Trolling stinger type spoons is a open water game for the most part. I'm not at all saying they wont work for saugeye. Because if you present one the right way no doubt a saugeye will eat it.
On Erie and cj brown there open water trolling using dipseys,jet divers ,weights,etc to keep the spoon down at the desired depth. And with the differences in how the majority of saugeye act compared to the majority of walleye it's easier to target walleye trolling spoons then saugeye.

But theres different types of spoons. I beleive the spoonplug is designed to structure fish for fish like saugeye. You will have to research that more,I'm not familiar with the technique but here the book on spoon plugging is a must read for saugeye fisherman.

Then you got casting spoons(and you can use trolling spoons to cast,they just flutter down at a different angle and action).
I'm talking like Hopkins casting spoons. Sadly I have yet to learn this way of the saugeye,but am determined to learn it the next couple years. It is a down right deadly way to catch saugeye spring thru fall. And along with different jigging spoons can be used vertical as well. Over deeper water in the summer or late fall into winter.
I know a few of the southeast ohio saugeye guys really do good casting "heavy metal" at saugeyes.
I think above in the how to determine a saugeye spot is an article written bye jim corey "heavy metal saugeye" try finding that.
And I know there are some good spoon fisherman on here I hope they chime in....

 

Trolling stinger type spoons is a open water game for the most part. I'm not at all saying they wont work for saugeye. Because if you present one the right way no doubt a saugeye will eat it.
On Erie and cj brown there open water trolling using dipseys,jet divers ,weights,etc to keep the spoon down at the desired depth. And with the differences in how the majority of saugeye act compared to the majority of walleye it's easier to target walleye trolling spoons then saugeye.

But theres different types of spoons. I beleive the spoonplug is designed to structure fish for fish like saugeye. You will have to research that more,I'm not familiar with the technique but here the book on spoon plugging is a must read for saugeye fisherman.

Then you got casting spoons(and you can use trolling spoons to cast,they just flutter down at a different angle and action).
I'm talking like Hopkins casting spoons. Sadly I have yet to learn this way of the saugeye,but am determined to learn it the next couple years. It is a down right deadly way to catch saugeye spring thru fall. And along with different jigging spoons can be used vertical as well. Over deeper water in the summer or late fall into winter.
I know a few of the southeast ohio saugeye guys really do good casting "heavy metal" at saugeyes.
I think above in the how to determine a saugeye spot is an article written bye jim corey "heavy metal saugeye" try finding that.
And I know there are some good spoon fisherman on here I hope they chime in....

Yeah man I know they are deadly on walleyes. Was just curious about them for saugs. The thing that makes me super curious about it is you really never ever hear anyone reporting saugeyes on spoons, you just know there has to be a few that have boxes of them but are tight lipped about it

 

Yes they are very deadly been thrown in for a while the favorite way I like to do is cast it out rip it up let it flutter back down Mexican singers are very good there are also couple other ones that are very good also.

 

I recently got some of these VMC’s trouble hooks and I’ve been putting them on my spoons also have not tried them with it yet but in my mind I think it will help

 

View attachment 343909 I recently got some of these VMC’s trouble hooks and I’ve been putting them on my spoons also have not tried them with it yet but in my mind I think it will help

Do you have a picture of the spoon you mentioned? How big are they typically

 

The Michigan stingers Are about 4 1/2 inches long but a little Cleo are about 3 inches long These are both Deadly spoons for them Depending on the time of the year!!!!!!!!

I have been using the little Cleo in the spring and summer but at times the Michigan stinger will produce better it has a slower rate of fall and depending on what they want will dictate which one to use they were absolutely hammered them

 

Dillon do a search for Jim Corey. He has a few posts/articles on spoons for saugeye. If memory serves me correctly, he used the Hopkins spoon a lot. There are a lot of old timers here who would say that he was a legend, and my readings on him leave the impression that he was. Search here and the old GFO site.

