Best Hooks For Walleye Spoons

DaveJ

DaveJ

Well-Known Member
My sweet daughter got me a new rigger rod and some spoons...what a sweetheart!!
Adding them to an already overflowing Special Mate spoon box I got looking at hooks...a lot of my stuff from the 90's have single Siwash hooks..I was doing salmon and bows a lot back then.
I never remember loosing many fish back then with singles..and big salmon/bows, yet with trebles Ive lost a number of fish over the last few years because of ?? poor hookups, thinner hooks, trebles getting caught in the nets, my leg, etc.
Any thoughts on changing everything over to singles for walleye? Better hookups with trebles? I have at least a couple hundred hooks Id have to change....
 
I’ve switched my hot spoons to gamagatzu trebles in red and have had very good luck.

I primarily did that because the bows destroyed the originals, walleyes not so much. Bows sure can straighten a cheap treble easily.

Interested in hearing others opinions.

I’m primarily a walleye guy and I notice most of the hook sets are in the corner of the mouth usually with two hooks. I think having more than one hook set is good when winching them in on long lines like leadcore especially late in the season.
 
If you are only targeting Walleye I wouldn't bother adding more singles. Compare a walleye mouth to the bow mouth and from memory it appears to open 3 or 4 times wider. I think the smaller mouthed bow sometimes would hit a wobbling spoon with a treble and only get 1 barb and then it would tear out when they began their dance. The single would all go in it's mouth and you had him.
 
good for you DaveJ with a new rigger rod..

heres a few thoughts here for some of you guys..


I suggest you try finese fishin methods..also try lighter line for catchin erie pics..it is so rewarding and you will fill the box up just as quick and it is fun..
Ya when your getting hit 40 plus times in a a few hours.. I just hold the rod and feel the bite and play & jig the bait and set the hook....now that is fun..when its just myself flatlinning micro leadcore one off each side..and can not keep up with double headers..and more then a few outings on just a ripple of water

when the time and a favourite spot is right we also like catching 2 pics at a time on one rod..thats right and has happened countless times off the riggers with a slider..thats right running bodybaits and get them to wiggle.

I been following the walleye trail for alot of years from early pre spawn to post spawn and a west to east migration..fishin out of the different ports..
That also includes LSC May & June again light line spinning..feel the bite set the hook and fight the fish..

I can tell you again spinning light lining body baits have scored alot of fish for us..and what alot of fun..especially catchin ice out owen sound salmon & trout with rod in hand..
ya and some are the same baits we use on erie year after year..

Its my years of experience...theres a time and place and a method when and where running spoons..
we first time field tested the new copper spoons years ago off glasgow..I remember choppy waters and hammered the bows..copper has been a long time great producer on west erie ...especially for rainbows....I have a huge collection and big variety of spoons..alot for back in the era for fishin the classic huron king salmon..that was an amazing fishery for years..

anyway we ended our season running copper up high off erieau back on Aug 30 and boxed are 2 man limit...we also landed and safely released are biggest pic of the season.. fought great at the back of the boat.. on a copper Kevorkian..and thats a good one and better then the boxer we also field tested and it did produce off wheatly in august..

ya will be back fishin off Pt. Peele early with our 10 lb test..cranks & worm harnesses...willow leaf spinners with inline weights works well together running cranks off the boards...it seems we always have to fine tune our baits & spread and we box are limit...

Ya the experienced Erie Ohio sport fishermen make there fishin & catchin statements with there methods and especially there baits..its stuff I like to read and stay on top of things...I order my baits direct from the 2 companys in Ohio..special colours and sizes for both reef runners and AC shiners..a few need to be tuned and tweaked to run perfect...they were developed and made on and for lake erie sport fish...I also run a few rapala taildancers every season..

later on the dipsey and spoon combo is effective..ya when you get it in the strike zone..that method is not for me..

thats just a few of many...and there is still plenty of oppurtunity..

again are hooks are sharp we keep the lines tight with perfect boat control and land the fish..

