Mausermike14
Active Member
So I was passing through Coombs today and stopped in at PNT. I asked for the AP spoons, and was told they don't carry them there anymore. Just a heads up.
AP Tackleworks spoons
- Thread starter Mausermike14
- Start date
Andrew P
Well-Known Member
We've got a couple orders on the go for PNT Richmond and Prince Rupert. That's how the orders have come in the last couple years.
Mausermike14
Active Member
That would be amazing, super helpful
Aquaholic
Crew Member
Any 2” versions going to Steveston?
CIVANO
Well-Known Member
I miss your posts about your electric motor build and your fishing reports out front with family. Glad you are back.
Joe Milligan FYI my 2" spoons arrived today
Aces
Well-Known Member
Looking forward to your perspective
Andrew P
Well-Known Member
Here's a little summary of how I go about choosing a spoon for the situation. Not sure if this simplifies the choices though!
How to choose a lure
Choosing the right lure for the situation at hand can greatly increase your odds of hooking up and, inversely, choosing the wrong lure can decrease your odds to nearly zero. Some of the main factors to consider when choosing a lure are: target species, location, time of year, time of day, what the fish are feeding on, and your own personal fishing style, just to name a few. These factors lead you to determine the right size, shape and colour to give you the best odds of success. Keep in mind, this opinion is based on my own experiences, shared knowledge and personal bias and my opinion will evolve as I continue my own angling journey. I know people who run lures very differently than me and do very well, so take this advice with a grain of salt.
Size and Shape
Knowing what species of salmon you are targeting and what their general feeding habits are in your area at different times of year is likely the most critical part of choosing the right lure. I will use Victoria, BC as an example and while many of the same trends would be seen elsewhere, each region and fishing spot within has their own factors to consider. When targeting Chinook salmon around Victoria, we generally know that the fish are deep through the late fall, winter and spring and are mostly actively feeding Chinook commonly found in the 5-15lb range. They are usually on the bottom eating Pacific Sand Lance and can also be found feeding on schools of herring passing through higher in the water column. They are often holding in a feeding area for weeks or months and their feeding times/bites last for a longer period of time throughout the day. For this area of their life cycle they are attracted to a fast moving, small lure. Top choices for this time of year would be 3”, 4” AP Sandlance, 3” AP Herring, 3” AP Anchovy (this is a very common choice because the width is in the middle; good all around shape), and then when the larger Herring and Sand Lance are passing through the 4” and 5” versions come out for a try. In general, the smaller lures will get far more hits while the larger spoons will get fewer hits but will attract larger fish. It pays to chat with other anglers to know what is around.
In the late Spring and Summer months, the feeder Chinook move on and mature chinook start traveling toward their home rivers. These fish tend to be higher in the water column but can travel deep and are moving further along their journey with each flood, then holding during the ebb current, then moving again on the current switch. It is often during these current switches that these larger chinook in the 10-30lb+ range are the most actively willing to bite and sometimes this represents the only opportunity to catch them. They are opportunistic, and often will hit a large variety of lures, especially those that match what is currently in the water, but they find it hard to resist a nice big meal with minimal effort and this is when the larger spoons really shine. 4” and 5” Anchovy and Herring and even the 7” Herring are your best bet at this time of year. Before the Coho or Pink roll in, the 3” Anchovy Spoon can be very effective when we have huge schools of young Herring around. The best performing all around choice for this time of year would be the 4” AP Herring Spoon for myself and many others. The larger spoons will also help to keep the Pink and Coho Salmon off the line when targeting large Chinook. Many anglers run the 5” for this very reason. So, if you are targeting Pinks, Coho and Sockeye, the small spoons are hands down the way to go. 3” Anchovy and Herring are top choices for Coho because they really hone in on the erratic action of the small spoons as they are pulled fast through the water. The 3” Sandlance certainly catches a lot of Coho as well, but in my opinion gets bent easily, because it is quite narrow at 3”, so I prefer the sturdier Anchovy and Herring spoons. Many swear by the Sandlance for Coho: to each their own! The 4” Herring is a great choice for picking the largest Coho out of the school.
The latest addition is the little 2” Minnow, which is a 2” version of the Herring Shape. It has surprised me how well it has fished for Chinook of all sizes, again, when the feed is tiny in the water.
