Spoons / Spinning

During the Sardine Run preference will be to throwing a white metal spoon, a Triton plug or one of the cup faced plugs.

Jig and drop takes too much of energy and is not the best of methods to use in a crowd. Its fun to try but most fish during the run are landed on spoon.

The common spoons used are from a 4oz through to 6oz. Spoons are generally rigged with Treble hooks, anglers generally remove this hook and replace them with two single 8/0 Daitchi's. Don't go bigger because it will effect the spoons action.

Add a Meter of 90lb Bleeding wire to a power swivel. Don't forget to make sure your split rings are of the spring steel type if not change these.

To cast further use a bullet spoon with a deep V. For a closer throw use a flat curved spoon. This simply allows for the spoon to be retrieved a little slower and will hang around in the strike zone.

The bullet spoons are meant for distance and a fast retrieve.

With spooning one should always vary depth and angle of the tip. With a bullet spoon, a stop start action works well in deep blue water in a fresh N/E wind. Other times, a continuous fast retrieve is best! Eliminates the "BUMPS" and entices a vicious take.

Bullet shaped Spoons - Fast / Stop Start retrieve.

S - Bend Spoons - Slower retrieve

Cusp Spoons - Tip down and medium retrieve.

It is pretty simple to work out which retrieve for which species.

Main species targeted in the upper column of water will be - Kings, Garrick, Cuda, Yellow Tail, Springer and shad.

For the Mid to Lower column you will find Kob and Grunter.

Thus work your spoon in the upper column to entice those predators or work it slowly along the bottom for the latter.