Why do little stick baits work better than spoons in the spring for salmon??

[Reelax]

Typically when we move to the shallow bite in Feb we switch to sticks... I usually run a spoon or 2 cause I just can’t believe they won’t fire. Well, sticks rule in the skinny water and spoons never get much attention..

WHY!?

My guess would be the fish are coming at the lure from the side in the shallows and a stick looks more realistic from that angle. Looking up at a spoon works better than looking beside it in the shallows.

What do you think???

[nhjim]

sounds reasonable

[C-Hawk]

I think you are right Matt. Also , shallow water means more light and fish are better able to see the lure? Also I have tried the pin minnows later on, at depth and never had much luck. Just a spring thing I guess.

[The River Rat]

Alot of stick baits make quite a racket/rattle compared to a spoon... noise could be part of it?! Or on rattleless baits, subtle wobble and minimal water displacment compared to some spoons. Spoons always seemed to work just as well for me in shallow water, trout fishing in rivers and streams where fish get a pretty decent look from different angles, actually out fishing sticks in my case. I don't know but I'm sure ready to get out there and try to figure it out!!!

[Greenhorn]

It could be the action. The pin minnows have a smaller movement than a lot of spoons. I'm guessing the salmon might see them as an easier target that would take less energy and effort to eat. Also, don't forget flies. A fly behind a dodge is a pretty effective presentation.

[jimbow]

A lot of stick baits make quite a racket/rattle compared to a spoon... noise could be part of it?! Or on rattleless baits, subtle wobble and minimal water displacment compared to some spoons. Spoons always seemed to work just as well for me in shallow water, trout fishing in rivers and streams where fish get a pretty decent look from different angles, actually out fishing sticks in my case. I don't know but I'm sure ready to get out there and try to figure it out!!!

River Rat hit the 2 big factors...I believe the sound and water displacement may be the factors IF the sticks out perform the spoons in shallow water... However, spoons are consistent performers in ALL water conditions and depths so they should be added in ALL spreads and in ALL water conditions...Try experimenting with different size/shape spoons if you are not getting the same results as with the stick baits in your spread....Sometimes a little difference in size and shape can make a BIG difference in presentation....You may be pleasantly surprised to find they work as well (or better) as the sticks... You have to consider what BAIT is available and what they are looking for...Many people use the same ole same ole small spoons...BUT...in the spring time there are a lot of MATURE SMELT heading for spawning streams in "SKINNY water...I prefer using a long slender spoon like the #3 Honey Bee that mimics the MATURE smelt, it worked well for me the past few years.

[digitroll (ron)]

I know of other folks still using spoons catching salmon in the shallows. I personally believe more people have switched to using the smaller stick baits which might skew the data. I remember a friend of ours in the mid eighties up in the inland sea in July decided to send a couple of small stick baits down on his riggers and promptly was rewarded a pair of 5 lb plus salmon. You never know!

Always good to put a mix of spoons and sticks out just in case.

[tmcaul]

In the 1970s I was able to stream fish for trout often. Sometimes 4 days a week if the rivers (Mad, Dog, Lamoille, Winooski, and White) were not high due to rain. Starting in mid-May, I would use two lures almost exclusively - a Phoebe 1/4 oz. silver spoon and a silver Rapala CD7 (countdown model). The Rapala was much, much more effective fishing in any deeper water. Sometimes a big brown wouldn't strike but would follow the Rapala into shallow water at the tail end of a pool or run. Those fish were left to rest until another day.

The Rapala's balsa construction made it difficult to cast accurately on windy days and that's when I would use the Phoebe spoon. But I think I caught almost every large fish (17"+), whether brown or rainbow, on the Rapala. And many small trout, too.

I am not sure if any of this stream fishing using spoons vs. stickbaits adds to the current discussion, but maybe it does.

Like fishy1 I also used live bait. Crawlers bumped along the tail end of a sandy pool (only early in the season) and occasionally a live minnow if the water was high due to rain. Both effective methods. And I did try fly fishing as well as fishing at night, neither with much success.

I hope to be on the water with my son next weekend and we'll try both stickbaits and spoons.

See you out there!

Tom

[bigfish]

In the spring I feel with colder water temp. Fish are not super aggressive. They look for bait that aren’t moving as erratically as a spoon , I often use too troll straight streamers with just a small split shot which worked very well. Small rapalas, or arborgast sticks with a very slight action worked very well, small spoons have their day.
In clear shallow water on lake Ontario trolling smaller natural pattern sticks that are as quiet as possible seem to be top producers for spring time brown trout . Some days though, it can be a magnum spoon trolled at high speed
Tight lines
My two cents

[digitroll (ron)]

Some great insight Big Fish. I follow Yankee Troller on Facebook and they have been fishing colored 37 F water in close for Browns the last few weeks near Rochester. It's a stick game for sure. Riggers have been quiet as of late for them on their 38 ft boat. Inline boards OR-12 Offshore on there smaller boat 21 ft Lund bowrider and planer boards plus a couple Chinook divers out each side.

Something with the cold water when its less than 40 F it does seem the sticks are a better option.

[Crazy Ivan]

Why do little stick baits work better than spoons in the spring for salmon??

I believe this to be true also Matt. But most importantly I think its got a lot to do with the Skinny water, a nice rattle and a nice sharp wiggle in those expensive stick baits. All with the cold water added in.
We have quite a few trips logged since February and we have tried it all, Flys-big spoons-small spoon, riggers, lead, in-line boards and Plainer Boards.
Plainer Boards, long lining medium sticks have been the ticket in the area we have been fishing this spring this far, and every year in this area.
Different areas of the lake i do different things. You could not pay me to run sticks in Bullwagga or at the Bridge and we catch a ton of early season fish but i am generally over deeper water and fishing deeper off the riggers or with the divers. I know guys who run sticks in wagga and have great luck though.
Todd

[JDK]

I tend to think it is profile.

Speaking for iceout only....when I first started trolling for salmon and trout in the early 1980s there were two choices, stickbaits and streamers. Rapalas (no rattle) and rebels (so do some don't) ruled the roost. Spoons of the day were a distant thought. I used to think it was because sticks were far more speed tolerant and effective through a wider range of speeds until the Pins Minnow came into existence. I don't find their action particularly good at lower than 2.0 mph yet they work well even when the fish are keyed on larger mature smelt.

[Adkhare]

I’m on the fence of which is better. Seems like they all have certain days. What drives me crazy is I always seem to hook up on the complete opposite thing everyone else succeeds with. I’ve followed companion boats trolling same program and never had mirror results. The mystery of the fishing game never ends

[fishy1]

most of the times trolling with stickbaits we seemed to catch more lakers than salmon also more bass. that included whallons scotch bonnet pot ash elm point and the bridge. and from my past experiences casting in port henry spoons are the ticket catching bass and perch on stickbaits is fun but not my target. i also dont care for the double treble hooks on stickbaits . todd you were very close on stickbaits in bullwagga at one time when the walleyes were plentiful here they were the ticket. its just a matter of choice and i prefer spoons. others might differ but this works for me. harry and i trolled with stickbaits 2 years ago in the shootout caught a ton of small lakers but only had one salmon on all morning this was in the whalllons essex area.

[C-Hawk]

9 times out of 10 when you net a fish caught on the pin minnows, it is free of the tiny trebles by the time you go to pull it out of the net.