Colour
When choosing a colour, your main goal is to catch the eye of the fish and trigger a bite. In general, this means when it is dark out, such as dawn and dusk, glow and UV reflection become more important, similarly if you are running very deep in the winter when there is very little light. Some colour patterns that work well in low light are White Hoochie, Super Ghost, Neon Army Truck and Depth Charge, to name a few. When the sun is shining, something that reflects that light back with lots of flash usually gets their attention. I recommend Green Flash, Blue Flash, Goldie, in the sunshine. Also, matching your colour to the water colour can give a slight edge as well as choosing colours that penetrate deep in the water column. There are lots of cool Youtube videos showing how colours penetrate the water.
That said, I put a little glow and UV reflection into all of the colour patterns and some of the best performers have been the ones that incorporate glow, UV, and flash…such as MVP and Lemon Lime; you can fish these colours well all day long.
Leader Length
For Chinook, fishing behind a flasher with the spoons, I recommend using a leader that is roughly 12” of leader for every 1” of spoon. So a 3” spoon gets a 3’ leader, 4” = 4’, 5” = 5’. In the winter this can be shaved down a bit and lengthened in the summer but as a general rule, the spoons perform well when rigged like this.
That said, if you can get the action right, the spoons fish very well without a flasher on the line at all. A dummy flasher running off of your down rigger line can help bring the fish in for a look.
Tie to the ring? Swivel?
This is where things start to get personal and I have learned there are many effective ways to rig the spoons that work very well. I will explain what I do and why and you can make your own judgment. I like to tie a palomar knot directly to the split ring with the knot placed opposite the ring opening. I choose a palomar knot because they have 2 strands of line going around 2 strands of ring wire for a very strong knot that is quick to tie, allowing you to easily get the leader length right as it does not slip around on the ring. Once the knot is tied and aligned to the opposite of the opening, a final pull tightens it up and it won’t slide around. Having this tight hold on the double section of the ring also adds strength to the ring itself, making it stronger than it would be with just a swivel attached and it holds the opening firmly shut. The lure then rides in the opening gap giving a rhythmic swimming/pendulum action.
Now, many people put swivels on and do very well with them. I personally do not, because it changes the action and to me it is too much unnecessary gear up front. It certainly does make it easy to simply swap lures on the same leader and I understand why people choose to do it. Chose your own adventure!
Speed
Choosing the right speed for the lure you are running, or similarly, choosing the right spoon to match the speed you want to fish, is very important. In general, the bigger and wider the spoon is, the slower you want to go because they have a bigger surface area and require less speed to get them moving. For example, if you are trolling slow and running bait on one side and want to try a spoon on the other side, you’ll want something that will give the right action at that speed. The top choice I recommend when running alongside bait is the 4” Herring Spoon, 5” Anchovy or, if you are trolling really slowly, the 5” Herring; 4” The Sandlace is too narrow and needs more speed and the 7” would need an even slower speed. As has been suggested, it is very important to look at your gear beside the boat to tune your speed for the right action. I find the sweet spot is right before they start to spin…spinning is no good.. The right speed will have the spoon swimming in a regular rhythm with the occasional darting action thrown in. In a sense, leader length helps set the relative speed of the lure since a shorter leader will be whipping them around whereas you will have less action from a longer leader. For the small 2”, 3” Sandlance, Anchovy and Herring along with the 4” Sandlance…speed is your friend.
Keep in mind every region and fishing spot has different variables that affect your top lure choice for the time of year. And let’s not forget one of the most important variables - luck! Wishing you the best out on the water!
How to choose a lure
Choosing the right lure for the situation at hand can greatly increase your odds of hooking up and, inversely, choosing the wrong lure can decrease your odds to nearly zero. Some of the main factors to consider when choosing a lure are: target species, location, time of year, time of day, what the fish are feeding on, and your own personal fishing style, just to name a few. These factors lead you to determine the right size, shape and colour to give you the best odds of success. Keep in mind, this opinion is based on my own experiences, shared knowledge and personal bias and my opinion will evolve as I continue my own angling journey. I know people who run lures very differently than me and do very well, so take this advice with a grain of salt.
