Great Spoon catalog!

[Jeff Soto]

For all the spoon guys out there, check this out.   One of my favorite Bluegill lures is the tiny double-hook spoon made by Dardevle called the "Skeeter".  It comes in two weights and a wide variety of colors.  Check their catalog here and look at all the crazy colors!  Click on "Lure Catalog" then click on the "Series", then the color you want to see.  It's great!

www.eppinger.net/cgi-bin/index.pl?fs=1&mp=2&init=1

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Thanks for the link Jeff...pretty cool stuff in there including the novelties.......

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Ive gotten quite a few of those little 'Skeeter' spoons, Jeff. They are pretty cool, although I've not caught anything on them... yet.

OFF TOPIC - I read the story of the Eppinger company last year. It was actually featured in an article on product liability - they were the company being made an example. When fears about lead contamination began to proliferate, Eppinger president - who also happens to be the daughter of the company's founder - was faced with a sticky legal issue. How to keep making their lures affordable, while avoiding the tort concerns of potential lawsuits over lead.

And here's where it gets twisted.

The Eppinger spoons do have a trace amounts of lead in them - anything manufactured of brass and other alloys does. Heck, the computer you are using right now has far more in it. But even though the Daredevl lures have negligible amounts of lead, that doesn't matter. Certain states (especially California) are obsessed over the stuff. There was a very real threat that they might bring suit against Eppinger for selling their products. Some form of legal protection was needed fast. And don't scoff - - it has already happened.

This adds cost, of course, leading to reduced profit, higher end prices or even possible closure. Eppinger weathered this storm, fortunately, and is still in business. The ironic part is that there is so little lead in the Eppinger products that it is no threat at all. But leaving yourself open to be sued over such non-issues is unwise in America today. Meanwhile we sell laptops all day long - and send them to Africa to be piled into hazardous heaps when they are burned out. It's warped, Im telling you.

Because of convoluted regulation and legal quicksand, many fine American products go overseas to be made or are prohibitively priced. Thank goodness Eppinger didn't end up down that path.

Whoever said, "Hang all the lawyers!,"... well, they may have been on to something.

[Leo Nguyen]

Great to have as part of the arsenal. Got 3 of the skeeters to attack the slightly below surface just a few months ago. Pretty effective on trouts.

[Jeff Soto]

Leo- Wait until next spring and use those little spoons with an ultralight spinning rod and 2 lb test line at the boat launching ramp area at Lake Perris.  Those Bluegill and Redear just hammer that spoon!   

[Leo Nguyen]

Which ones are you using Jeff. I normally use the hot mackerel, rainbow trout, or the orange black spots. Trouts hits the rainbow trouts. Basses hit the hot mackerel. The orange black is a 50/50 on the panfishes and trouts. Got a tip on which ones Perris' small fries like to attack on?

[Jeff Soto]

They will hit them all especially the Hot Mackeral.  I have stripped off the paint and have re-painted a few of them black/green, because through experience I know that the larger BGs like, for some reason, the colors green and black.  I also use a hologram/clear fingernail polish to add some flash to the spoons.

[Leo Nguyen]

Thanks for the tips on the repaint. I have a few spoons completely worn out, and need a new paint job.  Hope the new season produce a nice load of fishes. From what I metered near the island and the southside weedbeds, my gosh, can't believe the density of those panfishes. Check the Google collaborative map that I've created for Perris. Incredible editing info that you can truly sink your teeth into. Will do the same with Skinner, DVL, Silverwood, Jenks, and Big Bear when the boys produce more info for me. I'm limited on my own data.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Leo you are a tech monster! Awesome stuff....

Makes me wish I was back in CA.

[Leo Nguyen]

Thanks David. Anyone can do it. It's just about getting to know the power of the map editing capability, and just go nuts. It's free ;) If you like the intro to the map, I would be glad to offer you a link to see the work in actions. I will be loading the bottom scan info to those points real soon. It will blow your mind.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Maybe one day soon I will have some new waters to apply this to.

I expect to move to NC next year.

[Anthony Palafox]

Wow there so many colors to choose from. Cant wait till spring again for those shallow gills.

39-Mackerel Finish, 38-Pearl (looks groovy), 58- Hot Mackerel (think is the one you got).

[Leo Nguyen]

Hey Anthony, just watch yourself with the hot mackeral. Basses will chase the spoon down too. The larger 3lbs+ basses will not yield solid hookups due to the small hook size. But, anything small in the 2lbs and less, no problem there. I noticed the trick about using the skeeters are, pull fast for 2 seconds, hold for 5 seconds to let the spoons flutter down, and repeat. I think it's mimicking the darting injured fishes. The basses love to hammer the spoons like that. Gills wise, they like to see quick short 2 to 3 jerks, follow by very slow retrieve. Can't wait to buy more when they're on sale.