# Spoon guide

> A spoon guide for trout and Arctic char: choosing weight and colour, how to fish a spoon, and well-known spoons like Abu Toby and Kuusamo Professor.

Source: https://finnfisk.no/en/skjeguide
Language: en
Alternate: https://finnfisk.no/skjeguide (nb-NO)

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Field guide · Lures and colour

A spoon casts far, sinks well and gives plenty of flash. Here are weight, colour and retrieve. All advisory.

Updated 6 October 2026

## 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.

Spoon weight, and what each weight suits

| 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.

[Pick a colour for the light and water](https://finnfisk.no/en/fargeguide)

## 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](https://finnfisk.no/en/skjeguide)

### 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.

Read next

- [Lure guide The lure types and when to use what](https://finnfisk.no/en/slukguide)
- [Spinner guide Blade, size and colour](https://finnfisk.no/en/spinnerguide)
- [Plug guide Types, depth and retrieve](https://finnfisk.no/en/wobblerguide)
- [Fly guide Flies, class and technique](https://finnfisk.no/en/flueguide)