Spoons vs Sticks for Spring Browns

[IUP30]

Just wondering how everyone starts off with their programs in the morning and determining whether to run more sticks vs spoons in the spring for browns. Do you run one side of the spread with sticks and other side spoons and let the fish tell you? Or do you mix it up with some spoons and sticks on the same side? Or start with sticks on the boards and just run spoons off the riggers?

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[Legacy]

Just wondering how everyone starts off with their programs in the morning and determining whether to run more sticks vs spoons in the spring for browns. Do you run one side of the spread with sticks and other side spoons and let the fish tell you? Or do you mix it up with some spoons and sticks on the same side? Or start with sticks on the boards and just run spoons off the riggers?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

Spoons off the riggers and sticks off the boards to get started. I adjust from there.

[BAZOOKAJOE]

I run floating stick baits until the fish move out to a depth of 20 ft or more. My first few trips I'm running in the 10-12 ft depth. After they move out I use mostly spoons on short cores and the down riggers.

Edited March 1, 2016 by BAZOOKAJOE

[flybuster]

Spoons off the riggers and sticks off the boards to get started. I adjust from there.

exactly x2

[ifishy]

throw a mix out first thing and let the fish tell you if they have a preference.  always keep at least one or two of each down though that way if the preference changes as the conditions change you'll have an indicator instead of just not getting anymore hits

[steve-hamilton]

i very rarely use spoons for browns...at least until the water temps get into the 50's.

 

March/April and early May it's all sticks.

[whaler1]

Spoons off the riggers and sticks off the boards to get started. I adjust from there.

X3 Edited March 2, 2016 by whaler1

[bout time]

Spoons off the riggers and sticks off the boards to get started. I adjust from there.

X 4

Natural color in semi clear / clear water

Bright colors in colored water

[Gill-T]

Sticks on one side, spoons on the other.  Run thru productive water with sticks, turn around and show them something different with spoons on the way back thru.

[IUP30]

Thanks for all the replies guys! Definitely lots of ways to do it and I'm anxious to get out there soon!

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[bout time]

if spoons are hot one day off the rigeers down 1-3 feet just add a small split shot 5-6' above the spoon and send it out on the boards.

[Broadhorizons]

A #5 splitshot will hang a scorpion or stinger spoon back 100' in under 3 FOW. Two #5's will hang in 6-7 FOW.

I hardly run sticks so I usually start off with scorpions on the starboard board and stingers on the port board.

[pjprod]

Bazooka Joe...when referring to short cores....how many color do you particularly run for Browns? I set up some cores this year for the first time. 

[Rich D]

I run multiple shirt cores in my spread. I run 1,2,3 color cores in shallow, and go longer when we go deeper out to full cores. 1-2 colors are deadly for shallow bts!!!

Capt Rich.

[steve-hamilton]

you guys sure love your spoons....

 

Tomorrow should be a good day on the water.

[bondouley]

Spoons off the riggers and sticks off the boards to get started. I adjust from there.

x5. Can't beat small 2.5 inch red eye spoons and alpena diamond spoons on the riggers in shallow water. 1 rigger around 3 ft down the other around 5 or 6 ft down

[lineman49]

x5. Can't beat small 2.5 inch red eye spoons and alpena diamond spoons on the riggers in shallow water. 1 rigger around 3 ft down the other around 5 or 6 ft down

How far back off the riggers are guys running the lures ?? thanks!

[bondouley]

It all depends on conditions but I usually start at 60 and 80 ft back and go from there. I only have 2 riggers

[steve-hamilton]

so browns are apex predators, and if your fishing coloured water, (ie, can't see your prop on your motor), you can catch browns just outside the prop wash.

 

i've caught browns 15' to 20' behind the ball, with the ball only down 3' to 4'....so 20' on the counter and big browns will smash....

 

if you have clear water (ie, see bottom in 20' or so), run your leads 100+ feet.

[CaptDennis]

Has anyone ever tried worm burners for brown trout. I use them a lot for walleye I was thinking maybe the worm would help entice a bite

[Gill-T]

Has anyone ever tried worm burners for brown trout. I use them a lot for walleye I was thinking maybe the worm would help entice a bite

 

 

No but tipping a silver leaf spoon with a piece of worm works.    You really don't need anything fancy.  When the shoreline sets up you can catch them on a cigarette with a treble.

[Never Ends]

They hit Purple Alpena Diamonds all day. Just bring enough of them to rig your poles.