How to choose a spoon spoon for pike

Spinners are rightfully considered the oldest of artificial fishing baits. Even before man learned to smelt metal, he made some kind of spinners from stone, which has archaeological evidence. When I learned to produce metal, especially copper and bronze, the first spinners appeared, which were as close as possible, in essence, to modern ones. So, the spinner is unique in that it has a thousand-year history. The bait is so simple that there is not much to change there. We will talk about oscillating spoons and their place in the arsenal of a modern fisherman.

The vibrator looks like a curved plate made of sheet metal. There are exceptions, in the form of bulky metal baits. To summarize, it is a shaped metal object that has fastenings for attaching a hook and line. In some models, the hook can be tightly attached to the bait. But most modern spinners are characterized by a hook suspended on a ring.

About 20-25 years ago, the basis of the arsenal of the domestic spinner was spinners. Some preferred rotating ones, others oscillating ones. In the general mass, it was the shakers that were in the lead. Wobblers appeared and soft baits began to come into use. But even in the west, the spinners held their positions firmly. Today everything has changed. Spinning tackle has evolved, become more elegant, and the range of baits has grown by orders of magnitude. The positions of the oscillating spinners were greatly squeezed. Despite this, the classics never die. Many spinners keep a set of spinners in their active stock and periodically resort to them. There are situations when it is the spinner that catches all the newfangled decoys. So, don’t completely forget about the oldest of its kind.

Materials

Modern spoons are made of stainless steel or non-ferrous metals and alloys:

• copper
• brass
• bronze
• cupronickel
• tin
• lead

Lures are produced by stamping. Special shaped molds form the outline and bend of the spoon. I mention this for a reason. Of course, you can actually find many different samples on the shelves. But you need to understand that with some metalworking skills, you can make spinners yourself. There are fishermen who still do this, despite the dominance of wobblers and “edibles”. Of course, you need to have a craving and inclination for this. An experienced angler can make them himself or order a lure from a specialist, based on his own needs and preferences. Author's products are valued.

As an exception, there are spinners not only made of metal. An example is combined plastic baits with a built-in sinker. For example, the famous “spoons” from the Rapala company. Despite the “wobbler material”, the class of the bait is beyond doubt due to its characteristic game.

Spoons made of fusible metals, such as lead or tin, are made by casting. There are models that use more than one type of metal. This is done either to increase weight or to implement color transitions.

TOP 10 spoons for pike

A wide selection of spinners allows you to choose your favorites. They come to the rescue in situations of bad biting, and the angler is left with a catch. The best shakers:

1. ACME Kastmaster. This model tops the list; it is produced by many companies. At times, analogues are no worse than the original, unless, of course, they were made in China.
2. Mepps Syklops. High quality steel is combined with a shape that allows you to hold the bait on the lowest frequency wiring. The colorful sticker and large peephole make it attractive.
3. Blue Fox Esox. The series is designed for fishing for medium and large pike. Dark colors are suitable for fishing in clear water, and “acid” will become indispensable in the spring season.
4. Winner Atom. The model appeared back in Soviet times and patented itself as an excellent “hardware” for pike. Budget companies such as Spinnex and Condor also produce it. The movement of the oscillating spinner atom should be smooth and uniform.
5. Rapala Minnow Spoon. The model is equipped with one hook and rightfully ranks among the best “non-hook” hooks. Range of applications: grass, water lilies, snags.
6. Williams Wabler. A classic for twitch wiring. Catches both small and large predators.
7. Kuusamo Rasanen. Due to the thickness of the structure, the spoon is ideal for long-distance casting. A “step” with long pauses is used as wiring.
8. ACME Little Cleo. The spoon catches medium and large pike. Any wiring is suitable for it, from uniform to jerky. The only caveat is the weak tees, which should be changed upon purchase.
9. Daiva Crusader. Special spoon for salmon breeds. However, the model showed impressive results for pike and perch.
10. Nils Master Dueler. The shape of the spoon is elongated and is suitable for fishing from ice. In addition to the “toothy” fish, he also catches other types of fish: perch and pike perch, trout and grayling.

To learn more:

Rattlins for ice fishing for pike perch: top 5

Fishing for pike with spoons is becoming more popular every year. Competition from wobblers and silicone spinners has not at all pushed aside the hardware, but has given impetus to the development of new catching models.

Colors

The original idea of ​​the spinner was largely based on the shine of the metal. When moving, polished surfaces give off glare. In the water, this creates the effect of a fish that swims and glistens with scaly sides. Predatory fish attacks, reacting to vibrations and glare. This principle also works for most modern spinners. The metal that forms the basis of the bait is simply polished and the spoon gets a natural color.

