Larger than magnum spoons?

[AllenW]

Just curious, does anybody use larger than the mag 4.75" spoons and if so, where do you find them.

Do they work when trying for larger trout/salmon?

tia

al

[joelsanders]

Luhr jensen has shoehorn spoons,a little bigger than most. have not ran them much though.

[SeaCatMich]

I have a bunch of "super mag" spoons (~6" long) that I will occasionally run -- early spring and late summer fall. Since 80%+ of the current Lake Michigan alewife are juvinile file the bigger spoons don't "match the hatch" very well. Bigger alewife are most abundant in the lake prior to the spring spawn and then after feeding all summer long in the late summer through fall. Most of the spoons are from the early '80s and were made by Yeck and Silver Streak -- can't say if they are even being made any longer. I mainly run them off leadcore or copper and sometimes off divers. Used to set up a MUP rig off the downriggers with them but have not done that with the super mags in many years.

[SUPERTRAMP]

Northport Nailer super mag spoons were really good for Lake Trout and Mature Kings back in the 70's and 80's, I had a couple left and 2 years ago tried them, they still catch large fish. Biggest problem I have is my partner lost them when he was fishing with some of his friends. I really like the White with blue ladder back and Chartreuse and blue with white back.

[AllenW]

Thanks all, probably just the musky fisherman in me, but if possible I'd like to run a bigger bait along with normal sized one for that just in case big fish.

I was thinking 5" to 6" would be nice, not sure if they'll get any results, but can't hurt to try.

Northport seems to still have a super mag at 5.25" I'll give them a try.

Al

[SeaCatMich]

Thanks all, probably just the musky fisherman in me, but if possible I'd like to run a bigger bait along with normal sized one for that just in case big fish.

I was thinking 5" to 6" would be nice, not sure if they'll get any results, but can't hurt to try.

Northport seems to still have a super mag at 5.25" I'll give them a try.

Al

Sounds like the MUP rig (Magnum Up) is what you want to run -- or maybe the SMUP (Super Magnum Up) . Basically a regular size spoon on the main rigger line and a bigger spoon of the same pattern (mag/smag) on the fixed slider 10' above.

[AllenW]

Sounds like the MUP rig (Magnum Up) is what you want to run -- or maybe the SMUP (Super Magnum Up) . Basically a regular size spoon on the main rigger line and a bigger spoon of the same pattern (mag/smag) on the fixed slider 10' above.

I was thinking two separate lines maybe with planer boards, but that would work too, probably easier thanks.

Al

[mattmishler]

Don't run to many mags at all, nots seeing a ton a fully big 7inch plus alewife, I think I have 10 mags on the whole boat. The regular size stinger and stingray make up for the rest, spoons look bigger in the water then they seem.

[SUPERTRAMP]

Don't run to many mags at all, nots seeing a ton a fully big 7inch plus alewife, I think I have 10 mags on the whole boat. The regular size stinger and stingray make up for the rest, spoons look bigger in the water then they seem.

I have to agree with Matt. but every once in a while I run big spoons for a change up. It works sometimes depending on the day. I have found they work well on overcast days.

[AllenW]

Well, hoping to get three in the boat and then I can run 2 small, 2 reg and 2 mag and see what happens, figure it can't hurt much.

Just wondering, how long do you guys give a spoon color before changing?

Was thinking maybe half hour, especially if the finder shows fish.

Lot bigger learning curve to this great lakes fishing than I thought.

Al

[AllenW]

Sounds like the MUP rig (Magnum Up) is what you want to run -- or maybe the SMUP (Super Magnum Up) . Basically a regular size spoon on the main rigger line and a bigger spoon of the same pattern (mag/smag) on the fixed slider 10' above.

Interesting, hadn't thought of it till now, but the larger spoon will run higher in the water than a smaller spoon, all things equal?

Would something like a small dipsy diver work to get the line staggered a bit to the side?

No depth increase but the angle to get side movement?

tia

al

[SeaCatMich]

Interesting, hadn't thought of it till now, but the larger spoon will run higher in the water than a smaller spoon, all things equal?

Yes a larger spoon will generally run higher when on a long line but I don't think it will on a typical downrigger stretch. For a MUP rig to work the stretch on the main line off the downrigger weight needs to be relatively short (15' or less) so that the slider with the larger lure and the main lure are in relatively close proximity to each other. With a slider the line is too short for the lure to ride up much. If it was a free slider, the overall position of the slider in the "belly" of the line could make it higher in the water column.

Would something like a small dipsy diver work to get the line staggered a bit to the side?

No depth increase but the angle to get side movement?

I have heard of others running a small Dipsy or Big Jon mini disc diver off a downrigger to get the lure down and away from the turbulence of the rigger weight. I have not tried it myself but no reason to believe it wouldn't work. I almost always run a slider on my riggers though and adding a small diver to the line would just be asking for trouble in my opinion.

[Duraflame]

I run a lot of my own flys, some of which are over 7" long, and they perform very well, especially during low light hours.

[AllenW]

Yes a larger spoon will generally run higher when on a long line but I don't think it will on a typical downrigger stretch. For a MUP rig to work the stretch on the main line off the downrigger weight needs to be relatively short (15' or less) so that the slider with the larger lure and the main lure are in relatively close proximity to each other. With a slider the line is too short for the lure to ride up much. If it was a free slider, the overall position of the slider in the "belly" of the line could make it higher in the water column.

I have heard of others running a small Dipsy or Big Jon mini disc diver off a downrigger to get the lure down and away from the turbulence of the rigger weight. I have not tried it myself but no reason to believe it wouldn't work. I almost always run a slider on my riggers though and adding a small diver to the line would just be asking for trouble in my opinion.

Thanks, I tend to run long lines and see myself getting into trouble here..

I keep getting the feeling here on Superior the boat spooks the fish, just seems with identical baits the planer boards get much more action than the riggers, so I run waaay back, maybe 125-175 foot back.

Probably another newbie mistake, but it seems to work.

I may have to wait till I get a few more whiskers here before getting fancy with the sliders, I was just working out leadcore last fall.

Once again, thanks all.

Al