Casting Spoonplugs

[Fran Myers]

I have been making a concerted effort to cast more.

Yesterday I went to a lake that gets significant plantings of Tiger Musky. I loaded up my Jon Boat (FANTASTIC BOAT!!!) and went about learning the lake. Weeds are experiencing a die off so there are significant floating rotten pods of weeds floating about. Getting close to weeds resulted in reeling in and cleaning the lure off, frustrating!

15 minutes of trolling around the edges produced a 22.5" walleye. After trolling around the marker looking for more I continued on.

I stepped to a 250 and within 10 minutes a Tiger jumped out of the water with my 250! I barely said "OH S***!" and the 250 came loose. I got everything composed again and within 10 more minutes I had another one!

I fought it for a while and when I bent to get the net it came off. Ugh! Both significant fish, however I won't guess on size. Two muskies within 15 minutes. A first for me even though I didn't boat either.

Of course I can't leave without casting so I anchored and started casting a 100. I did everything right. Let lure sink, don't let more line out, pull lure up to get it walking then reel in.

I found the 100 wouldn't stay walking even though I was anchored in about 9 feet. So I went bigger. I got the 800 walking but I noticed that the lure would stop bumping and do a kind of loop, then start bumping again. I tried doing a 700 but it did the same thing the 800 did. The 100 bumped for a little bit then ran free.

What am I missing?

I have heard there are state record Tigers in the Lake so I will be back.
It's nice to be getting some heat (weather wise, this has been one of the most unstable times in the last 5 years). The fish have really gotten spunky where even walleyes are fighting good.
Fran

[beckman44]

Fran; Regarding having trouble keeping spoonplugs bumping bottom on the cast their can be a few things that come into play. In my personal experience when you are anchoring deeper 8 to 10ft. because of a weedline, the size spoonplug you need will depend on the sharpness of the structure. For instance the other day I was casting a narrow finger that extended off the side of a good sized bar. I anchored just inside the weeds that ended in 10ft., and by making a long cast with a 100 series I was able to keep it walking the whole length of the finger. Their were 8 casts that were stopped along the way by those crazy bass. If a bar breaks more sharply I wil go to the 700 or 800. I use the 30lb. Power Pro line and an 8 inch leader due to the Northern and Muskie. I have found also on the spots with a sharper break I try to make as long as cast as I can, and feed some line as it sinks so it doesn't pendelum in so much. I know the book says not to do this, but if you don't feed line to fast it will rarely tangle. I hope this helps, Beckman44

[Fran Myers]

Fran; Regarding having trouble keeping spoonplugs bumping bottom on the cast their can be a few things that come into play. In my personal experience when you are anchoring deeper 8 to 10ft. because of a weedline, the size spoonplug you need will depend on the sharpness of the structure. For instance the other day I was casting a narrow finger that extended off the side of a good sized bar. I anchored just inside the weeds that ended in 10ft., and by making a long cast with a 100 series I was able to keep it walking the whole length of the finger. Their were 8 casts that were stopped along the way by those crazy bass. If a bar breaks more sharply I wil go to the 700 or 800. I use the 30lb. Power Pro line and an 8 inch leader due to the Northern and Muskie. I have found also on the spots with a sharper break I try to make as long as cast as I can, and feed some line as it sinks so it doesn't pendelum in so much. I know the book says not to do this, but if you don't feed line to fast it will rarely tangle. I hope this helps, Beckman44

I think I understand the anchoring depth vs spoonplug size relationship. My issue is that the 700 and 800 did this looping motion on the way back to the boat. I have seen this before over the years, but I haven't casted enough to really think about.
Thanks Beckman44

Fran

[Gary Schiffner]

Fran, I just read it in the "Green Book" again this last week. When casting Spoonplugs and they stop walking, let them sink back to the bottom and start walking again. Of course if your anchored in too deep of water this will be impractical and like you did, going to larger sizes is necessary.
It's all about the angle of your line to the bottom.

[Scott Duff]

Gentlemen,
In his video “Buck Talks Tools Parts 1 & 2” Mr. Perry states, “The size lure that I use when casting to deep water is going to be controlled by...how much water I have under the boat.” The angle of retrieve, and the depth you are trying to reach, are both part of the picture. But the guideline tells us the lure size depends on where you choose your anchoring position. The shallower you anchor the better your depth control will be.

When you are anchored deep (i.e. 15') and trying to hit a breakline with a say a 700SP the lure has fished the spot once it leaves the breakline. So, there are times where the deep lure doesn't need to keep walking all the way to the boat.

I asked exactly this question at the 2008 Winter Seminar because I suspected that Mr. Perry had stated his ideas on the subject somewhere. I had just never seen it until I bought the DVD. The informative video features Mr. Perry in his boat on Lake James talking about Depth & Speed, Boats & Motors, Rods & Reels, Line, Wire Line, Depth Sounder, Lures, Nets, Anchors, Markers, Lure Retrievers, and Other Tips. I believe the DVD (93 minutes) is still available for purchase from Buck’s Baits.

On my way to Muskegon...

Scott

[david powell]

Check to see if the 700 or 800 perhaps picked up a little trash or check them on the troll to be sure they are running true.

[badluck]

FRAN, HOW DO LIKE YOUR JON BOAT? WAS MR. PERRY RIGHT. I KNOW HE WAS BECAUSE I LOVE MY JON. I HAVE A 9.8 TOHATSU 4 STROKE. HAS NO POWER, BUT IT IS SWEET FOR TROLLING. USES ABOUT A QUART OF GAS IN 6 HOURS . I BOUGHT IT IN APRIL AND HAVE 200 HRS. ON IT.

[Fran Myers]

Denny,
I absolutely LOVE the boat. I wrote an article for the last Newsletter but it didn't make it in. I will send it to you.

I don't have 200 hours on it but I am working on it.

I am still trying to get to your outing but I am not going to know for sure until real close to the dates.

Talk to you soon,
Fran