something new to mess with as I get bored, so last night I ordered some spoon blanks and plan to venture back to the "good ole days" of drifting/swinging spoons for Fall fish a little bit this Fall.

Anyone else fish spoons in the rivers during Fall/Winter, or has everyone pretty much moved on to drifting, floating bobbers, plugging or walking skein?

Interested to hear if anyone does and if so what your favorite color combinations are. I always did the best on green tape/silver-nickel or orange tape/silver-nickle mainliner spoons they sold at the local tackle shop here in town, but back then I basically just stuck with what had worked in the past and never changed much.


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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

Since I am a younger lad I grew up using the tecniques you speak of, and have never really used many spoons. I get STS magazine and they show B.C. spoons (pen tec). Ive been really meaning to get some and try. Never seen anyone using taped spoons in the river just painted ones. See alot of folks still using orange and gold (or silver) KOs with success.


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## bigfisherman (Nov 9, 2007)

I like the little cleo in hot orange on a gold spoon and the silver with the emerald green, The gold with the deep red is always a good one. I have had my best luck doing that in the cold of winter.


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## Boozer (Sep 5, 2010)

I never really had much success with the KO style spoons other than off the piers.

From what I hear pen-tac is basically impossible to get anything out of anymore. They never return calls or emails is what everyone says.

I heard really good things about the rvrfishr spoons and that's what I ordered a few of. They don't come with tape on them, but I have some tape in various colors and planned to tinker with it. I also have an air brush so will likely paint a few as well. Will just have to see what happens...


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## Boozer (Sep 5, 2010)

bigfisherman said:


> I like the little cleo in hot orange on a gold spoon and the silver with the emerald green, The gold with the deep red is always a good one. I have had my best luck doing that in the cold of winter.


Will have to give those colors a shot, thanks!


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Been using cleos for some 25 years and it is just about my favorite way to fish steelhead. Nothing like the hit and run of a fall fish on a cleo. I also like to use a tot or other body bait, but when that slow reel and lightly fluttering spoon on the end of your line gets hammered by a fresh steelhead... :woohoo1:


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

> lightly fluttering spoon on the end of your line gets hammered by a fresh steelhead...


Nothing like it! Fall steelhead hit spoons harder then kings. My favorite all around spoon is a 2/3oz Cleo in orange/silver. Pearl can be KILLER but is hard to find it seems.....


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

I lost a spoon to a fish on sunday. I had two different kinds of green prism tape on it.

Wife lost a fish on a stinger spoon saturday.


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## Boozer (Sep 5, 2010)

Some good info here, look forward to tossing some spoons around next week...


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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

Boozer said:


> I never really had much success with the KO style spoons other than off the piers.
> 
> From what I hear pen-tac is basically impossible to get anything out of anymore. They never return calls or emails is what everyone says.
> 
> I heard really good things about the rvrfishr spoons and that's what I ordered a few of. They don't come with tape on them, but I have some tape in various colors and planned to tinker with it. I also have an air brush so will likely paint a few as well. Will just have to see what happens...


 Hmm Idk, if not I have connections to the west coast who could get me some but it would have to wait till next year. I believe the company shut down for a while this could have been the cause of the no return calls or emails.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

I was in a hurry earlier when I replied to this thread. I'll sweep spoons some in the rivers, when eggs won't work or just for something different. On days when they're on the spoon bite, it can get ridiculous. Throw out beyond the seam/jam, slow crank to the current, let it ride down....SLAM! Steelhead just demolish spoons, especially in the fall. Running 10lb and a single, you don't lose to many of them.....


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## no lead (Jul 28, 2005)

i too started as a hardware man. producers, hot-n-tots and spoons. almost always caught fish in any river i fished. added spinners later in the mix and couldn't help catching something.

as for colors my rule is silver in the sun, copper in the clouds. try changing colors back and forth on a partly cloudy day and see. i switch as soon as the sun goes behind a cloud and bam. something different often brings the bite.

this site is quiet again. salmon must all be dead.