I like the slow & easy approach.. still in gear and keeping the good size pics deep and reeling up with the rod tip bouncing..right to the boat.
catchin 2 on one rod is even more sport..keeping them deep and net the first one and grab the slider and hand bomb the 2nd pic right in the net.. 2019 season was amazing for doubles..and have not lost one yet..
we release alot of fish..
 
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Ever wonder why a hot spoon sometimes dies when you change the hooks??

Find a replacement hook that weighs the same...

Personally i order replacement hooks from the company direct... Not expensive... ;)
 
I just use sharp ones, and don't reel in hard, slow and steady works for me,
if you do buy hooks separately, buy a few first, try to bend them up and out of shape, if you can't neither will the fish, then go back and buy bulk box.
 
mick said:
good for you DaveJ with a new rigger rod..

heres a few thoughts here for some of you guys..


I suggest you try finese fishin methods..also try lighter line for catchin erie pics..it is so rewarding and you will fill the box up just as quick and it is fun..
Ya when your getting hit 40 plus times in a a few hours.. I just hold the rod and feel the bite and play & jig the bait and set the hook....now that is fun..when its just myself flatlinning micro leadcore one off each side..and can not keep up with double headers..and more then a few outings on just a ripple of water

when the time and a favourite spot is right we also like catching 2 pics at a time on one rod..thats right and has happened countless times off the riggers with a slider..thats right running bodybaits and get them to wiggle.

I been following the walleye trail for alot of years from early pre spawn to post spawn and a west to east migration..fishin out of the different ports..
That also includes LSC May & June again light line spinning..feel the bite set the hook and fight the fish..

I can tell you again spinning light lining body baits have scored alot of fish for us..and what alot of fun..especially catchin ice out owen sound salmon & trout with rod in hand..
ya and some are the same baits we use on erie year after year..

Its my years of experience...theres a time and place and a method when and where running spoons..
we first time field tested the new copper spoons years ago off glasgow..I remember choppy waters and hammered the bows..copper has been a long time great producer on west erie ...especially for rainbows....I have a huge collection and big variety of spoons..alot for back in the era for fishin the classic huron king salmon..that was an amazing fishery for years..

anyway we ended our season running copper up high off erieau back on Aug 30 and boxed are 2 man limit...we also landed and safely released are biggest pic of the season.. fought great at the back of the boat.. on a copper Kevorkian..and thats a good one and better then the boxer we also field tested and it did produce off wheatly in august..

ya will be back fishin off Pt. Peele early with our 10 lb test..cranks & worm harnesses...willow leaf spinners with inline weights works well together running cranks off the boards...it seems we always have to fine tune our baits & spread and we box are limit...

Ya the experienced Erie Ohio sport fishermen make there fishin & catchin statements with there methods and especially there baits..its stuff I like to read and stay on top of things...I order my baits direct from the 2 companys in Ohio..special colours and sizes for both reef runners and AC shiners..a few need to be tuned and tweaked to run perfect...they were developed and made on and for lake erie sport fish...I also run a few rapala taildancers every season..

later on the dipsey and spoon combo is effective..ya when you get it in the strike zone..that method is not for me..

thats just a few of many...and there is still plenty of oppurtunity..

again are hooks are sharp we keep the lines tight with perfect boat control and land the fish..

I like the slow & easy approach.. still in gear and keeping the good size pics deep and reeling up with the rod tip bouncing..right to the boat.
catchin 2 on one rod is even more sport..keeping them deep and net the first one and grab the slider and hand bomb the 2nd pic right in the net.. 2019 season was amazing for doubles..and have not lost one yet..
we release alot of fish..
Click to expand...
Great post Mick...and thanks for starting a discussion about "alternate" LK Erie methods for the central and eastern basin.
You're right about light lining..its way fun. My lovely daughter got me a rigger rod..to go with the other 10 I have..at the suggestion of the tackle store when they asked my girl where do I fish, what boat do I have..which in this area will almost always sell a rigger rod ..and its a great gift. I actually run a lot of setups with light fast action 8-9' steelhead casting rods with med sized casting reels..I like Shimano Citicas...spooled with 8-10 lb test. I use them on riggers, flatlines with deep divers or inline weights..no Dipsies or inline boards obviously. When I ran big boards I used them off them. We use light setups really EVERYWHERE except the central basin for eyes, where heavy setups rule. I rarely run dipsie setups, and almost never leadcore..even though both are extremely effective...just too heavy for me.
Another fun setup is...tie on a large 3 way swivel. Run a 4' leader off the bottom to a deep diver. Run a longer lead..6'..off the top to a light flutter style spoon. Carefully let the diver into the water, then the spoon...the diver will go low, the spoon will run high. LOTS of doubles...
 
