Spoon size

[hawkeye625]

Just wondered what size spoons you guys normally run from the spring to fall.  We normally run standard size throughout the year and throw a mag or 2 out off the coppers.  Just wondered if any of you run the smaller sizes and when (like the DW wd size walleye spoons).  Or if you normally run mags.

 

Thanks,

Jeff

[Sk8man]

Are you talking Lake O or Finger Lakes etc.? and I'm assuming trout/salmon since you mentioned coppers. Lake O = small spoons in Spring for browns but standard sized for everything else and pretty much the same for Fingers in Spring. I usually try to see what size the sawbellies are (sometimes in stomach contents of the fish) and match to that in summer and increase size of spoons accordingly as summer wears on -I only run magnums toward Fall usually and on Lake O... for salmon.I don't run them often on the Fingers anymore because I primarily target rainbows.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Sk8man

[Tim Bromund]

On Lake O, mag spoons actually work well in the spring when the big adult alewives are inside spawning.  That is primarily the size bait the fish are feeding on so they are kind of tuned into larger spoons that time of year.  During summer I run mostly regular size (NK28 or Stinger Stingray Size) or smaller spoons like Dreamweaver SS's and then, back to Mags (or even SuperMags) in the fall.

 

Tim

[hawkeye625]

Lake Ontario for salmon and trout.  Overheard some guys talking at the LOTSA and they were talking mags in the spring.  I see a ton of emeralds around the docks during the spring and thought smaller might be better.  Never tried the small spoons but might this spring.

[Gill-T]

Depends.....shoreline trolling go smaller.  Move out over Laker/King water then break out the mags in spring.

[Has Been]

Water clarity is a big factor for me  in terms of lure size /color  springtime.  I like mags in dirty or stained water & out deeper ,but I run 28's also & let the fish decide what they want that day.

[Sk8man]

Tim's comments triggered some further thinking on my part....the adult alewives usually run larger on Lake Ontario than in the Finger Lakes in early Spring and they may spawn a little earlier (I'm not sure). Most of my Spring fishing now days is in the Fingers and the sawbelly spawning is usually around the week or so before Memorial Day through early June most years so we're talking mid to late Spring....it makes a difference... and for Lake O Tim's advice is on the mark...when I say standard spoons I mean ones that are from about 3 1/4 to 4 inches while Magnums are about 5-51/2 inches usually which more closely match adult Lake O alewives while 4- 4 1/2 inches is the usual size of most of the Finger Lakes adult alewives (on average)....at least the ones I'm familiar with.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Sk8man

[LongLine]

Always have at least one 28 size clean spoon out there. 

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Big Dave]

For Kings in the spring I like Mags. or even the m-80 nk's  .  The big shoehorn has worked well too.  Out at the bar.

  Cayuga in the spring the R & R razors and superlites , and nk 28's seem to work well for us.

[DJ 17]

Tim,

When approximately do the alewives spawn on lake Ontario? Is there a time frame difference based on west vs east or does the whole lake spawn at basically the same time? Only reason I ask that is due to the fact that I was under the impression that in general the water temp rises faster in the western part of the lake.

 

DJ

[Gill-T]

Late May- early June you can see them doing their dance along the south shore.  Sometimes in as shallow as 10'.