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

I seem to have the same problem. One of my best river days ever was on a blue/silver Cleo in clouds and drizzle. Now, I hardly ever throw them anymore . It might be just the ticket right now, since our river is full of 3" shad.


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## earl (Sep 7, 2007)

I think most everyone starts with hardware, makes the jump to bait. Then eventually get bored with it and drifts off to try flys or experiments with hardware...or pins...or...

Don't fish the rivers as much as I used to. Felt like the BC spoon was overrated (still got a few). For most of the places I fished 2/3 oz ran too deep. Did better with 2/5 cleo/mainliners and 1/2 ko. Brass and orange was a favorite, on the cleos I taped some up with my kelly green leftovers from my BC spoons and did alright. The painted mainliners (Chart w/orange dots) have been good to me esp in colored water.

Its nice to hear someone actually has caught a fish on the brass and deep red cleo. Overtime i think I've dragged one of those halfway to California and I'm still looking for a bump (swore them off).:lol:


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Sorry about the off-topic question for ausable steelhead, but how do you get -1 photos on your photos icon? Negative 1 photos  I am afraid to click on it, LOL! But I will after I post this 

Nice pic you posted there. I never gave KO's much of a chance as cleos in 1/3 usually do the trick for me on steelhead. 
The first time I ever attached a KO to my line was one I had found in a snag that I put on to try and remove some line from a hole that kept interfering with my fishing and ended up landing an 18 inch eye on the first throw :lol: That was crazy...


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## kerryquest (Mar 8, 2010)

Many yrs ago, a freind and me were on the PM and found a hole with sufacing steel. Spent 2 hrs throwing everything at'em. My buddy put on a kastmaster silver and BAM!!!! First cast, fish on! Spoons are always an option.


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

I've caught quite a few walleyes on the KO.

I need to make it to Hobby Lobby and check out some painting supplies. Thanks to the courtesy of OldGrandman for the old spoons. I used a die grinder at work and cleaned up the old paint. I found out that the cheaper spoons are actually plated. They turned copper after the finish was removed.

*Before*









*After*









Screwin' around with a test...









I haven't decided what I'm gonna do about paint. I have a bunch of paint markers from work. I don't know if I want to do it that way, or if I want to get a air brush them.

What I really want to know though, is what would someone recommend for a clear coat? I want to spray them with an enamel of some sort.


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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

diztortion said:


> I've caught quite a few walleyes on the KO.
> 
> I need to make it to Hobby Lobby and check out some painting supplies. Thanks to the courtesy of OldGrandman for the old spoons. I used a die grinder at work and cleaned up the old paint. I found out that the cheaper spoons are actually plated. They turned copper after the finish was removed.
> 
> ...


 Ive caught a few eyes on KO's

Spoons look great. 

Dont have a recommendation for clear coat but I would search around on Janns netcraft if I were you.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

> Sorry about the off-topic question for ausable steelhead, but how do you get -1 photos on your photos icon? Negative 1 photos I am afraid to click on it, LOL! But I will after I post this
> 
> Nice pic you posted there. I never gave KO's much of a chance as cleos in 1/3 usually do the trick for me on steelhead.
> The first time I ever attached a KO to my line was one I had found in a snag that I put on to try and remove some line from a hole that kept interfering with my fishing and ended up landing an 18 inch eye on the first throw That was crazy...


That's from deleting/swapping pics out. Don't worry about clicking on it, nothing bad will happen, no explosion, nothing like that:lol:!

Like I stated, 2/3oz Cleo is my favorite, but the 1/2oz KO is another great one. I hardly ever throw 3/4oz spoons for steelhead, salmon/browns sure, but I like the smaller ones for chrome. This thread makes me want to go cast for rainbows, I haven't did that in awhile(pic was from last fall).


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## Gooseanator26 (Mar 9, 2010)

When using those spoons do you just tie the line right to them if they don't have a ring or do you use a snap?


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