Mastering the Jigging Spoon: The Ultimate Guide to Targeting Diverse Fish Species
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What is a Jigging Spoon?
A fishing spoon is one of the oldest styles of fishing baits available. Since their early design, spoons have evolved into many different variations to excel in a variety of scenarios. One of those variations is the jigging spoon.
The jigging spoon consists of a hammered metal body with a treble hook attached to the end of it. Depending on the size and shape, the jigging spoon can be used in many applications.
Long, slender spoons fall fast and are great in deep water. Wider spoons catch more water and provide greater vibrations for active fish to locate.
For more details on the jigging spoon, check out our ultimate guide to jigging spoons.
The Best Water Temperatures to Fish a Jigging Spoon?
Jigging spoons can be a year-round bait but shine in the late fall and winter months. These lures can be suspended in place, making it an easy bait for lethargic fish to target. They also do a great job at mimicking dying bait fish, which is more prevalent at those times of year.
Once the water temperature drops into the 50-degree range, pull out the jigging spoon! Fish will start to congregate and team up to target bait fish. During this time, feeding up for winter is the only thing on their mind, and a jigging spoon is a perfect bait imitator.
How to Fish Jigging Spoons for Bass
The key to fishing jigging spoons for bass is to find a specific area to target. It could be a boulder, brush pile, bluff wall, or even a congregation of bass.
Once you have an area picked, pitch the spoon right at it. Let the spoon fall on the slack line until it reaches just past the area you plan on targeting.
Now start working the bait with quick snaps of your rod. As the bait jumps up, allow the bait to fall on a semi-slack line. This will allow you to control the rate of fall as well as give you a better feel for when you get a bite.
Check out all of our jigging spoons for bass.
How to Fish Jigging Spoons for Walleye
Walleye fishing with a jigging spoon is an effective way to put fish in the boat. Like most vertical jigging applications, you want to find an area that is holding fish. Tipped with a leach, minnow, or crawler, dangle the spoon directly beneath you.
The jigging spoon can be fished in a couple of different ways. The first is with no movement, or deadsticking the bait. This approach is preferred when the walleye are in a negative feeding mood and would rather the bait being dangled right in front of them.
The other option is to add movement to the jigging spoon by creating an up-and-down motion with your rod. This will cause the spoon edges to catch water, moving the bait in a more erratic action. This is also a great method to call in fish if you are not getting bites.
Take a look at our full list of walleye jigging spoons.
How to Fish Jigging Spoons for Panfish
Jigging spoons for panfish can either be fished vertically or cast out towards a school of fish. The key is to find an appropriately sized spoon that the panfish would go after.
Jigging spoons come in all shapes and sizes and the smaller spoons work best for crappie, perch, and bluegill. They are often tipped with a grub or worm to make it extra enticing.
Since you are required to use a small spoon, oftentimes it takes effort to get any distance with your cast. Using a light or ultra-light rod with extra bend will help extend your cast.
Check out our full list of panfish jigging spoons.
How to Fish Jigging Spoons for Salmon and Lake Trout
Jigging spoons for Salmon and lake trout requires more of a cast and retrieve action. Covering more water is recommended when targeting these big water fish.
Heavier jigging spoons are usually preferred because the depth and area covered can more efficiently be fished. Make long casts with a heavy rod and work the bait through the middle of the water column.
Salmon and Lake Trout oftentimes will be somewhere in the middle of the water column. Varying your depth and retrieve cadence will help you discover where they are.
Full list of salmon and lake trout jigging spoons.
Ice Fishing Species with a Jigging Spoon
Jigging spoons are a great way to target many species of fish through the ice. Walleye, crappie, perch, and northern pike are all common species that are attracted to the action of a spoon.
For smaller fish like the crappie and perch, go toward smaller sizes like a 1/16 oz or smaller. Those sizes won't overpower and spook fish off.
When targeting larger fish like walleye and northern pike, all sizes are fair game. The larger the jigging spoon, the better it will perform at deeper depths. Larger spoons also work better when fish are aggressive.
Cadence is the key to successfully fishing with a jigging spoon through the ice. Vary up the action until you start getting bites. That will clue you into what they are receptive to on that particular day.
Our entire selection of ice fishing jigs.
