Fin weight in front of spoon

[Jake980]

Its a technique I heard of, but have not tried, and curious to know if it works. Last year I heard of a charter running shark fin weights (not sure what weight) in front of their spoons so the spoon nose would be down, and the back up. Have you tried this? If so, any success? And what size weight and leader length from the weight to the spoon?

Edited December 25, 2012 by Nailer
spelling

[danthebuilder]

interesting

[SUPERTRAMP]

We have done that when high speed trolling for Steelhead in deep water. Usually works really well but we are trolling 3.7 to 4.5 mph looking for Steelhead in the top of the water coulumn.

[Jake980]

SUPERTRAMP,

How far off the lure (spoon I'd assume) are you running the weight, and what size weight?

Thanks!

[SUPERTRAMP]

We usually run a bout a 6' leader, and the weight depends on the spoon and presentation, usually from 1 oz. to 3 oz. I run a high line down the chute with a bout 1 oz of weight, and on my 6" walleye boards up to 3oz so I can go from deep to shallow as I go out from the boat. This presentation can be killer on Steelhead in deep water. Spoons with some red or orange and a lot of flash that run well at high speeds. Stingers and Stingrays DOC and tequila Sunrise work well. Most important is find the cold water break and follow the inside of the break. Start at about 3.5mph and increase speed until u start getting hits.

[Line Dancin]

What is a shark fin weight?

[Flat Rate]

Are you talking about an in-line weight like a bead chain sinker or a keel weight?

If so, yes these work well and have used them for years but not as much anymore that I run copper.

[Rascal Trophy Fishing]

We used keel sinkers for years to get the planer board lines to sink some, worked fine before lead core/copper.

[IRon]

One of my favorite "tricks" is to run an inline planer board with a short lead for steelhead. I'll take a 1 oz rubber core sinker 3' ahead of the spoon and only set it 20-30' back from the board.

One choppy October day I was solo and had a planer out like mentioned. A rigger line and a Slide Diver out. I caught 5 fish on the planer and never got a touch on anything else. Tried to duplicate with high lines with the others and no go. I think it gives the spoon an up and down action when the board goes over a wave you don't get any other way. I always have one line like that when the waters cool on the surface.

[Jake980]

Are you talking about an in-line weight like a bead chain sinker or a keel weight?

If so, yes these work well and have used them for years but not as much anymore that I run copper.

Yep! Sorry for the confusion. Not sure where I came up with shark fin weight...

I run leadcore and copper as well, but didn't think it would make the spoon run with the nose down as there is a 10-15 foot leader.

[Jake980]

SUPERTRAMP and IRon,

Thanks for sharing! I'll be looking to try each of your suggestions next year.