2017 Victoria and Oak Bay Reports

[Original]

AP spoons are incredibly effective on Springs.
I have been using them almost exclusively for the last 3 years
with great results.

What leader lengths are you using with these spoons ?

I was out Mon 12-4 off the waterfront using anchovies and did drop an AP spoon for a bit but fell back to the skunk that I'm more used to. Not one hit.
Only saw one other boat with a fish he released at side of boat. Almost got run over by a Comm boat coming out of the harbour, had to make an line tangling manoeuvre to save my butt.:-( thinking he was on auto pilot and not at the helm.

 

[scott craven]

Usually 42-48"
lately I've been running one side without a flasher
also try using a duo-lock clip to the split ring on the spoon.
the action on the herring spoon is insane.

 

[SpringVelocity]

AP spoons are incredibly effective on Springs.
I have been using them almost exclusively for the last 3 years
with great results.

Yes they are effective. On summer fish that anchovy spoon was deadly. I used them a lot this year even more then bait.

 

[Franko Manini]

Guys,

When I was out on Constance late last week, there were two charters out there. They were doing very well on springs, right on the bottom. I timed them dropping their gear and retrieving it, and I figured they were fishing right on the bottom. One guy actually dropped his gear and I could see him wait until it bounced on the bottom and then he came up just a bit. When I saw the gear come up, there was no flasher either dummy or in-line. I could not see what the terminal gear was, but there was a 4-5 foot leader behind a small shiny (plastic or metallic) rectangle that was maybe 4-5 inches long. It was too small to be a 8" mini-flasher, and definitely wasn't a 11" flasher. I have no idea what these guides were using, but it looked fun as hell to catch these fish on. Does anyone have any ideas what their setup might have been?

 

[scott craven]

Could be a Hook-em spoon ?

 

[Franko Manini]

Possibly a Hookum spoon, but it was rigged like you would rig an inline flasher. Lure/bait/whatever at the "hook" end, then about 4 feet of leader attached to a small shiny object, roughly the size of a large spoon or very small flasher. Imagine, the same setup as a flasher and a spoon, except the flasher was VERY SMALL. Say 4-5 inches in length. As I said, I could not tell what was on the hook in of the leader from where I was. But it was definitely small. I'm guessing it was not a hootchie given the length of the leader. Maybe a small AP Spoon, or a koho killer? But I am keenly interested to find out what they were using above the lure.

 

[Englishman]

Yes they are effective. On summer fish that anchovy spoon was deadly. I used them a lot this year even more then bait.

Usually 42-48"
lately I've been running one side without a flasher
also try using a duo-lock clip to the split ring on the spoon.
the action on the herring spoon is insane.

Wish I could get them to be as effective as you guys. I must be using the wrong colours, or wrong flashers, or leader lengths, or trolling speed, or spoon size, or hook size, or distance above the bottom, or state of the tide/moon or........ so many variables....so little time!!! LOL

 

[Chero]

Wish I could get them to be as effective as you guys. I must be using the wrong colours, or wrong flashers, or leader lengths, or trolling speed, or spoon size, or hook size, or distance above the bottom, or state of the tide/moon or........ so many variables....so little time!!! LOL

I agree Englishman, I have given up using them. I have used them numerous times over the last two years with hoochies on the other side and the hoochies are the ticket for me if I'm not using bait. I need a lesson from Andrew or Scott. I have had some success with the Hookum spoon but nothing big.

 

[Original]

Franco- Does anyone have any ideas what their setup might have been?

My guess is they were using 5 oz jiggs or bigger to get to the bottom with no flashers. Great way to play a fish. Currents can hinder your line from dropping straight down so timing of slack helps.

