New to Spoonplugging

[Billy boy]

Hi, I'm new to spoonplugging but very old in using Buck's ways. Many,many yrs ago I was introduced too a book called "Lunkers love nightcrawlers" which Buck wrote for a magazine called "Fishing Facts". A few months ago I was surfing the web and came across "Spoonplugging" I was hooked after reading about you guy's. I have since purchased Buck's green book plus his home study. My fishing as of now is fly fishing but that's going to change soon. Fish do not live in shallow water. I have enjoyed reading about the Spoonplugging clubs and how various people are doing. I live in Southern York,Pa near the Maryland line. Not many fishing lakes near me except water supply reservoirs. Clear,clear,clear. Not many spoonpluggers near me neither. Looks like I'll be traveling to meet and fish with my fellow Spoonplugers. Unfortunately I should have found out about spoonplugging 30 yrs ago. Hopefully the man upstairs will let me hang around awhile, so I can learn enough to enjoy my so called "Golden Years" . I plan on buying a boat and motor in 2013. Plus rods & reels and more spoonplugs. What type jump lures do you guy's use?. Need help on buying what kind of boat motor etc, which you have all heard before. I don' usually ask for help but I need to learn and do what Buck advises in order to fish correctly. Like I said before, Iam willing too read and work at being the best that I can be at Spoonplugging. May everyone have a joyous holiday and most of all "Tight Lines". Billy boy

[Steve Craig]

Welcome to the board Billy Boy.
Buck did not write Lunkers Love Nightcrawlers, but he did write for Fishing Facts Mag.

That was where I found out about Spoonplugging.
I believe that no one is too young or too old to enjoy Bucks teachings. Study the material over and over again. A human only retains about 10% of what they read in their first reading. So study it........Often!

As far as a boat? Follow Bucks guidelines. 12 to 14 foot "Jon" type boat with a good 10 to 15 horse motor will get you going. Start looking right now for a boat as this is the best time to buy a good used boat. Many go up for sale this time of year.

rods and reels......again follow the guidelines. go to Bucks Baits and get you a good trolling rod, and a trolling reel.
Casting rods come in all shapes and sizes, just follow Bucks advice on them too.

Jump type lure are a dime a dozen. You need several. Jigs, worms, blade baits, spinner baits, make up my jump lures in various weights and sizes.

Learn to troll the shallows first, using the first 3 size SP's. Once you get it down and can handle them and the boat with no screwups, then move to the next sizes.

Go to: Spoonpluggerfilms.com and buy John Bales videos on exactly how to go about trolling and casting to find the fish. His Natural Lakes I is where you want to begin, then move on to his second video. these will help shorten your learning curve. Money well spent!
Also he makes a nice larger size Spoonplug or two as well!

Again, welcome the the rest of your life!
Steve

[Billy boy]

Big thanks to you Steve. On looking back Buck put me onto catching some nice Bass and Bluegill by back trolling using nightcrawlers for bait. I just received the 2013 Bass pro catalogue. What do you think of the Lowerence Gen Hd. Iam not looking for a short cut to me and Buck's teaching this is a tool nothing more. I am in awl in what you guy's accomplish. This is a whole new world for me. When I start to learn by doing its my hope I get to meet most of the people who help me along. Again thanks to you for answering me. Tight lines.

[Steve Craig]

Billy,
Fran would be a better person to ask about the HD unit. I am still using an Hummingbird 596 unit and a Lowrance 5 unit with GPS.
At this point in time, I dont need anything else.
Keep your equipment simple and easy to use and spend your money on knowledge.
Get the videos, go take an on the water instruction from one of the CSI's, watch all the videos in the boards video library.
These will pay you back bigtime!

[Billy boy]

Very good advice. Just looking at the displays and amazed at the detail of the Lowerances. I have ordered the video from John and plan on studying very closely. My main goal is to study this winter get my gear together and try to practice what good spoonpluggers, like yourself is telling me. I also plan to get out with one of the CSI guy's in 2013. Thanks again for your help. Tight lines.

[beckman44]

From Bill to Billy Boy, Welcome. You are never to old to become a better fisherman. Follow all the guys advice on here and when you start getting on the water, report your experiences on here good and bad and we will help you. We love to here about peoples growth as a spoonplugger and unlike some groups we want to share knowledge, which is and what will always be the key to success at fishing. Bill.