Size and Shape
Knowing what species of salmon you are targeting and what their general feeding habits are in your area at different times of year is likely the most critical part of choosing the right lure. I will use Victoria, BC as an example and while many of the same trends would be seen elsewhere, each region and fishing spot within has their own factors to consider. When targeting Chinook salmon around Victoria, we generally know that the fish are deep through the late fall, winter and spring and are mostly actively feeding Chinook commonly found in the 5-15lb range. They are usually on the bottom eating Pacific Sand Lance and can also be found feeding on schools of herring passing through higher in the water column. They are often holding in a feeding area for weeks or months and their feeding times/bites last for a longer period of time throughout the day. For this area of their life cycle they are attracted to a fast moving, small lure. Top choices for this time of year would be 3”, 4” AP Sandlance, 3” AP Herring, 3” AP Anchovy (this is a very common choice because the width is in the middle; good all around shape), and then when the larger Herring and Sand Lance are passing through the 4” and 5” versions come out for a try. In general, the smaller lures will get far more hits while the larger spoons will get fewer hits but will attract larger fish. It pays to chat with other anglers to know what is around.
In the late Spring and Summer months, the feeder Chinook move on and mature chinook start traveling toward their home rivers. These fish tend to be higher in the water column but can travel deep and are moving further along their journey with each flood, then holding during the ebb current, then moving again on the current switch. It is often during these current switches that these larger chinook in the 10-30lb+ range are the most actively willing to bite and sometimes this represents the only opportunity to catch them. They are opportunistic, and often will hit a large variety of lures, especially those that match what is currently in the water, but they find it hard to resist a nice big meal with minimal effort and this is when the larger spoons really shine. 4” and 5” Anchovy and Herring and even the 7” Herring are your best bet at this time of year. Before the Coho or Pink roll in, the 3” Anchovy Spoon can be very effective when we have huge schools of young Herring around. The best performing all around choice for this time of year would be the 4” AP Herring Spoon for myself and many others. The larger spoons will also help to keep the Pink and Coho Salmon off the line when targeting large Chinook. Many anglers run the 5” for this very reason. So, if you are targeting Pinks, Coho and Sockeye, the small spoons are hands down the way to go. 3” Anchovy and Herring are top choices for Coho because they really hone in on the erratic action of the small spoons as they are pulled fast through the water. The 3” Sandlance certainly catches a lot of Coho as well, but in my opinion gets bent easily, because it is quite narrow at 3”, so I prefer the sturdier Anchovy and Herring spoons. Many swear by the Sandlance for Coho: to each their own! The 4” Herring is a great choice for picking the largest Coho out of the school.
The latest addition is the little 2” Minnow, which is a 2” version of the Herring Shape. It has surprised me how well it has fished for Chinook of all sizes, again, when the feed is tiny in the water.
Colour
When choosing a colour, your main goal is to catch the eye of the fish and trigger a bite. In general, this means when it is dark out, such as dawn and dusk, glow and UV reflection become more important, similarly if you are running very deep in the winter when there is very little light. Some colour patterns that work well in low light are White Hoochie, Super Ghost, Neon Army Truck and Depth Charge, to name a few. When the sun is shining, something that reflects that light back with lots of flash usually gets their attention. I recommend Green Flash, Blue Flash, Goldie, in the sunshine. Also, matching your colour to the water colour can give a slight edge as well as choosing colours that penetrate deep in the water column. There are lots of cool Youtube videos showing how colours penetrate the water.
That said, I put a little glow and UV reflection into all of the colour patterns and some of the best performers have been the ones that incorporate glow, UV, and flash…such as MVP and Lemon Lime; you can fish these colours well all day long.
Leader Length
For Chinook, fishing behind a flasher with the spoons, I recommend using a leader that is roughly 12” of leader for every 1” of spoon. So a 3” spoon gets a 3’ leader, 4” = 4’, 5” = 5’. In the winter this can be shaved down a bit and lengthened in the summer but as a general rule, the spoons perform well when rigged like this.
That said, if you can get the action right, the spoons fish very well without a flasher on the line at all. A dummy flasher running off of your down rigger line can help bring the fish in for a look.
Tie to the ring? Swivel?
