The Spoonpluggers Forum

I have been having trouble running the 500 Spoonplug. It either just rolls on the line or it wiggles while doing a slow roll.

I don't know what size snap I am using but I think they are number 10's. I can say that the snap seems really big compared to the size of the lure.

Help!

As an addendum to previous post:
It appears that the snap that I was having trouble with is a 5 or 6.
I went to Buck's sight and saw he sells #2 and #3's. I bought some today. So hopefully the 500 issue is taken care of.

Also of note. I changed my Penn 109's for some Cabelas Depthmaster Line Counter reels. I have found that the line lengths are differant and today I mounted a 109 and went into the front yard to compare layers to length measured on the line counter. Here are the results:
Layers on the Penn 109 to my Depthmaster line counter reel:
8 layers equals 62 Feet
10 layers equal 81 Feet
14 layers equal 114 Feet
16 layers equal 132 Feet
18 layers equal 149 Feet "Nearly identical to Penn 109"
22 layers equal 185 Feet "Nearly identical to Penn 109"

I thought about it AFTER the experiment but I should have been counting colors. I will do that on the water.

I also need to do this with wire but that will come later.

Fran

Fran:
I noted with amusement your last post on line length. When I got back into spoonplugging last year I bought 2 Cabelas "Salt Striker" reels. The puspose being the fastest retrieve I could find with the least amount of weight of the reel.
I thought I had it made until I conducted the experiment of line length in the front yard also. I found it was a trade off.
The Cabelas reel had the faster retrieve which I was happy about (especially for my wife) by far, but it took more passes because the gear ratio caused more line needed for the same length.
In the end I went back to the newer Penn 109s because they seem more comfortable to me. Oddly enough, my wife prefers the new Salt Striker trolling reel. Such is life....
I'll be interested in your results with the line counter. It seems to be more bulkier but I'd put up with that if it proved to be advantageous on wire line which usually takes more length.

Pat,
They are a bulkier reel and I am still working out the line lengths. Most of my fishing has been on the Mississippi River because of GREAT water color and long/straight rocky and riprap shore lines.

The problem is that there is a hell of a current. It is 4 knots in some places. So I am not getting the X feet of line for Y feet of Depth formula. However by adding a color or sometimes two I usually get the depth I want.

PS Everyone the smaller snaps fixed the trolling with the 500 issue I had but the #3's I got are weak and don't really stand the pounding. Be sure not to get the only bent wire type. Get the ones that have a piece of sheet metal in the middle. The bent wire just doesn't hold up.

Got home from a trip today at 6am couldn't sleep so I just got back from 4 hours of fishing and got 3 White Bass, a Tiny Smallmouth, a Tiny Walleye, and a big Drum about 5 pounds. When the movement stopped after the first couple of hours, I went deeper but no more fish were caught.

Bye,

It's nice that you have provided this info. However, it seems to me that the diameter of your line would also come into play.

In terms of how deep the lure will run (very usefull info.), not only is line out important, but so is line diameter, speed of the boat and the particular lure you are using. You must run tests for all lures you use if you want them in the target zone in an accurate way. If any one of the particulars changes, you must run more tests to be thoroughly accurate. Tom

I appreciate your comments, Tom
It is very important to remember that while diameter makes a HUGE difference, Spoonplugs running on NOBO and/or wire line is a LONG proven combination by people more talented than me.

My issue is that I altered the equation by changing the reel. I am however getting more answers than not and confidence is building with every trip.

Thanks for the help.
fran

What size snaps are recommended for the 700 & 800 spoonplugs?

Thanks

Gary,
Size #3. but don't get the ones that are just wire. Get the ones that have the pinched metal in the middle. The other ones atually come apart.

The only place I can find them is at Buck's Baits.

Also there are two elements that are absolutely required to run 500's.
(one easy one not so easy)

1. The hook of the snap MUST come through the ring of the lure from the BOTTOM (up from the lip side).

2. The difficult thing is to make sure the lure is tuned correctly. As easy as it sounds, tuning is can be tough. I think that I will need to either show you or at least speak on the phone.

Also there is another aspect of running 500's you need to know. Our boats are fine for running all sizes of spoonplugs. But when you start running 500's you will start pounding your prop and lower unit. So make sure you have another prop on board and make sure that you spend more time looking forward than at your depth sounder.

Jann's Netcraft: Interlocking Snaps stainless steel - 0.67 a dozen. $6.84 a gross. Stainless steel Safety Snaps - 0.78 a dozen, $6.48 per gross.
http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/Search/snaps.asp
Bass Pro $1.89 for a 20-pack.

Personally I use Duolock #2 for small Spoonplugs, #3 for larger Spoonplugs, and #5 for going deep with 700/800 on wire. NEVER had one fail, but have had Interlocking and Safety snaps open up on me. Cabela's, Bass Pro, and Jann's all sell 'em

JWT