 

Corey could catch saugeye in a bird bath. He got me into jigging spoons back in the 90's and they still remain one of my favorite baits for both saugeye and walleye. His go-to were 1/2 and 3/4 oz. Hopkins No=Equal spoons.
There are different types of spoons and techniques that seem to confuse people when the subject comes up. Thin-curved flutter spoons are mostly used for trolling, where heavier jigging spoons are mainly used for vertical jigging. On Erie, most guys load minnows (or minnow heads) up on the hooks and bang bottom which is an effective way to catch eyes and perch when they have the feed bags on. In that case, the flash of the spoon simply works as an attractant to draw them into the food. The method that Jim taught me is a reaction bite, where the spoons fall and dart fast without tipping the hooks with anything. Some days a subtle 1 foot lift and drop on taught line works best, and other times they want a more aggressive 3 ft lift and slack line drop. They always hit them on the fall like blade baits.
Once I learned how to catch eyes on them it became rather expensive losing $5 spoons to snags all the time. Saugeye are often pulled out of downed trees and shallow shoreline areas where snags are impossible to avoid. This led to me figuring out how to make them out of flattened metal tubing and lead. As you can see by the pics, making my own spoons became quite an addiction. These aren't even half of the ones I've made over the years. Cheap and effective. My very first fish on my own version was a 17" white bass on Atwood. All told, I have caught 13 different species on these things. The dimpled effect on the brass ones are done with a Dremel tool.

 

I never did very well with Saugeyes with spoons , and I have tried them a bunch below and above spillways , but I did discover those larger spoons work well for Wipers when the water is high. Now when I target Wipers in spring when the water is boiling, big spoons are generally the first thing I try.

 

I've been using spoons for walleye on CJ for years, either vertical jig or cast out and hop back. My primary spoon is bass pro strata spoon(same as Hopkins but about half the price) or cast master spoon from 1/4 oz up to 1oz. I use the larger spoons early in the spring and late summer. Have also tried several other styles, stuff I have seen on ebay or in the stores that I thought looked good. Most all have produced fish at various times. Have tried spoons for saugeye at Indian with out much luck. However I have had real good success at Alum in the summer(don't get over there in spring or fall), but only on small spoons 1/16oz up to 1/4oz and they needed to have a small profile. Under 2" in length. Don't know why because the fish I catch puke up 3 and 4" shad.

 

One nice thing about using metal tubing for spoons is that they can be made in different sizes and weights. Larger diameter tubing makes a nice wide body spoon that have worked well for stripers and lake trout. I prefer the narrow bodies for eyes. Here are a couple pics that may help show how its done and the scrap tubing that I've made them from. The tubes are cut to length and then flattened in a vice, leaving enough room to pour the lead into. One end gets crushed closed to keep the lead from running thru. Once filled, the other end gets crushed flat and the holes are drilled. The angles are cut using sharp tin snips and then the edges are smoothed out with a hand file. Takes a bit of practice but you can make them for pennies on the dollar and they work really well. They also make nice rattle spoons for ice fishing. A bit more tricky forming the rattle chamber, but not hard once you make a few.

 

View attachment 344045 One nice thing about using metal tubing for spoons is that they can be made in different sizes and weights. Larger diameter tubing makes a nice wide body spoon that have worked well for stripers and lake trout. I prefer the narrow bodies for eyes. Here are a couple pics that may help show how its done and the scrap tubing that I've made them from. The tubes are cut to length and then flattened in a vice, leaving enough room to pour the lead into. One end gets crushed closed to keep the lead from running thru. Once filled, the other end gets crushed flat and the holes are drilled. The angles are cut using sharp tin snips and then the edges are smoothed out with a hand file. Takes a bit of practice but you can make them for pennies on the dollar and they work really well. They also make nice rattle spoons for ice fishing. A bit more tricky forming the rattle chamber, but not hard once you make a few.
View attachment 344043 View attachment 344047 View attachment 344049 View attachment 344051

Those are AWESOME! Why have I never thought of making my own! Great thread!

 

Trolling a stinger spoon in the prop wash when trolling will catch saugeyes.

 

I caught over 20 saugeye last night vertical jigging spoons! number 3 silver and red swedish pimple!

 

I haven’t gotten the art of jigging a spoon down as of yet but I tried my hand at making some. I used a actual silverware spoon to make them. I bought two sizes of spoons at the dollar tree which were 2 in a pack so I can make 2spoons out of one using the handle and then the spoon part as another style of spoon. Just cut shape and paint as desired and drill 2 holes in them. Add a treble hook and there you have it. I only tried them once and had minimal success but still caught a fish or two

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Some blade baits made from metal tubing. Just something different that I played around with years ago. These do best when cast and worked back to the boat.

