How heavy a spoon should you use?
A spoon of 12 to 18 g is the all-round choice for trout and Arctic char.
Go lighter in small waters and streams, and heavier in current and deep water.
| Weight | Suits |
|---|---|
| 5–10 g | Small waters, streams and rivers with light gear. Short casts and shallow water. |
| 12–18 g | All-round for trout and Arctic char. Long casts from shore, and good for trolling. |
| 18–28 g | Big trout in current and deep water. Narrow herring-style spoons cut through the current and stay down. |
How do you fish a spoon?
Reel steadily with small pauses, and let the spoon sink and flutter now and then, because many takes come on the drop.
Count it down
Let the spoon sink freely and count the seconds before you start reeling. A heavy spoon sinks fast, so a couple of seconds is several metres.
Let it flutter
A spoon works hardest while it drops. Stop reeling, let it sink for a beat, and the take often comes as it turns.
Vary the speed
A steady pull with small pauses. Change the speed and you change the action, which triggers fish that are following.
Trolling and the otter board
The spoon is the lure for trolling and the fly-otter on big waters. Check the rules where you fish: many licences limit the number of baits per boat, and some ban otter-board fishing or trolling outside summer.
What colour should the spoon be?
Use silver in clear water and sun, gold or copper in stained water and overcast weather, and black or blue at dusk.
Silver
Clear water and sun. Plenty of flash, like a silver-sided baitfish.
Gold / copper
Stained water and overcast. A warmer glow where visibility is short.
Red / copper
A classic combination in rivers, and a first choice when the fishing is slow.
Black / blue
Clear, cold water, and at dusk when the silhouette matters more than the flash.
Well-known spoons
Abu Toby is a long-casting classic for trout and char, and Kuusamo Professor is a Finnish spoon for big trout.
Abu Toby
Trout & Arctic char
A long-casting spoon with a lively, wobbling action. A classic for trout, Arctic char and sea trout.
Kuusamo Professor
Big trout
An iconic Finnish spoon for big trout. Red/gold and silver are staples for trolling and casting.
Kastmästaren
Trout & Arctic char
A heavy, aerodynamic spoon for long casts in wind and on big, open waters.
Salamander Trout
Trout
An excellent trout lure! Fish it with a steady pull and small pauses along the way, the fish often bite on the pause itself. Use silver or copper during the day, black in the evening and red when the fishing is slow.
Source: Sølvkroken
Spesial Classic
Trout & freshwater
A bestseller for trout and other freshwater fishing since 1930! The enticing action is irresistible. If the fish are sluggish, change colour often until you find the one they take.
Source: Sølvkroken
Common questions
How heavy a spoon should I use for trout?
- Five to ten grams covers most mountain lakes and small rivers, twelve to eighteen is the standard on bigger water and in wind, and eighteen to twenty-eight is for deep water and heavy current. The weight has to suit your rod as well: too heavy strains it, too light and you cannot cast far enough. Weight, colour and retrieve
How do I retrieve a spoon?
- Slowly and evenly, just fast enough that the spoon wobbles rather than spinning on its axis. In a river, cast upstream at an angle and let the current do the work. Small pauses and twitches give the spoon a flutter that often triggers the take.