The power of spoons for trout in lakes

The person — or persons — who first decided to snip the stem off a dinner spoon, attach a hook to it, and take it fishing could not have known what that little bit of tinkering would mean to future anglers. The fishing spoon has become one of the simplest and deadliest presentations found in an angler’s tool box. It will catch every species in the swim, in a wide variety of situations. Yet in my opinion, it’s tailor-made for trout, and it’s a must-have for any serious gear angler who chases trout. There is a reason spoons have been around as long as they have and have remained so popular among trout anglers. These lures mimic nearly all the traits of the food that hungry trout are interested in. Spoons flash, wobble, dart, and fall to bottom in the most enticing ways possible. Spoons work well in all types of water, but I think they shine most brightly for trout in lakes. They cast well, come in a wide variety of shapes and colours, and nearly always get a trout’s attention. Let’s look at fishing spoons for trout in lakes, big and small, with an emphasis on casting. Spoons in big lakes Whether it be on Lake Ontario, Lake Nipigon, or a larger inland trout lake, casting a spoon should be considered a go-to technique. Large-water trout fishing demands you be able to cover a lot of ground in the most efficient way possible and spoons do this well. What to pack My preferred spoon technique for big water is to cast a relatively heavy (3⁄8 to 5⁄8 oz.) spoon, matched with a long spinning rod and monofilament line of 10- to 12-pound test. If you prefer braid, go with about 20-pound test and add 18 inches of 10- to 12-pound abrasion-resistant line such as Maxima. Attach the spoon with a metal clip. The key to casting on a big lake is to be able to throw the spoon, even in heavy winds. A spoon that is too light, or not aerodynamic, will cause you grief. You then retrieve the spoon in a way that a trout will see it and be triggered. In heavy wind or extra-deep water, you might even go up to a one-ounce spoon; it pays to have a selection in various weights, shapes, and colours. Where to fish Many larger lakes are 90% dead