This is where things start to get personal and I have learned there are many effective ways to rig the spoons that work very well. I will explain what I do and why and you can make your own judgment. I like to tie a palomar knot directly to the split ring with the knot placed opposite the ring opening. I choose a palomar knot because they have 2 strands of line going around 2 strands of ring wire for a very strong knot that is quick to tie, allowing you to easily get the leader length right as it does not slip around on the ring. Once the knot is tied and aligned to the opposite of the opening, a final pull tightens it up and it won’t slide around. Having this tight hold on the double section of the ring also adds strength to the ring itself, making it stronger than it would be with just a swivel attached and it holds the opening firmly shut. The lure then rides in the opening gap giving a rhythmic swimming/pendulum action.
Now, many people put swivels on and do very well with them. I personally do not, because it changes the action and to me it is too much unnecessary gear up front. It certainly does make it easy to simply swap lures on the same leader and I understand why people choose to do it. Chose your own adventure!
Speed
Choosing the right speed for the lure you are running, or similarly, choosing the right spoon to match the speed you want to fish, is very important. In general, the bigger and wider the spoon is, the slower you want to go because they have a bigger surface area and require less speed to get them moving. For example, if you are trolling slow and running bait on one side and want to try a spoon on the other side, you’ll want something that will give the right action at that speed. The top choice I recommend when running alongside bait is the 4” Herring Spoon, 5” Anchovy or, if you are trolling really slowly, the 5” Herring; 4” The Sandlace is too narrow and needs more speed and the 7” would need an even slower speed. As has been suggested, it is very important to look at your gear beside the boat to tune your speed for the right action. I find the sweet spot is right before they start to spin…spinning is no good.. The right speed will have the spoon swimming in a regular rhythm with the occasional darting action thrown in. In a sense, leader length helps set the relative speed of the lure since a shorter leader will be whipping them around whereas you will have less action from a longer leader. For the small 2”, 3” Sandlance, Anchovy and Herring along with the 4” Sandlance…speed is your friend.
Keep in mind every region and fishing spot has different variables that affect your top lure choice for the time of year. And let’s not forget one of the most important variables - luck! Wishing you the best out on the water!
scott craven
Well-Known Member
Aces
Well-Known Member
Just like tying a loop knot
ship happens
Well-Known Member
Yes that brings the spoons to life but that will get caught in lines, nets, and snap as it's a snaggy weak point. Loop knot or a scissor snaps.
Irishwolf
Crew Member
Here's a video I made last year of the 4in MVP herring AP spoon. Was trolling about 3mph for springs off Macaulay in 45ft of water. Ran into a school of Coho. Don't mind the dork factor. 
Leader length was 36in tied direct to the ring, no flasher. I always thought the spoon should role like a chovie... Maybe I wasn't trolling fast enough.
Leader length was 36in tied direct to the ring, no flasher. I always thought the spoon should role like a chovie... Maybe I wasn't trolling fast enough.
Aquaholic
Crew Member
Interesting that after the third attempted hit where it really looked like a most wounded bait fish from being knocked around, the fourth guy really hit it hard.Here's a video I made last year of the 4in MVP herring AP spoon. Was trolling about 3mph for springs off Macaulay in 45ft of water. Ran into a school of Coho. Don't mind the dork factor.
scott craven
Well-Known Member
Nope, not yet ( in 5 years)Yes that brings the spoons to life but that will get caught in lines, nets, and snap as it's a snaggy weak point. Loop knot or a scissor snaps.
In fact the split ring gets stuck in the net, not the snap.
kaelc
Well-Known Member
Awesome! I’m so jealous of this footage. When I start making money that camera is the next one I’m going to buy. If you ever want to get out fishing on my boat just let me know and bring the camera!Here's a video I made last year of the 4in MVP herring AP spoon. Was trolling about 3mph for springs off Macaulay in 45ft of water. Ran into a school of Coho. Don't mind the dork factor.
Andrew P
Well-Known Member
That's a great example of good action! You can set the youtube setting down to 1/4 speed and really see the pendulum action back and forth...not rolling. This is good in my opinion.Here's a video I made last year of the 4in MVP herring AP spoon. Was trolling about 3mph for springs off Macaulay in 45ft of water. Ran into a school of Coho. Don't mind the dork factor.
Mausermike14
Active Member
So I was coming back from work today and was passing through Courtney. I decided to stop In at the local tackle shop and see if they had some AP's in stock. The guy behind the counter told me they were out, and having supply issues getting them. As I was about to leave, he said hang on let me check the back. He came back with his personal tackle box and pulled these out.... got them for a screaming deal!!
