Losing fish with Stinger Spoons

[Gill]

Has anyone had a problem losing fish while trolling with Stingers? We lost maybe six fish directly after hook up and a few more at the boat. Haven't had a real problem so far and would like to hear from other anglers if they encountered this and what the solution may be. Switch to a single hook? Would this create fewer hook ups?
Thanks for any input.




Gill
"Fish On"

[ETT]

To reply with any significance, we need to know species, speed, and line type, and application, ie. Dipsy, Jet or whatever.

[Gill]

Trolling with dipsy divers #0 for Walleye on Lake Erie. 65 to 110 back at 1.5-2.1 miles per hour. Leader length about 8'. Water depth 32'


Gill
"Fish On"

[FreeByrd]

Gill,
Unless the hooks themselves have been "damaged" - ie ripped around a bunch with the pliers from catching a lot of fish and after handling a bunch of fish - ezpecially steelhead - the hooks aren't the problem. We do sometimes need to change the hooks on ANY of our baits after they have been abused by lots of use. You are trolling the dipseys on the EXTREME low end of the speed range. Dipseys work best between 2-3 mph. Under 2 and they become tougher. Some days the fish are just finicky and you can get some pullbacks and the fish just isn't there. If you have had success with them in the past and the hooks aren't damaged - there is no reason to change - although I would recommend bumping your speed up for the rest of the summer - you should catch fewer trash fish and improve your hookup ratio. There is absolutely no reason to switch to single hooks - would likley hurt the action of the spoon. Walk the docks where the better trolling charter Captains dock and look at their stuff. You won't see too many single hooks and you will see more Michigan Stinger spoons than all other brands combined.

Good Luck,
Steve Carlson

[Denied]

Gill, if you are using a super braid like fire line you may be pulling the hook out of the fishes mouth since there is no give in the line. I use a long (12") shock cord after the dipsy and ahead of the leader. I feel this puts in a little give and reduces the snap when the fish hits. I don't like single hooks but have with some spoons when I did not like the treble hooks that come with them replace them with triple grips or rapala hooks, both of which do the job for me.

dean

google - Fishing Lake Erie aboard "DENIED"

(I don't represent any manufacturer or supplier "I pay my own way")

[Magic_Marker]

M. Stingers have the worst paint and hooks out there. What stingers i still use have all been changed to triple grip hooks. Dan

[yknotfrank]

I really didn't want to reply to this, but I'm tired of the BS.
The hooks Stinger uses are VMC hooks. There are no corners cut, no offbrand, no cheap imitation, no 10,000 hooks for a quarter, no garbage used on their spoons. The hooks that are used are a lightweight, quality hook. A heavier hook could be used, but the action will be sacrificed. Hooks are destroyed in nets and by heavy handed people with longnose pliers, myself included. I replace more hooks than anyone I know. I also use far more expensive hooks for replacements and tear them up faster than the VMCs. People complain about the cost of spoons. If the manufacturer went to a Gami or triple grip, add that cost onto the price. You will tear up the hooks just as quickly. The weight of the hook must match the weight of the spoon. I buy my hooks by the thousand and replace at least 10 to 15 a day.
Now the big one. The paint issue on the Stingers and Scorpions has been resolved. Period. Believe what you want. Listen to whomever you want. I fished walleyes from mid May until now. I pulled the boat and am going salmon fishing. Since mid May I have used nothing but Scorpions and have kept just under a thousand walleyes from a pound and a half to eleven and a half pounds. I have used Blue Maxx, Nascar, Hunk of Lung, Ray's Raz Dolphin, Craig's Christmas, Raspberry Dolphin, Mixed Veggies, Confusion, Shrimp, Frankenberry, Ray's Kids, Craig's Broncos, Boy/Girl, Metallic Superman, Monkey Puke, and a few that I can't think of right now. I would love to take a picture of these spoons to show the complainers. Unfortunately, I won't be back until September, but anyone is welcome to come see these spoons on my boat as I will still be running them this fall. There is nothing special about these spoons. No extra clearcoat, no Sally Hanson, nothing. In fact these are all scratch and dents that are not good enough for the public. These are what the prostaff and captain's program people get.
Excuse me for venting, but I am tired of reading that someone used a spoon eight years ago and the paint came off or the paint washed off, or they sent spoons back to the company and they weren't satisfied with the response. The horse is dead. Stop beating it.
Go ahead and give it to me. I won't see a computer for two months.
Frank

[ETT]

I asked for type of line, and I'm going to guess it is power pro or some other superbraid (which I think is the right line). But with no stretch in the line snubbers become quite important, to prevent rip-offs. I think that would solve the problem.

