L_S_2015_04_

(Jeff_L) #1

100 Louisiana Sportsman^ | April 2015


Bass by the spoonful

In coastal marshes, a gold weedless spoon like the
Johnson Minnow or Bomber Saltwater Grade Who
Dat is standard issue for redfish seekers.
A great search bait, these streamlined baits cast like
a dream — even in a stiff wind — and allow you to
cover water to find fish.
And don’t think redfish are the only spoon-lovin’
drum. Those big black ones will also chase down a
piece of shiny metal when they’ve got their feed on,
which is most of the time.

Other spoon species


Other spoon prospects:


  • Panfish persuasion — Northern ice fishermen
    know those tiny slivers of polished metal temp
    panfish beneath the hard water, so there’s no rea-
    son bream hiding in lily pads or sac-a-lait holding
    over brush wouldn’t show the same fondness for
    the minnow imitators.

  • Wonder in the waves – In the surf off Grand Isle or
    the Cajun Riviera beaches along the state’s western
    end, a Johnson Sprite or a Cotton Cordell spoon is
    a good bet for trout, reds and Spanish mackerel.
    One of the most user-friendly baits you’ll ever tie on,
    the spoon is a must-have for savvy anglers looking for
    versatility and performance.


ABOVE LEFT: Stinger harnesses increase your spoon’s
hooking power. ABOVE: In the marsh, a weedless gold
spoon is one of the top redfish baits.

Now, take a breath — we know there is no one bait that does every-
thing. The simple fact that we, at times, temp bass from the surface to
the dead bottom tells us that.
Suffice it to say, if you find a one-size-fits-all bass bait it’s probably
hanging on a unicorn’s head gear.
Unless and until that happens, what’s the one lure category with the
potential to cover the broadest spectrum of scenarios?
For FLW Series pro Glen Freeman of Converse, the choice is simple —
he’s going with a spoon.
One of Freeman’s reasons clears up any reservations about this notion.
“Spoons are definitely one of the most-versatile lures we have,” he
said. “They can be used in any depth, during the cold months or during
the hot months, and we also have a large selection of sizes.”

This question lurks in every bass angler’s


subconscious: If you could have only one lure, what


would it be?


Seven of Freeman’s eight career FLW victories have come on Toledo
Bend, the lake where fellow competitor Stephen Johnston guides.
Also lauding spoons as the go-to bait for numerous scenarios,
Johnston said the lure’s effectiveness is a straightforward case of dead-
on impersonation.
“If you had to pick one bait to fish year round, the spoon would be the
one you’d have to choose,” he said. “You can fish it in shallow water, at
midranges and deep in the cold of winter.
“Anywhere you go in the state of Louisiana, the main forage for bass
is shad, and that spoon represents a shad. It can be a regular Johnson
spoon that you throw out there and wind, a vertical spoon like a Cotton
Cordell CC spoon or a flutter spoon that you fish in the midrange.”
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