How do you guys choose between all the different spoons (VMC tumbler vs VMC tingler vs CJS Lightning Sppon vs Buckshot Rattle Spoon vs Flyer Spoon vs other)? All the different shapes, size and styles. Looking to pick up several new spoons but curious if you guys stick with a style and just switch color and weight or if the style is that important.
well a lot of my decision for which lure to use on the ice are based off of what ive had success with in the past. When it comes to buying new lures its pretty much all hype – “I heard this lure was the new hot ticket….” or you see advertisements. Fisherman are very susceptible to tips, tricks, secrets, advertising, hype, word of mouth….
Mostly let your tactics, target depth and of course the fish tell you, sometimes you need to bomb straight down 30′ and have rattles, some times your fishing 10′ and the rattles spook the fish and they want a little more flutter. really depends on if you fish one body of water or multiple different styles? Figure out what works for where you fish, and make small adjustments from their.
What weight spoon do you typically use for say <10′, 10-20′, 20-30′ and 30+’? I’m assuming natural colors for clearer water and bright color and rattles for murky? Some with rattles and some not?
I better make this a trip to the store without the wife!
More of a style then weight thing, buckshot drops straight down, even an 1/8, while something with more flutter will drop slower, even if it is bigger, then account for target species and the forage de jour. Sorry if it seems like I’m being vague, just so many factors and I think that is how I ended up with so many jigs! 
Lets simplify this a bit a look solely at spoons for one target species, walleye. First, I’d break it down by style; flutter (slender spoons, tinglers, Northland flutter spoon, etc.) vs. lead (northland buckshot, VMC rattle spoon, etc.). The flutter spoons are on average going to give you a lot more action and a slower fall rate, compared to spoons like the buckshot or macho minnow that will have a faster, tighter fall compared to a flutter spoon of the same weight. Granted, there are definitely spoons that will land somewhere in the middle in terms of action/weight such as the Lindy Rattlin’ Flyer. Next, I’ll break down each action by the physical size of the jig. For example, a 1/8 ounce tingler spoon will have a bigger profile when compared to a 1/8 ounce buckshot spoon. Therefore, I try to keep my general purpose walleye spoons in the 1.5″ +/- .25″ range. Keep in mind, if you were to go chase greenbacks on Lake Winnipeg or larger fish on Lake Erie, you will likely want to take larger than average walleye spoons. I try to keep a good mix of both flutter/lead and rattle/no rattle in various sizes and colors to cover my bacon in all situations, however, out of the MANY spoons in my ice tackle box, there are probably 4-6 that I catch the majority of my fish on.
To me it’s like a kid collecting Hot Wheels, I just want a lot.
How do you guys choose between all the different spoons (VMC tumbler vs VMC tingler vs CJS Lightning Sppon vs Buckshot Rattle Spoon vs Flyer Spoon vs other)? All the different shapes, size and styles. Looking to pick up several new spoons but curious if you guys stick with a style and just switch color and weight or if the style is that important.
First determine what size fits your rod/line best, and how low you can go. Doesn’t make sense to buy a lure you can’t feel. After that it’s personal preference, what lake your on and what lure sells you. My best lure across many lakes is a Red Buckshot or Red Lindy Rattlin Flyer. I have a ton of other stuff, but usually end up with one of them tied on at the end of the day. I also have those lures (and a few others) in multiple colors, because obviously the day I’m fishing might be that ONE day that all they will eat is the 3/16 oz. purpledescent UV clown color.
I always like to start the day with a Uv pink fire tiger 1/8 oz slender spoon then I switch up as needed. Sometime the fish want flutter and some need more noise that’s where the fire tiger buckshot comes in. Watching the fish in a camera really helps break this all down really fast. But if noise is the big factor I skip the spoons and head for the # 4 rip&rap I love them after the success I had last season
For walleye I keep it relatively simple among the myriad of too many choices. 1/8oz is my primary producer and I have two rods that are best for that weight.
Then I choose style, flutter vs lead. The first one is either confidence if I’m alone or doing the different style from my partner(s). Drop it down, if fish hit great. If they don’t hit but will rise then I tweak my jigging stroke. If that doesn’t work then I start switching styles/colors and last of all sizes.
Somewhere along the line you’ll find the combination that suits the day. Like above, 3-4 spoons catch 90% of my fish.
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