If it is copper or bronze, then the shade is reddish. If brass is yellow. Stainless steel, chrome or lead plated - silver. There are spinners that are literally silver plated. They fish very well. The galvanic method of applying silver plating makes it possible to make baits less expensive.

Red or yellow shades of spinners imitate rudd, goldfish, small carp, roach. Silver - white fish. For example, roach, silver bream, white bream, gudgeon, silver crucian carp.

In addition to polished, highly reflective options, you can make the surface matte. Allow copper or brass spoons to sit, oxidize or age artificially. The matte white silver oxide coating is considered one of the most catchy.

Of course, there are also painted spoons. This is a modern trend. When nitro paints appeared that adhere well to metal and are not washed away by water, the color palette of baits expanded.

You can find white, black, white-red, bright green, bright orange, and combined colors of spinners. They also sell decor that imitates the eyes, scales, and fins of a fish. All this additionally attracts a predator.

Advantages of oscillating spinners

One of the main and important advantages of oscillating spinners is ease of wiring. These spoons bring success to the most inexperienced fisherman, who simply pulled the spoon towards him, and it was already playing. Moreover, even in free fall to the bottom, the oscillating spoon makes certain movements, to which a gambling predator, for example, a pike, can actively respond. And such bright qualities and simplicity have made spinners popular and widespread baits, both among beginners and experienced spinners. An oscillating spoon can work effectively on a uniform retrieve and can just as effectively catch a predator using the jerky movement of the spoon, which is called twitching (read more about twitching here).

Equipment

The first spoons had a hook formed from the same piece of metal as the entire bait. It was simply forged, a thin appendage was cut out. A hook was formed from it, bent, and sharpened.

The usual form of oscillators implies the presence of two holes on opposite edges. They are equipped with removable wire winding rings. A swivel is attached to the front ring. The fishing line of the tackle will be attached to it. A hook is attached to the back ring. Usually this is a tee. Small models can be equipped with a double or single hook.

There are versions without the front ring. The line is tied directly to the front hole or attached to it with a clasp. This is done with small models, or those that do not tend to twist the line too much when wiring.

Some models have original decor on hooks. This could be a front sight tied to a tee or a feather. A red plastic tail can be suspended from the same ring as the hook. This is an additional irritant, a point of attack for the fish.

Oscillator wiring speed

It has been noticed that oscillating spoons work best at a slow retrieve speed, one might say, at the very edge, beyond which the bait simply stops playing and falls to the bottom. This applies mostly to summer time. In autumn, when uniform wiring does not always cause predator activity, step-by-step wiring sometimes brings success. It is achieved by two or three turns of the reel and a pause, during which the spoon sinks to the bottom and then goes back to the bottom and middle layers of water.

Good luck to you and all the best!

Shapes and sizes

Oscillators are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. When it comes to sheet metal lures, the first shape that comes to mind is the spoon. Yes, an ordinary spoon, the handle of which was sawed off and two holes were drilled. This is a one-way bend option.

You can see a lot of spoon-shaped spinners on sale. Usually the recess is smaller. Outline may vary. But the spoon-shaped essence is recognizable.

There are also spinners with a double bend, when the back part is curved like a spoon, and the front part is curved in the opposite direction. Such models have a more varied and sweeping game. One of their advantages is that they do not strive to rise to the surface. The reverse curve of the nose works like a wobbler blade. Spoons are inferior in this regard. If you lead them too quickly, they tend to the upper layers. This is not advisable. The fish often stands right at the bottom.

Spoons can be narrow, oblong, or quite wide. There are options that are symmetrical, relative to the longitudinal axis, or asymmetrical. All this diversity appeared for a reason. Each element of the form affects the game and its attractiveness to the fish.

The sizes of the oscillators are also varied. From very serious specimens for catching sea predators, to micro-spinners designed for trout or rudd.

In our fishing tanks, the largest baits of this type are designed for catfish, pike or taimen. As a rule, their length is up to 18-20 cm. Micro-spinners can be no more than 15-20 mm in length.

Pike and other predators on spoons

Fishing for pike with spoons
The spoon can be used in any body of water, regardless of whether there is a current there or not. It is successfully fished both in fast rivers and in quiet ponds, in open water and areas overgrown with grass, in shallow water and at great depths, between flooded snags and in a vertical line...

Among the predators that can be caught by an experienced spinning fisher are:

• perch;
• pike;
• zander;
• bersh;
• asp;
• saberfish;
• catfish;
• trout;
• chub;
• ide and others.

