The simple 1/8 oz. spoon is often PLENTY!!

I find many anglers hold a “Man Crush” on 1/4 oz. tackle. Whether it be working a jig or spoon, the “old school” line of thinking stops at 1/4 oz. I presume many fisherman like that heavy feeling, but often times it is truly overkill, and your hurting your chances at triggering bites. Keep in mind during most ice fishing settings where current isn’t an issue a 1/8 oz. weight within your given presentation allows the angler to present less hardware and more MEAT in a more natural presentation!! The variable often overlooked is the flutter rate within the fall. Ask yourself before you enter a mindless jigging motion this season; “What am I trying to imitate??…..Do I even know?? My answer is your trying to imitate a wounded bait fish or piece of a minnow that is simply a FREE MEAL when working a spoon like Custom Jigs and Spins “Lightning Spoon”. Free meals are hard to pass up for people and big fish. If your looking to lace up the Girthy Walleyes wearing baggy sweatpants you might want to offer the free dessert. This is the reason a jigging spoon and minnow head will often induce a strike on the flutter down to the bottom or the slow rise up the water column. A heavier jig/Spoon obviously drops faster. The slower a presentation wobbles and flutters through the kill zone the more realistic it appears to your targeted fish. Want to get REALLY extreme?? Go to a 1/16 oz and change out the trebles to handle big fish. This can often make the difference between a day ending with “Wet Sleeves” versus the day ending with dampered spirits. Some times a very subtle difference in your presenations can make all the difference in your photo opps for the day!!

Pictured here is our customer, Joe Bilek with a beautiful 28 1/4 eye caught on an even more beautiful first ice day on the infamous Rainy lake!! Guys that want a chance at a true “Hardwater Beast” should definately consider Rainy Lake during the highly touted first ice run. We tend to barb our share Chubby Eyes!!

BTW….Guys looking to book a trip definately need to shoot me a PM soon. I am working closely with a resort again this year and can offer some pretty nice pricing per man for Trip plus lodging and even meal inclusion if interested.

great post.

Absolutely. I bet I fish 1/8 oz. 99% of the time. As Chris mentioned, the only time I go heavier is when current is an issue.

Very good info and points there Chris.

I agree, when i can get by with the 1/8th oz it is my top choice without a doubt. A lot of times, as James mentioned, the current prohibits that. I would much rather use a heavier jig and get a good solid return on my flasher, vs a lighter jig with a flaky return as it is outside the cone angle. I ice fish rivers A LOT and this is always a huge issue. So when i set up in the morning and can see that bright solid red return, i know its going to be a good one!

I’ve always used the 1/8 oz buckshot for eyes and have about every color of them. I’ve messed around a little with the 1/4 and 1/2 oz for lakers and pike. Last year early ice my buddy completely schools me when we’re in the same portable together using the same color buckshot but he has a 1/16 oz and I’m using the 1/8 oz. It sure was humbling for me but I learned and added a new tool to the box after that.

Chris great point about the 1/16th oz spoon. I like to also opt out the trebles for better hooking percentages, has anyone seen a preference over red hooks to plain nickel colors. I seem to have more success with red trebles. -Q

Though many follow the downsized presentation concept when facing a nuetral to negative bite; Many anglers often forget we are still targeting big fish. Though fish might “Henpeck” a presentation, often times observed with an underwater camera like Marcums; These fish WHEN hooked up……..demand your attention to well matched gear vs. fish. Quite often a 1/16 oz spoon comes with too small of a treble for my likings while targeting big fish in a crappy mood. Let’s face it small tackle is typically designed for smaller fish.

As to the posed question of red vs. another color? I believe the red flash might simulate blood, and might be the reason many of us feel it can be more effective.

Just to add to this finely tuned presenation concept. a dangle of red off the the eye ring holding the trebles can also depict that extra something needed to lace up Mr.Finicky. This can be achieved in multiple ways, but a simple hole punched within red plastic cut into an oval allows a fisherman to doctor up his/her presentation as they feel fit. Doing JUST this means nobody is fishing with what you are and should it be effective….. Those fish are all yours!! Everybody likes to keep a few secrets from fellow fishing buddies.

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Though many follow the downsized presentation concept when facing a nuetral to negative bite; Many anglers often forget we are still targeting big fish. Though fish might “Henpeck” a presentation, often times observed with an underwater camera like Marcums; These fish WHEN hooked up……..demand your attention to well matched gear vs. fish. Quite often a 1/16 oz spoon comes with too small of a treble for my likings while targeting big fish in a crappy mood. Let’s face it small tackle is typically designed for smaller fish.

As to the posed question of red vs. another color? I believe the red flash might simulate blood, and might be the reason many of us feel it can be more effective.

Just to add to this finely tuned presenation concept. a dangle of red off the the eye ring holding the trebles can also depict that extra something needed to lace up Mr.Finicky. This can be achieved in multiple ways, but a simple hole punched within red plastic cut into an oval allows a fisherman to doctor up his/her presentation as they feel fit. Doing JUST this means nobody is fishing with what you are and should it be effective….. Those fish are all yours!! Everybody likes to keep a few secrets from fellow fishing buddies.

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When fishing with a 1/16oz spoons I like to change out the smaller hook with a size bigger helps with hook ups and holds up better when hooked with bigger eyes/ fish and most of the time the new hooks are red

I like the slower, fluttering fall of a light spoon, also like a larger profile, and like stated, typically I want bigger hooks than what come with light spoons.

My favorite has been homemade spoons. Willow leaf spinners, drill a hole in the other end, insert rings and hook, or hook on a dropper. The Fleet Farm JB lures have exclusive vented willow leaf blades that are the first spoons I reach for. I really like the slow flutter when falling on these spoons, or should I say willow leaf blades?