Salute To The Spoon

If you could pick one lure and only one lure to fish with for the rest of your life, what would it be? This is a question that seems to get brought up often in conversation between anglers. The younger generation of fishermen will often select a very diverse assortment of lures; an array of colorful soft plastics and topwaters would be considered before selecting just one. If you were to present this same question to the older generation; I can almost guarantee that their lure of choice would be a Johnson Silver Minnow Weedless Spoon.

The Silver Minnow part of the name is a bit of a misnomer, although it is certainly available in silver, the truth is that is also available in a veritable rainbow of colors and sizes, and can be found in tackle boxes all around the world. Some may have very lifelike painted color schemes while others are simply plated in the traditional silver or gold. The sizes vary from the tiny 1/16 ounce, suited to flyrod presentations in rivers and streams, all the way up to 1-1/8 ounce, large enough to jig for snapper and tuna. It is arguably the most versatile lure that can be used in any situation and I believe every angler should have one or several in their box at all times.

The Johnson Silver Minnow was created in 1920 by Louis Johnson of Chicago and awarded patent protection in 1923. Like most fisherman, his ingenious idea came out of necessity when fishing a lake that had more grass than fish in it. He took a common table spoon, cut the handle off and soldered a hook onto the concave underside. The rest is history. More than a hundred years later Johnson’s origin design has undergone but few design alterations and the “Weedless Wonder” is still as productive as it was the day he created it. Very noteworthy is that the U.S. Military included one of Johnson’s spoons in their survival kits for soldiers and sailors during the World War II era. It is without a doubt one of the first artificial lures ever made and certainly one of the most effective in both freshwater and saltwater applications.

Not long ago, I was having a conversation with an old-timer about one of my recent trips to the marsh. I was telling him that I found fish on the flats but I could never get them to bite. After telling him what lures I was using, he began to scold me (and my generation) for never tying on a gold spoon. He swore up and down, telling me that it is the only lure I need to be throwing for redfish. Taking his advice, I decided to put a full days effort into throwing nothing but a gold spoon to see how productive it might be. All I can say is since that day, I always have one tied on or at least within grabbing distance on my boat. I have no idea what it is but a redfish just cannot resist that wobble and gold shimmer in the water!

Not only are gold spoons productive on the Texas coast but the silver version is equally productive as well. When it comes to fishing for trout in the surf or at the jetties, it really becomes a tough one to beat. I always keep one in the door panel of my truck for…just in case…reasons. Usually, once the topwater bite dies or begins to slow, I will tie on that spoon and it’s back to catching fish.

One of the other great aspects of the spoon is their durability. All you really need is one in your box or shirt pocket, and unless the hook breaks, you’re good. I can count on one hand how many times this has happened, so believe me it is not a common occurrence. It is a genuine blessing and a boost to efficiency that you don’t have to go rummaging around your bag or pockets every time a lure gets torn up, like you do with soft plastics. You also don’t have a lot of plastic waste that goes along with throwing soft baits. On top of all of this, if the gold or silver coating begins to chip off or dull, the spoon can be repurposed with a quick coat of paint. My buddy had taken some old spoons and painted them black or white followed by a clear coat, and they catch fish as well as one right out of the package.

The ease of fishing with a spoon is another reason why it is so great. A simple continuous slow to medium speed retrieve will suffice as it naturally flutters in the water due to its concave shape. The simplicity makes this a perfect and effective lure to give to a beginner or a kid. Even though reeling will suffice, I have found a few tricks that will help trigger a bite. I have noticed that when sight-casting to redfish, there are times where they will tend to simply follow it. When this happens, stop reeling and give the spoon a few slight twitches. What happens is the spoon will flutter more and almost do it in place right in front of the fish’s nose; in my experience they will hit it every time. Another trick I have learned for fishing in deeper water, like the surf or jetties, is to stop reeling and let that spoon free fall for a few seconds. Once you do that, give it a few big jerks and let it fall back down again. There are a lot of times that trout will hit that spoon on the free fall.

If you have read any of my articles then you already know that I am a fan of throwing spoons. Rightfully so, as it is simple, effective and efficient. The spoon has been around more than a hundred years and has earned its place as one of the most versatile lures ever. If you don’t already have any, do yourself a favor and pick up a few. I think you might be pleasantly surprised at what you’ve been missing.

Stay safe, have fun and remember to enjoy life this summer.