Even such peaceful fish as carp, carp or rudd are not averse to sometimes attacking an appetizing “piece of iron”. And with the help of ultralight and small baits you can even catch bleak or small crucian carp, which indicates the versatility of oscillating spinners.

The most common object of fishing with oscillating spoons is, of course, the spotted toothy predator. Check out a small rating of the best lures for pike.

Pike can be caught on spoons all year round, but best in the fall.

In winter, and from a boat in a plumb line, pike are caught using vertical-type spoons (verticals) and balance beams.

Castmaster

Separately, it is worth mentioning such a deception as Castmaster. This is a voluminous metal spoon. It looks like a round bar cut at different sharp angles.

The model has proven itself very well. Allows you to make long, accurate casts. Makes it possible to fish at the bottom, in the water column, and at the very surface. Pike and asp bite well on large Kastmasters. Small models are loved by perch, chub, medium-sized asp, and trout.

What is an oscillator?

These are baits for catching predators, representing a curved metal plate. Pike are attracted by disturbance and turbulence in the water layer when the spinner is working.

Main varieties

They are produced and manufactured independently in 2 types:

• When trolling and fishing at the same level of the water column, horizontal lures are used;
• When fishing from ice in winter and vertical fishing from a boat, a vertical type of spoon is used.

Lures are divided into types of hooks and methods of attaching them to the main line. Lures are supplied with a single hook, a double hook or a treble hook. They are usually attached to the body of the bait itself. To equip the “non-hook” hook, use a single hook or a double hook.

The catchability of spoons is influenced by color. In different situations and weather conditions, the color of the bait can change dramatically.

Important! When going fishing, it is better to prepare the entire range of baits; in this case, the trophy will definitely attack the correctly selected spoon.

Spring and autumn are the time for light-colored baits. At this time, the water in rivers and lakes is transparent, so light, bright colors will attract predators. When fishing closer to the surface, it is better to place a dark spoon; even a black bait can attract prey.

An important characteristic is the weight of the shaker. The casting range and accuracy, as well as retrieving at various depths, depend on it. It is customary to make or buy factory-made spinners over 10 g. If fishing is carried out in a strong current, you will need to put a heavier bait.

Vibrators made of tubes or metal rods are popular among fishermen. Such baits catch pike from ice and in clear water. When wiring along the top, a variety of castmasters works great.

Advantages of using oscillating spinners

This type of artificial bait has a number of advantages:

• easy to make yourself;
• low price of factory oscillators;
• the bait is universal; changing the size of the spoon catches all types of predatory fish;
• casting range and accuracy allow you to catch prey in all types of reservoirs; you can cast to your favorite place at a distance of up to 70 m;
• the unique action of the bait allows you to catch trophies at any time of the year;
• with the help of a spoon, a fisherman is able to search for predators at any depth;
• simplicity and reliability of design;
• It is not inferior in catchability even to the advertised “Jackals” and other various wobblers.

Important! Shape, size, weight and other characteristics affect the game and attractiveness of pike. If a predator sees a sick fish running away, he will definitely attack it, even if he is full.

How do they behave in water?

The main influence on the performance of the bait in the water is exerted by its shape and the wiring of the tackle itself. Oscillators, when moving in the water column, create swaying movements on different sides. These are the most catchy lures for pike fishing, the price of which is very affordable. But for novice fishermen, you will need to learn how to properly insert a spoon. Incorrectly performed guidance causes chaotic movements that can scare off a predator.

The most catchy time is autumn, winter and early spring, a time with clean water in reservoirs. But homemade tubular spoons attract fish in the summer. It is especially good to fish with them in snags when trolling vertically from a boat. But fishing in these places is associated with the risk of losing your favorite catchable spoon.

A manufactured rib on the side of the spoon helps prevent the spoons from snagging. In this case, it cannot descend sharply to the bottom when driven, but works like a glider. This type of spinner activates sluggish fish during passive biting.

Snags can be fished with spoons with wire antennae covering the hook. Such equipment will not allow the spoon to catch on a snag, and when the pike’s jaws are struck and clenched, the antennae fold and the hook fixes the fish.

Jigs

Another subspecies of metal lures are jigs. These are also voluminous baits, not made of sheet metal. The shaped form gives an interesting game. Considerable weight ensures long range.

The list of non-standard metal baits does not end there. There are options in the form of a tube made of non-ferrous metal cut at angles, triangular, pyramidal spoons. But overall, their share is very small. Exotic is the most correct description for them.

