Games & Recreation

Casting spoons are a great alternative to live bait. Whether youre spincasting or spinning, both techniques can be learned quickly, even by beginners. There are many benefits to this tackle, as well. For one thing you can fish in deeper water and can reach greater distances with greater accuracy. But you can also work your lures such as casting spoons more effectively, too.

If youre not sure, spincasting and spinning tackle have a few differences. Spincasting tackle has a reel that is mounted on top of the reels handle and a pistol-like grip. You release your line with a push button on the reel. With spinning gear, the reel is mounted underneath the rods straight handle. The line is release with the index finger.

Casting is easy to learn, but youre going to need a few practice runs before you get out on the boat. Its important to practice casting away from people you can hurt and things you can break. Before you start, youll want to set your reels drag according to the instructions and attach a casting plug to your line.

Fishing With Casting Spoons
There are three basic shapes for casting spoons: tear drop, oblong, and oval. The most effecting casting spoons seem to be the ones that most closely resemble the shape of baitfish. When using casting spoons on a lake, its important to vary your depth. This way youll find where the fish are congregating. For river fishing, fish tend to be found mostly along the bottom.

Over the years Ive found silver fishing spoons to be the most effective when it comes to catching the largest amount of fish. I started collecting fishing lures early on. I was always turned off by the idea of baiting my hook with live bait. Plus, I loved the brightly colored fishing lures that were on display at our local tackle shop.

My father knew that the brightly colored lures werent going to catch many fish, but he indulged me anyway. And soon enough, I learned on my own that purple fishing lures werent going to look appetizing to a fish. Somewhat defeated, I confined my pretty lures to my tackle box and got serious about catching fish.

Discovering Silver Fishing Spoons
I quickly learned that while purple lures didnt look good to fish, silver fishing spoons did. Thats because silver fishing spoons most closely resemble the color of minnows and other baitfish. Theyre perfect for clear water or sunny days. Light easily reflects off of the silver finish which easily catches the fishs eye.

And silver fishing spoons are usually nickel-plated brass. This gives you a high quality lure that doesnt spin or flatten out when trolling or retrieving. This is extremely important as you always want your lure to maintain a look of wobbling from side to side as if its crippled baitfish. This and its natural color will attract the most fish.

Many expert fishermen prefer gold fishing spoons for catching fish. There are many reasons. For one thing, gold fishing spoons are usually gold plated brass. This high quality construction creates a sturdy spoon that wont bend or flatten. It will stand up to both high speed trolling as well as all the heavy gear in your well stocked tackle box.

And as many fishermen find out the hard way, fish just dont seem to respond to brightly colored fishing lures. I wouldnt eat fish that was green and apparently neither would fish. Like you or I, fish seem to want to eat fish that looks like fish. For this reason, fish respond better to silver or gold fishing spoons. These metallic colors best resemble the color of actual baitfish.

Silver Vs. Gold Fishing Spoons
Silver fishing spoons are great for clear water or bright days. But gold fishing spoons are ideal for situations when theres no a lot of light. They seem to work best in murky water or early morning fishing.

Living in New England, I always keep a couple of gold fishing spoons in my tackle box. You never know when a storm front is going to move in and a sudden cloud covering is going to cause the sky to go dark. You quickly learn as a fisherman that you cant control the weather or the fish. But with gold fishing spoons you can be a little better prepared for both.

Downrigger spoons are a valuable tool, especially when trout fishing in the summertime. If youre looking for great fishing year round, then lake trout fishing is just what youre looking for. It makes for a fun day of fishing no matter what the season. You just have to know a little bit about trout before your proceed.

In the early spring, the water in the lake is just beginning to warm up. Thus, the trout tend to congregate near the shoreline where the water is shallow and warm. This is a great place to cast for trout. Towards the end of the season, the water begins to cool down and the trout move back to the shoreline around September and October.

Using Downrigger Spoons
During the summer months, however, the water really heats up. The trout then seek shelter towards the center of the lake in the cooler depths. At this time, youll find many trout below forty feet. In order to reach these depths to catch the most trout, it is best to use downrigger spoons or crankbaits with bottom bouncers.

The best downrigger spoons are going to be the ones that most look like baitfish. Trout love baitfish, so it is recommended that you choose a spoon with a silver or gold finish. Since you will be fishing at a deep depth with less light, its a good bet to choose a spoon with a gold finish. They seem to attract fishs attention better in murky water where theres less light.

When choosing lake trout lures, it may be important to take into account the time of year you will be fishing. When fishing for lake trout you can both cast and troll, but you technique and thus the type of lake trout lures you use will vary with the time of year and method. But whatever time of year you choose to fish for lake trout, its important that you relax and have a great time!

Lake Trout Lures for the Whole Year
In the spring youll find the trout in the shallow water, along the shoreline and in reefs. Trolling fast is recommended. Light, flashy spoons are the best lures for this. Trout like live bait so lake trout lures that are gold or silver and resemble baitfish are your best bet. As they spawn in the fall, they will also move back towards the shore. This is a great time to cast for trout along shorelines.

As the water begins to heat up in the summertime, trout will move out seeking the cooler, deeper water. Trout can generally be found in depths below forty feet. The best lake trout lures will be crankbaits or spoons on downriggers, wire line, or bottom bouncers. When fishing deep, be very careful not to use a heavy line. This can create too much friction in the water.

You can fish for lake trout all winter long. Its a great time to use ice-fishing jigs and spoons. It is recommended to start in depths from 15 - 40 feet. As the water is going to be darker during the winter months, and especially when fishing through a hole in the ice, its a good idea to use a gold or brass lake trout lure as this will tend to be more easily visible.