BassFishing_FebMarch2023 | Page 66

COTTON CORDELL JIGGING SPOON

COLOR : GOLD

GAMAKATSU G-STINGER HOOK # 1

Bring in the band Jigging spoons

“ Jigs ,” or “ jigging ” spoons , ( also known as “ slab ” spoons ), have a long history with cold-weather bass , tracing back to early creations like the Hopkins Spoon ( Hopkins Lures ) and the C . C . Spoon from Cotton Cordell . Their beauty lies in their simplicity . They cast far and fall fast , frequently drawing reaction strikes from surprised , hungry or competing bass .

Jigging spoons are versatile baits that work throughout the water column with both horizontal and vertical presentations . They ’ re standouts in tailrace current , too .

When Lawyer locates two or three winter bass with forward-facing sonar , he ’ ll pitch a spoon beyond his targets and retrieve it with short hops and snaps .

“ You draw their curiosity as they chase it down ,” he explains . “ When you bring it back in their face , they can ’ t help but put it in their mouth .”

When he detects bass holding deep with down-scan , a vertical presentation using short snapping rod movements is in order . He ’ s careful not to get too aggressive with this presentation .

“ I like the aggressiveness to come as that 1 / 2- to 1-ounce spoon falls ,” he says . “ I pull it up and jump the slack to it , letting the spoon fall back at a different angle .”

Bass Pro Tour star Mark Rose sought a better mousetrap when he designed the Lil ’ Ledge Spoon ( 1 ounce , 3 3 / 4 inches ) for Strike King . Subtle fin wings at the spoon ’ s midpoint add erratic action to the flash and fall . A swivel beneath the line tie ring eliminates line twist and tangles . He also added baitfish color patterns to the typical hammered chrome finish .

Rose throws the Lil Ledge as a follow-up to a flutter spoon through much of the open-water season . Its effectiveness spikes in early fall , though it works best of all in moving water .

“ The bait was created for current ,” he says .

Lefebre singles out the Flash Bang Jigging Rattle Spoon from 13 Fishing .

“ I started using it for suspended spotted bass two or three years ago , fishing it vertically ,” he says , noting the bait ’ s popularity with ice anglers and walleye fishermen . “ At times , you can ’ t beat that little spoon .”

Other noteworthy spoons include the Acme Side-Winder Jigging Spoon ( Acme Tackle Company ), the War Eagle Jigging Spoon ( PRADCO Outdoor Brands ) and the Fishlab Bio- Shad Flutter Spoon ( Fishlab Tackle ).

Spoonin ’ Tips

Chrome- and gold-colored slabs have ruled the category for decades , but Lawyer presents a white spoon to his Ozark bass 90 percent of the time he ’ s on the water .

“ With our threadfin shad for forage , the white shows up well ,” he explains . Lawyer adds a Gamakatsu G- Stinger single hook to the line tie . The stinger increases hook-ups , and its red shrink wrap adds some visual appeal . Another trick : Slide a white feathered treble hook above the spoon .

“ When you hook a fish on the spoon , the fish will take off with the bait and outrun the feathered treble ,” he adds . “ That teaser running up your line catches a lot of fish . I have a pretty good landing ratio , too , with two fish fighting against each other .”

64 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | FEBRUARY-MARCH 2023