Non-snagging spinners

In the spinner segment, a special place is occupied by spinners with reduced grip. They have fewer hooks: single or double, instead of a tee. The hooks are tightly secured to reduce their freedom and the possibility of snagging. Additionally, the sting is protected by a spring-loaded wire, which repels the bait from the snags. Such a decoy still attaches to algae, but the number of snags on large snags will decrease dramatically.

Checking the MOST CATCHABLE colors of the oscillating spinner for pike under ultraviolet light

With the development of the fishing industry, the range of lure colors offered to us by various manufacturers has increased significantly. Entering a modern fishing store, your eyes are simply wide-eyed at the abundance of all kinds of colors of spinners, wobblers and rubber. And in all this diversity, not only a beginner, but also an experienced fisherman can get lost. Which color should I choose? Are all these “colorful” spinners really necessary? Who needs them more, the fisherman or the fish? Again, the age-old question comes up, about which there are so many fishermen, so many opinions: do fish even distinguish colors under water?

And of course, the question that has become relevant in recent years is: does the bait glow in ultraviolet light? So we tried to figure it all out using the example of oscillating spinners.

Personally, I believe that fish distinguish colors and it is necessary to have a fairly wide range of lure colors in your arsenal, but of course without fanaticism. After all, if you go back to the roots and remember how it all began, then the variety of spinners on the shelves was not so wide. Oscillators were mainly in several versions: silver, copper, brass and bronze. And they differed only in that some of them were shiny, and some were matte. After some time, vibrators of bright acid colors appeared. And deciding which lure to choose at this particular moment was not so difficult. If the water is cloudy or the weather is cloudy, then put something brighter, or shiny silver or gold, or “acid”. If the water is clear and the sun is shining, then vice versa: matte spoons, copper or bronze in color, are used...

Nowadays the situation is somewhat different. Of course, before there were more fish, and they were not so spoiled by the abundance of baits offered to them. In addition to everything, at least it seems to me, fish also learn and “evolve” over time, especially in pressurized water bodies near the capital. In order not to drown in all this abundance of colors and figure out exactly what kind of spinners you need to have in your box, we decided to shed ultraviolet light on them and tried to somehow sort it all out. But, again, I repeat, this is my personal opinion, and it does not claim to be true. So write your opinion on this issue, we’ll try to figure it out together.

In this video we check the best and most catchy colors of oscillating spoons for pike and perch under ultraviolet light from the Akara brand. Let's look at the classics: Atom, Blackback, Storling, Cleo, and others - Laxa, Viskan, Horgen, an analogue of the meps cyclops. We looked at the game of spinners under water, talked about their features and which ones and when are best to use when fishing.

Spinner game

Classic uniform wiring leads to the fact that the spoon oscillates, rolls from side to side, and scours the water. The type got its name precisely because of this feature.

In ancient times, long before the invention of reels and spinning rods, the spoon was dragged behind the boat. Now this function is performed by rotating the coil. Although, the “shaker” is also used for trolling, a direct descendant of ancient fishing from a moving boat.

Many lures attract the attention of fish not only when moving straight ahead. If you pause, the spoon will begin to sink. At the same time, most models perform interesting pirouettes. Playing on the fall also attracts fish and bites often follow at this moment.

Less often with spinners, you can use jerk wiring, which is actively used when fishing with wobblers. This is true for those baits that, when jerking, produce interesting throws, and do not just start rotating.

If the oscillating spoon rotates around its longitudinal axis when being retrieved, then something is wrong. You need to either change the game, slow down the wiring, or change something in the design itself. Perhaps you should put a larger hook, or tie feathers on it. As you can see, not all samples “out of the box” are suitable for fishing right away. Some need to be played around to get the game right.

Winter predator hunt

Sheer spoons are the main type of ice bait. The tactics of searching for pike consist in methodically examining promising points: snags, slopes, depth changes, reed edges, etc. The holes are drilled at a distance of 5-10m from each other, while the sludge is not cleared so that the sun does not illuminate the space under the ice. Pike spoons can be painted or have a pure metallic color. On a clear day, matte and dark tones predominate, while in cloudy weather, silver, gold and “acid” are used.

To learn more:

Storing silicone baits

Armed with a fishing rod with a small inertia-free reel, you need to take care of a steel leash. Pike has sharp teeth that can bite even thick fishing line with a diameter of 0.5 mm. It is not used for pike perch, using fluorocarbon instead of steel. Along with girders, fishing for pike with spoons gives good results if the angler knows the characteristics of the predatory fish.