 

Thirty five years ago I made my first trip to the Ohio river. It was late October and water temps were in the low 50’s. I went targeting Sauger as I had heard fishing could be very good in late fall for them there. I locked through at Greenup and found a spot along the river side of the wall with several other boats. We caught some fish but the locals were catching five to my one. I was armed with jigs and minnows, they however, were armed with home made spoons.
My next trip I went with Hopkins Shorty’s. We killed ‘em. Since then they are always in the boat and put to use whenever conditions allow. They are spectacular for Hybrids or white bass when they’re busting the surface and work for most species when they’re deeper. I’ve caught Saugeye, Walleye, Sauger, Hybrids, White bass, Sheephead, Channel cats, crappie, Large and Small mouth....and a 43” Muskie. Hopkins, both Shorty’s and No Equal, Strata spoons, Kastmasters and a host of others. Different days, different retrieves. Often, very aggressive with a pause a couple inches off the bottom is deadly. For those that use blade baits, spoons are a great alternative when blades aren’t productive.
I never leave home without the metal box...

 

Thirty five years ago I made my first trip to the Ohio river. It was late October and water temps were in the low 50’s. I went targeting Sauger as I had heard fishing could be very good in late fall for them there. I locked through at Greenup and found a spot along the river side of the wall with several other boats. We caught some fish but the locals were catching five to my one. I was armed with jigs and minnows, they however, were armed with home made spoons.
My next trip I went with Hopkins Shorty’s. We killed ‘em. Since then they are always in the boat and put to use whenever conditions allow. They are spectacular for Hybrids or white bass when they’re busting the surface and work for most species when they’re deeper. I’ve caught Saugeye, Walleye, Sauger, Hybrids, White bass, Sheephead, Channel cats, crappie, Large and Small mouth....and a 43” Muskie. Hopkins, both Shorty’s and No Equal, Strata spoons, Kastmasters and a host of others. Different days, different retrieves. Often, very aggressive with a pause a couple inches off the bottom is deadly. For those that use blade baits, spoons are a great alternative when blades aren’t productive.
I never leave home without the metal box...

Great post. The very first artificial lure ever made was probably a spoon variation of some kind. And as you pointed out, some days blades won't produce but spoons will. They work best when falling straight up and down as opposed to barrel rolling or tumbling on their side like a trolling spoon. It's easier to maintain that action when vertical jigging, but when cast it takes a little flip of the rod tip to make them drop and swoop right.

 

I've seen plenty of guys "catching" saugeye downstream of the Indian spillway casting big spoons with giant treble hooks and ripping them back to shore

 

I picked up several Bink's Pro Series spoons after watching a few video's on Walleye fishing with them. And from early June thru December, I did very well with them.
I only used them when the wind was at least 10-15 mph and drifted with a lift down motion. I would drop them on a free line until I thought it was close to bottom and then move the rod until I either felt bottom or fish, then I repeated the motion. And my normal lift was slow up for about a foot to 18" and then slack for a count of around two. I did my best when stopping the fall just before or on bottom.
I hit mid December with a 3/4 oz spoon in 45' of water and had a great time! And I picked up a few Perch as a bonus. Although the Perch were only around six or inches. Nonetheless, the Perch liked the offering too. Ü

 

Binks are nice spoons that offer a good color selection. Another good one are these War Eagle's. Their real image shad are awesome.

 

The one I have always thought about is use of lures like Erie Dearies on local inland lakes. I know they are less used today than in the past, but seems like they could still work in the right conditions besides on big water. When conditions get tough spoons are often a good choice, but if trolling we would try slower trolling of worm harnesses vs. crank baits (normal go to).

 

I've done pretty good in the past casting or vertical snap jigging inline spinner baits with a pinch of crawler. Storm Gypsy's always worked well for that.

 

Yep I agree,Erie deries an simaler baits are great saugeye catchers. Seen a few reports on here the last few years about guys using them here local for saugeye.

All eyes those war eagles look nice,and also all of your homade spoons!
I cant wait to start using jigging spoons more often this year. I will probobly take only that fir a couple trips during late spring. And force myself to learn them.

