Jigging Spoons For Crappie -

Do -you- use jigging spoons for crappie? Why or why not?


I understand the use of soft plastics offers many advantages. Quick color/style change, low cost, fewer problems with snagging, etc, but what’s your take on jigging (or casting) spoons for crappie?


Truth be told, I have used spoons for bass, but I have not used spoons for crappie, yet. I recently saw an article online about using them for crappie, and it got me thinking. I’m really liking what I’m seeing with the small, rattling spoons offered by several companies. It seems the ice fishing crowd has had tools like these in their bags for years.


Aside from the snagging risk, there’s something to be said about a lure like this. What are your thoughts and experiences using spoons for crappie?

Aix.... jigging spoons are great for crappie and bluegill. I use them more for ice fishing but they can be great in open water too. Bay de Noc makes one called the Swedish Pimple, one of the best in my opinion. In open water I use a single hook w/bait opposed to a treble hook in the winter.

Attachment 466184
Here's a gill I caught yesterday on a hammered nickel spoon with a leaf worm....

Absolutely, spoons work fantastic when the fish are deep and you can get pretty much on top of them. Dont be afraid to go big too, 1/2oz spoons are not too big...

The key is that they are a reaction bite, so fish them fast and hard. Sometimes it looks like i am out snagging spoonbill, but really just fishing a spoon for crappie or walleye.

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I did a little looking into different spoons currently offered. I like the ones with a built in rattle, but I also thought the gliding types were interesting. Lots and lots of options, which is why I was surprised to see so little mention of spoons on the forum. I know people are using them or there wouldn’t be so many offered.


This summer I lost 2 Ladyfish on a 1 1/2 oz spoon due to the treble hook not being strong enough. Ladyfish can be very acrobatic. When they shook, the weight of the spoon was enough to nearly straighten out the factory treble, so I switched the trebles out to single hooks on most of my larger spoons.


I, too, jig pretty actively when I am dropping spoons vertically, at least I have in the past.

Interesting

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Originally Posted by Aix

I did a little looking into different spoons currently offered. I like the ones with a built in rattle, but I also thought the gliding types were interesting. Lots and lots of options, which is why I was surprised to see so little mention of spoons on the forum. I know people are using them or there wouldn’t be so many offered.


This summer I lost 2 Ladyfish on a 1 1/2 oz spoon due to the treble hook not being strong enough. Ladyfish can be very acrobatic. When they shook, the weight of the spoon was enough to nearly straighten out the factory treble, so I switched the trebles out to single hooks on most of my larger spoons.


I, too, jig pretty actively when I am dropping spoons vertically, at least I have in the past.

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The northland buckshot is a great one, tried and true.

The vmc tingler or custom jigs and spins slender spoon are good flutter spoons. They will lay on their side and flash as they fall, like a dying shad.

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The small pinhead minnow by clam works good when it’s cold and they are deep

Check out Bink's Spoons. They use to be a sponsor here.

The Ladyfish that straightened these factory hooks on the 1 1/2 oz to get away looked to be about 30”, which isn’t a heavy fish at all. If a fish that size can do it, I wouldn’t trust those factory hooks for much.


I would think that lighter spoons wouldn’t be quite as easy to straighten factory hooks, but I’ll still keep this experience in mind when using spoons if they don’t come with strong factory hooks.

Attachment 466305

To any that haven’t seen the rattle spoons and glider spoons, these are examples I found on the internet. I haven’t handled either one of these lures in person, yet.

1/24oz seems awfully light for a spoon, but it’s the size of the ones posted. I’d try that size, but I’d probably prefer one a little heavier most of the time.

Attachment 466306 Glider

Attachment 466307 A Wonderbread 1/24oz spoon.
Attachment 466308 Finally, a picture of a rattling spoon that started my interest in them. It’s from an In Fisherman article I read online.

I use steel shad a lot to vertical jig and caught my personal best on one.

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Use a lot of smaller casting spoons for gills and pick up crappies on them also. Thomas, Custom Jigs & Spins Slender Spoons and Eppinger Dardevle with single hooks and small plastic trailers all work good.Attachment 466309

Back in the day , when I did a lot of hybrid/ white bass fishing, a jiggin spoon was the gold standard. ( this was before sidescan, spot lok and livescope)
when I would catch a crappie , I searched the area well for a brushpile. I still have waypoints on my machine that were found
while fishing with a jiggin spoon.

MO

I'm a Hopkins fan. NoEql is my favorite. I have added bucktail dressed hooks to slow the fall and add flash as needed. I switched out the hooks on most to finer wire to help set the hook. They're also easier to pull or jiggle off stumps with light hooks. I try to stick with fishing jigs around rip rap rock, just cause they're cheaper and not quite as likely to hang. I also use Silver Buddys, Heddon Sonars, Cicadas and Cordell CC Spoons. The fish don't hang onto a spoon as long as a jig, which is why the sharp smaller diameter hook helps too.

Jim

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Originally Posted by Yak Fish

I'm a Hopkins fan. NoEql is my favorite. I have added bucktail dressed hooks to slow the fall and add flash as needed. I switched out the hooks on most to finer wire to help set the hook. They're also easier to pull or jiggle off stumps with light hooks. I try to stick with fishing jigs around rip rap rock, just cause they're cheaper and not quite as likely to hang. I also use Silver Buddys, Heddon Sonars, Cicadas and Cordell CC Spoons. The fish don't hang onto a spoon as long as a jig, which is why the sharp smaller diameter hook helps too.

Jim

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I hadn't really considered the advantage of being able to straighten the hook to save the lure from a snag, only the risk of losing a strong fish that was using the weight of the spoon as leverage. I do like the idea of being able to straighten hooks on a snag. Good point, thanks. The aberdeen hooks probably work well for sacalait and a good option to try.

I use them in the winter, in our lakes the shad bunch together in huge schools when the water is at it's coldest. Fishing in and below them is often pretty lucrative.

My favorite spoon is made by Fle-fly. It's made out of softer medal so you can bend it to your liking, I usually bend it quite a bit to get a nice slow flutter. Many times just jiggling it works about as well as ripping it.

Drop shot also works really well in that situation, #5 jigging raps as well.

The second time i went to the state park on Pomme de Terre to fish off the docks, there was an older lady there fishing off the bow of her pontoon while tied up to the dock slip. I watched for a bit and she was outfishing everyone using a Kastmaster spoon. After a bit, ( she had told a fellow she knew), she had her limit of crappie. Covered her boat and left.

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Originally Posted by Aix

………. Lots and lots of options, which is why I was surprised to see so little mention of spoons on the forum……….

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I recently did a search for spoons, and found many threads about folks using spoons. You might want to have a look yourself. See what others have experienced.

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Originally Posted by Micanopy

I recently did a search for spoons, and found many threads about folks using spoons. You might want to have a look yourself. See what others have experienced.

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I took a stroll through the threads on the forum, and you're right--there have been some good ones about spoons that I hadn't seen before I registered. Looking forward to throwing some casting spoons before too much longer.