I grew up on BOQ and we always used light set ups. Until I moved to London I’ve never seen such heavy gear used for walleye. I admit it’s very effective but not nearly as much fun, hell most of my walleye trolling gear would be good for lakers and small to medium kings. Every once and a while I put a medium, medium light out for fun and it’s a completely different experience. 3lbers are giants lol.
 
DaveJ said:
Great post Mick...and thanks for starting a discussion about "alternate" LK Erie methods for the central and eastern basin.
You're right about light lining..its way fun. My lovely daughter got me a rigger rod..to go with the other 10 I have..at the suggestion of the tackle store when they asked my girl where do I fish, what boat do I have..which in this area will almost always sell a rigger rod ..and its a great gift. I actually run a lot of setups with light fast action 8-9' steelhead casting rods with med sized casting reels..I like Shimano Citicas...spooled with 8-10 lb test. I use them on riggers, flatlines with deep divers or inline weights..no Dipsies or inline boards obviously. When I ran big boards I used them off them. We use light setups really EVERYWHERE except the central basin for eyes, where heavy setups rule. I rarely run dipsie setups, and almost never leadcore..even though both are extremely effective...just too heavy for me.
Another fun setup is...tie on a large 3 way swivel. Run a 4' leader off the bottom to a deep diver. Run a longer lead..6'..off the top to a light flutter style spoon. Carefully let the diver into the water, then the spoon...the diver will go low, the spoon will run high. LOTS of doubles...
Click to expand...
That 3-way set up with a sinker is what we use up North in the canoe for Lakers. Takes some patience to get it down without tangles but once you have that down it’s a great way to get down to depth without much drag on the canoe
 
1609182666124.png anybody remember these old cranks..
can you guess the brand & name..

photo here of one of the hottest crankbaits on our central erie for catchin walleyes back in the 80s & 90s
I am almost sure they started off Glasgow..text book running them off the double boards...my next door neighbour & erie fisherman gave me a bucket full.. ran them off stanley off my double boards...ya my neighbours name was big mike and he had a trailer and boat in the trailer park on top at glasgow and fished there for years..

my boat was docked at stanley...right beside charter fishermen the bluenoser...ya the rainbow warrior and maltese falcon charter fishermen docked up in front of stans on the otherside. I got plenty of chatting and lots of fishin info shared...I also stayed at our family cottage up on edith cavell and below the shores of lake erie.. ever since I was a child..fishin was great..but ya sick of catchin pics by mid July and I switched gears and parked my boat at my parents up on booths harbour...I took my holidays and we fished the lighthouse hard for salmon..and then later the bows..those were the days...oh and so was the screaming kincardine kings and coho & bows..I literally slept in my boat..my favourites were out at the lighhouse and the park beside kincardine harbour..timing was great fishin both the May derby and into June and then go back for the chantry chinook classic...what a blast...I and we started are season easter weekend ice out owen sound chromers..I learned to light line right from the start..
 
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no sir..there not bagleys..nor rebels...keep guessing..

theres a few guys here that probably remember..

ok heres a hint ...they can dive up to 30 feet
they dig deep with that big lip with alot of pull and resistance but they were walleye killers
so common I found one wash up a short walk down from our beach
 
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mick said:
no sir..there not bagleys..nor rebels...keep guessing..

theres a few guys here that probably remember..

ok heres a hint ...they can dive up to 30 feet
they dig deep with that big lip with alot of pull and resistance but they were walleye killers
so common I found one wash up a short walk down from our beach
Click to expand...
Hot Lips I have a few of them,which I still use occasionally on our Great Lakes.
 

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yes boys the hotlips made by Luhr Jensen..

nice to see you again Red Hering..
 
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