 

I'm glad to see input on the effectiveness of spoons in our southern inland lakes. I've often wondered why no one seems to use them when they are often talked about in my favorite fishing magazine ( In-Fishermen). Seems the guys up around Minnesota and all through that walleye belt consider them a mainstay.
I did buy a couple Cotton Cordell spoons that seem identical to the Hopkins spoon but after watching their action in the water put them back in the tackle box. They don't seem to have any action on the fall except for maybe slightly twisting. I know many people have used this type of jigging spoon with great success but to me they look like they have as much action as a rock.
On another note, spoonplugs are not really a spoon, but rather a crankbait. They are designed to maintain a constant depth regardless of speed. They are supposed to be the most effective crankbait capable of being retrieved at a high rate of speed without spinning out.

 

There are many styles including the homemade versions. The guys at the Ohio made them out of lead and painted them white.
As far as colors, the most consistent for me is gold or silver. Often I will add a little colored piece of plastic to the split ring (like a Swedish Pimple). Sometimes it helps, sometimes it’s a negative.

As far as fishing inland with weight forward spinners, heck yeah. I really like ripping them through weeds. Very effective. I don’t use them much though as inevitably I end up with line twist. This year I have a rod setup for weight forwards only.... cause they work so well in many situations.

 

Hopkins spoons has won me some money over the years in tournaments. They are most definitely a bait a saugeye fishermen should learn to master. Especially in the warmer months, typically from June to September the spoon will out fish other snap jigging baits.
Here's a 8.2 and a 7.5 caught on 1oz Hopkins smoothys. My partner and I won a tournament that day with 22 lbs. threw nothing but 1 oz spoons.

 

Hopkins spoons has won me some money over the years in tournaments. They are most definitely a bait a saugeye fishermen should learn to master. Especially in the warmer months, typically from June to September the spoon will out fish other snap jigging baits.
Here's a 8.2 and a 7.5 caught on 1oz Hopkins smoothys. My partner and I won a tournament that day with 22 lbs. threw nothing but 1 oz spoons.
View attachment 344997

So how do you guys use those 1/2 oz to 1 oz Hopkins spoons? I just got a few the other day, casted them out to see what they look like, definitely a lot different than what I expected. Do you guys troll them? Vertical? Cast?

 

They can be fished in a variety of ways. Probably the most common use is snap jigging, either vertically or more horizontally. I have had great success fishing for hybrids or white bass by casting to busting fish and retrieving fast enough to skip it across the surface. If they don’t hit on the first retrieve I kill it where they’re breaking the surface and they will surely smash it on the drop. They can be cast and retrieved with a steady retrieve as well or pumping it.
Vertically jigging for deeper fish is my favorite. 1/2 oz. most often, 3/4 if I’m in heavy current or windy. Lighter works just fine as well. Perch and crappie love em.

 

Spoons and blades can be both frustrating and expensive to learn to use. I throw spoons right up to the bank and work them back to the boat in very skinny water sometimes. Losing 3 spoons to snags every 20 casts gets old real quick. It takes time to learn how to tik bottom on the fall and quickly burn up slack line without getting hung up all the time.
In some cases I think that blades can actually scare fish and scatter them. Especially in calmer shallow water where I prefer spoons. Spring and fall are prime time.
Bass guys also keep in mind that the 9 plus pound Ohio Smallmouth record from 1993 was caught on a jigging spoon.

 

Ditto on the spring and fall. Not saying they don’t work during the summer months, it’s just that during the summer a more horizontal approach is often more productive as you can cover more water.

I believe that beast of a smallie came off a Rattlin Snakie. Just off one of the Erie islands by Randy VanDam.

 

Not trying to sound like a Hallmark card but I really miss the days of walking into Cripple Creek Bait And Tackle and seeing Jim and Darlene and that little dog. I’m sure there’s a few of you here that can relate. I think he got a kick out of telling people everything he knew including tournament locations and still beating you.

 

I've witnessed this first hand. I was Jim's tourney partner and more than once we were right in the middle of a tourney and Jim would actually give our competition the correct lures to use and advice on where to use them! We still usually won though.....hahaha
I miss him!

 

Jim and Darlene were salt of the earth!!
Jim even took a rookie friend of mine out on Tappan and taught him first hand how to use a Vibe.

Someone would come in and get him a going...so knowledgeable and eager to share.
They are dearly missed by so many. (Fun at his catfish tourneys too)