And I for one can understand Frank being tired of the "let's beat on Michigan Stinger" attitude. They are a very innovative and agreeable to special custom color orders. And their spoons catch way more walleyes and steelhead day in and day out, than any other companies...period. If you don't like them don't use them, but I'm going to.

good luck and good fishing.

[Birddog]

I agree with the other posts on the no stretch line! I recently started to use 10/4 fireline on my "walleye" trolling rods. The best I can tell you is to loosen your drag,helped my hook up ratio. good luck

[sevenmmm]

If you were to watch a video of fish trying to catch a spoon, they miss it quite regularly as the spoon wobbles and throws that hook about.

Definately changing heavily used hooks is best, but I mostly sharpen them as a I go. Also, I'll take a pliers and spread each hook to make a wider gap, and twist it a bit to offset the point from the shaft.

This action really does help get better hooksets for me.

[Marble Eyes]

Yknotfrank,

For the record, I purchased a hand full of these spoons based on comments about them posted here and the new paint solving the peeling problem late last summer. The SH159-164 series in the hammered finish. Guess what, THE PAINT CAME OFF. So don't tell me the problem is resolved.

So make your statements all you wish, but I know better I have the spoons to prove it.

No I don't let my spoons beat around the boat either. Fact is the paint started to come off the first time I hooked a fish with them.

Iam not one to beat a product here, but you struck a nerve.


Rodney Nutt
Greenville, MI

[CMFISH51]

Does anybody use snubbers off of jet divers? I have never tried this method nor had any problems putting gatorbacks in the boat without them? I assume that the rubberband on the release helps ease some of the tension when the eye hits. Didn't know if that would help at all...we use the snubbers offa dipsys, but was just curious if anybody uses this program with jets?

Corey

[FreeByrd]

>Does anybody use snubbers off of jet divers? I have never
>tried this method nor had any problems putting gatorbacks in
>the boat without them? I assume that the rubberband on
>the release helps ease some of the tension when the eye hits.
>Didn't know if that would help at all...we use the snubbers
>offa dipsys, but was just curious if anybody uses this program
>with jets?
>
> Corey

Normally NO - don't use snubbers behind jets for walleye, but have at times when exclusively targetting salmon/steelhead. Jets are most often used behind boards and both the big boards with a release and the small boards will pull back in the water when a big fish hits much more so than a dipsey so there is more give than with a dipsey situation.
Steve

[CMFISH51]

Thanks Steve, I never heard of it, or seen it, but was just curious...I figured the band on the release would soften the blow a little bit. Thanks for the reply

[Magic_Marker]

If I was on they're pro staff and got mine at discount I'd stretch the truth a little too. Like I said before paint problem not fixed and hooks won't hold fish like triple grips. Dan

[ezmarc]

Hey Rodney, You probably got some of the old ones. Can't tell the difference in the packaging for new and old. I went 2 years without buying any new Stingers because of the way a very special friend was treated when she sent hers back. (She kept buying them but cut way back and only new colors)

I trust Frank when he says something, and if he says the problem is fixed then I believe him. I bought around 50 of them this week (Mainly because I can't seem to buy a Walleye on cranks this year) based on his statement and also from statements of a couple other trustworthy types like Den. I just wish they would have changed the packaging so that you could tell what you're buying. Still upset but what the heck! They work!

[yknotfrank]

That says volumes about your integrity.

[Gill]

I'm not bashing Stinger Spoons. Just wanted to see if others were losing fish while trolling spoons. I've caught quite a few fish on the Stingers and will continue to use them as long as they catch fish.
Thanks for the replies.




Gill
"Fish On"

[Wild Willy]

Michigan Stingers and Scorpions do catch fish,good spoon,but sometimes you just have to call a spade a spade.The paint job on lots of them has been pitiful.

[bigWFS]

I disagree, I have heard that the paint has chipped off the scorpion spoons, but only after catching 20 or more fish. Try going to the store and buying 20 or more fish for $3.49 (Walleye have very sharp teeth) You also have to think about how long that spoon has been sitting on the self at your local bait and tackle shop.

I don't know about you but the more I use my stinger spoons the better they work. I have a few spoons with almost not paint on them and they still work just as good as the day I got them.

bigwfs

SHUT UP AND FISH

[Wild WILLY]

big,those are the days they are hitting on either gold or silver.I prefer the Stingers and Scorpions that hold on to their paint,myself.Call me silly,but I think that there is a reason why they are painted different colors.I am not bashing them,I still buy them at times,but I like the ones that hold paint,myself.

[Swede2]

Swede add couple of splitrings to put hook further back

[Murphy]

I would just change the hooks to triple grips. The only problem with hte triple grips is sometimes you have a hard time getting the hook out of the fish's mouth, which is a good problem.