 

[RiverBoy]

Guys,

When I was out on Constance late last week, there were two charters out there. They were doing very well on springs, right on the bottom. I timed them dropping their gear and retrieving it, and I figured they were fishing right on the bottom. One guy actually dropped his gear and I could see him wait until it bounced on the bottom and then he came up just a bit. When I saw the gear come up, there was no flasher either dummy or in-line. I could not see what the terminal gear was, but there was a 4-5 foot leader behind a small shiny (plastic or metallic) rectangle that was maybe 4-5 inches long. It was too small to be a 8" mini-flasher, and definitely wasn't a 11" flasher. I have no idea what these guides were using, but it looked fun as hell to catch these fish on. Does anyone have any ideas what their setup might have been?

small dodger? I have a couple of dodgers that are about six inches long? never use them mind you

 

[hambone]

Wish I could get them to be as effective as you guys. I must be using the wrong colours, or wrong flashers, or leader lengths, or trolling speed, or spoon size, or hook size, or distance above the bottom, or state of the tide/moon or........ so many variables....so little time!!! LOL

If you haven't given up on them, id focus on trolling faster. I think they do best with a pretty fast speed.

 

[Franko Manini]

Franco- Does anyone have any ideas what their setup might have been?

My guess is they were using 5 oz jiggs or bigger to get to the bottom with no flashers. Great way to play a fish. Currents can hinder your line from dropping straight down so timing of slack helps.

They were trolling, running lines off the downriggers.

 

[rockdog]

I agree Englishman, I have given up using them. I have used them numerous times over the last two years with hoochies on the other side and the hoochies are the ticket for me if I'm not using bait. I need a lesson from Andrew or Scott. I have had some success with the Hookum spoon but nothing big.

I troll a little quicker when I run the AP spoons vs anchovies. These are deadly spoons when you've got everything dialled in.

 

[Jama]

I have had great "luck" with my AP spoons but my buddies can't catch a thing. Not sure what it is maybe the bend in mine or the speed. 2 good stories though a slow day in a derby and I put one my dads rod and he hooked a 26 good for $500. This year I took a guy out who had never caught a big spring. We were alternating hits and I went 2 for 2 while he missed his 2 during the bite. No action for a few hours and time was almost up so I said I'd put out my secret weapon. Not 15 minutes later we had a 18# spring in the boat on an AP anchovy and my favorite flasher. They like to troll fast so I wouldn't recommend trolling them and bait at the same time but hey there are guys who catch a lot more fish than me on here.

 

[tinboatrobb]

I am one who has not had luck with the app spoons. 1 fish in many hours of trolling them around. I know they work great that is the frustrating part. Next season I will pick up a herring spoon and give them another go. Switched to anchovies and did ok. Hate the extra cost and hassle of anchovies. Scott, can you post a pic of how you run the ap spoon?

 

[SpringVelocity]

Sometimes I dont like to post what I use because if people don't catch anything on it it doesn't work. Sorry Englishman but you have other things going on I think. Its like anything you also have to be in area where fish are. No lure or bait is going help you if aren't where fish are. I found the purple and green/gold colors worked for me. I run mine with flasher BTW.

 

[cby]

The Guides on Constance were probably running AP Herring spoons and Kite Tail flashers. Kite Tail flashers are very small probably 4 inches and create no drag but give the extra flash needed down deep. This could have been the setup they were using off the downrigger.

 

[Andrew P]

Jeeze guys....I thought this was a report thread!

I'll say this last thing about the spoons....there is no single spoon that will be the best choice in every single fishing situation (place, time of year, etc)...which is why I make 3 shapes and in 3 sizes each(...well actually 1" all the way to 7"....hehee). And...I'm all for jumping on board with with a new fishing friend to help dial them in since every boat/angler fishes differently.

Any fish reports?!

 

[Andrew P]

Possibly a Hookum spoon, but it was rigged like you would rig an inline flasher. Lure/bait/whatever at the "hook" end, then about 4 feet of leader attached to a small shiny object, roughly the size of a large spoon or very small flasher. Imagine, the same setup as a flasher and a spoon, except the flasher was VERY SMALL. Say 4-5 inches in length. As I said, I could not tell what was on the hook in of the leader from where I was. But it was definitely small. I'm guessing it was not a hootchie given the length of the leader. Maybe a small AP Spoon, or a koho killer? But I am keenly interested to find out what they were using above the lure.

Could very well be a large spoon in front of a smaller one. I did well this season playing with this idea.

 

[Franko Manini]

Looks like Hot Spot makes a "micro flasher". That might be the setup right there.

http://www.outdoorproshop.com/Hot-Spot-Micro-Flasher-p/hotspot-flasher-micro.htm