[John Bales]

Billy Boy, My mother lives in Maryland. When visiting her, I realized that everything around her was electric trolling motor only. All for drinking water for Baltimore area and full of rules. No fishing within sight of the dam. Who invented that one. When I was young, I snuck down along the dam and fished and caught the crap out of the bass. Went to a resteraunt and they told me that those rocks along the dam was the home of the copper head snake. Hell........ I didnt know or care. I just wanted to go fishing. Eventually went north and fished the susquahanna river and was within sight of 3 mile island and didnt even know what I was looking at. I caught the crap out of the smallies but not many over 2lbs. Lots of fish and a good place to learn. This is the only place in the country where you can get fishing information that is the truth about fishing and the guys are top notch human beings. They will help you get going and keep you going. Take Care John

[Billy boy]

Hi John
The fishing in Md gets worse. The reservoirs that your speaking of now have zebra muscles and you now need a sticker that allows you to fish in the drinking water reservoirs only. You can't fish any where else with the boat. Susquehanna now has a fish disease that is making fishing for smallmouth not worth the trip. The Chesapeake bay is good but that's salt water. The reservoirs near me are electric motors only. Maybe I should move. I will find somewhere to fish the spoonplugging way. The more I here from guy's who know about spoonplugging the more I need to learn. Billy boy

[Billy boy]

Hi Bill,
I wish I would have know about Spoonplugging a awhile ago but that's life. I'll be happy to let everyone know my good fish day's and bad. For me that's not a problem as long as I continue too learn by doing. Someone said you learn by doing, that's how I live. I love to here from you guy's. Keep it up. Tight lines. Billy boy

[Fran Myers]

I don't know where my post went but I will try again.

I'm not familiar with your area but I know I've seen Bass tournaments on the east cost showing guys competing in the rivers that actually dump into the ocean. It may be possible that you have some bass populations in the longer rivers/inlets. Just because the water is brackish doesn't mean that bass won't be there.

In Mr Perry's Jacksonville film it showed Terry and Vic fishing the Indian River which is the Intercoastal waterway, has many openings to ocean, and they caught both freshwater and saltwater species. Granted you will need to research but you might be surprised.

You may not need to move but you might need to start targeting saltwater species. Don't worry saltwater fish eat Spoonplugs too.

Welcome,
Fran

[Billy boy]

Hi Fran,
Just read your post Sat morning. I've lived in Maryland 66 yrs some of that on the water when I was a kid. Caught many salt water fish, not to mention the Blue Crabs I sold for a dollar a dozen. There is bass fishing on the Potomoc River and a few on the Eastern side of the Bay. But your talking at least a 2 hr ride to just get there. Makes for a very long day. That's okay once in a while but Iam looking into a lake not far from home. Water clear, weeds down to 15 ft or so. Can use up to 20 horses on boat and that sounds good too me. I plan on going to some of the Jamboree's in 2013, hope to see you there. I noticed you had your Lowerence Gen 2 up for sale, what did you think about it. Talk with you soon. Tight lines. Billy boy

[Fran Myers]

I know that guys living in Chicago drive the 2 hours to there best lakes for day trips all the time. I personally don't have to and if you don't need to thats great. I was making a suggestion.

I advertised a Lowrance HDS 7 Gen2 for sale. It's brand new in the box (never opened) and it is surplus to my needs. I LOVE HDS with StructureScan. I have written quite a bit about HDS and I am currently waiting for a new Touch Screen Version to arrive. These are not your normal units and the Quality of the picture in Detail is something that must be experienced. Not cheap, can be challenging to install because the units are sensitive to interference, transducer mounting issues, and yes the users learning curve. Get past these things and you get some real scary stuff on the screen.

[Billy boy]

Dear Fran,
I will drive the distance to get to fishing 1 1/2 hrs occasionally. Doing some research and a man made lake called Lake Marburg a warm water fishery. 1,275 acres of fishing with 26 miles of shoreline. Outboard motors up to 20hp. Less than 25miles from home. A good place to start my spoonplugging. Hope to see you at the Jamboree in 2013. By the way were is it going to be held in 2013?. I am going to read up on the Lowerance hd system. I plan on learning spoonplugging without this tool but I will keep this on my wish list. Tight line Billy boy.

[Fran Myers]

My schedule for 2013 is open and I hope to be at a number of events this year. As to the Jamborree, well I have to say that because of the low turn out - there won't be a jamboree in 2013. I can't say we won't ever have another one but we're going to have to let the bruises heal a bit first.

I have not been to all the Outings but the two I most look forward to is the Leoni Outing in June at John Zaborny's house in Jackson, MI. The other one I try hard to get to is the Indiana outing in August.

I haven't been able to attend the Muskegeon but it looks top notch. That one is in July. I haven't made the Alabama one either so I don't know any details.

There are mini events that aren't that elaborate. Illinois has a couple at various times. The Muskegeon group has a few throughout the year.

While not an official outing a few of us go to Lake Erie in May for Smallmouth. Zaborny is talking about Big Bay De Noc also in May (Very top of Green Bay on the UP side).

If you're willing to travel there is a number of great outings. If I had to choose one - I'd go to Leoni. fantastic experience. I won't promise I'm going because when I do something awful happens but I'm really trying for this year provided a tree doesn't fall on my house again...

[Billy boy]

Hi again Fran,
Sorry to hear of the poor turn out in Kentucky, was looking to meet some of you there. The outing at Leoni sounds most interesting. I have got to make the one in Indiana, might be my only chance too get there. It seems to me that the Mid-West is most active and the fishing is within hours N.S.E.W. I will get my rig before Mid-April this will give me a little time to practice what I have read. Hopefully when I meet you guy's at least I'll have some experience at Spoonplugging. Back to the "Green Book", tapes and Bucks home study course. Tight lines. Billy boy