Johnson Minnow spoon - anybody use it?

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I was noodling around on ebay recently and got ten of these spoons for $20.

They are the small, 1/8 oz size, in silver. The Johnson Minnow is an old school lure, first seen in the early 1920's. It was maybe the first successful "weedless" spoon, and is generally thought of as a surface bass lure. It is often coupled with a curly tail jig body, plastic twister worm, or pork rind trailer for the purist.

So, last season I got into another vintage lure, right, "The Super Duper." I caught several nice fish with it. The super duper is a traditional trout lure, but caught the local bass with ease.

So I was wondering, does anyone use the Johnson Minnow non-tradtionally - for bluegill fishing?

 

[Anthony Palafox]

I haven't used the Johnson Minnow but got some Johnson beetle spins off ebay. Still gotta get too using them though. I know this other guy who is using the Super Duper with good success at Perris.  He has caught Bass, bluegill, redear and even a small catfish on it.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I found some super dupers in my dads tackle box. I had never seen them before that day.
First time I tried one I hung a nice large mouth. I bought about ten off ebay after that.
I also have a mess of Beetle Spins, both complete and with out jigs... I can mix and match how I want.
He also had some Johnson Minnows, which look great in the water! I like the older lures, the time tested stuff.

[Jeff Soto]

I've got one of those 1/8 oz Johnson Silver Minnow weedless spoons that I bought probably 20 years ago, but I've never gave it a good try on Bluegill.  I have caught small bass on it, and it looks like a good crappie lure, maybe next spring when the BGs at our local lake are hitting spoons good, I'll give it a go.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

My one issue is they are light... not long on casting and maybe not great for depth
I don't know that, of course. They may work great.

[John Sheehan]

At ice out in early/mid March this year I used the smallest Johnson spoon and glued a Mister Twister shad to it and it caught several nice Yellow Perch and a nice white perch .Tipping with the shad added weight to it and casted well with a light action crappie rod.The hook is not a good size for Gills as much as Perch .The lure should work well on Crappie too!http://bigbluegill.com/photo/march-11-cupsaw-slip-floating-397?cont...

http://bigbluegill.com/photo/march-11-cupsaw-slip-floating-243?cont...

 http://bigbluegill.com/photo/march-11-cupsaw-slip-floating-243/next...

The bigger 1/4oz -1/2 oz work great on Bass and Pickerel.I like glueing a tube jig to it .Caught some nice Pickerel up to about 22 " in some small ponds the past few years that way.

 

 I have some super dupers and never used them .I was thinking they'd be good through the ice.The small ones have good sized hooks for gills.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

You make a great "point" about the hook (pun intended). Im thinking maybe I can bend the hook back and down to reduce the gap, and so make it smaller. I'll give that a shot.

Using some sort of trailer is very common with the 'ol Johnson Minnow. As I've said, a pork skin wiggle tail is the traditional favorite. But almost anything that undulates and adds life can be used.

 

As for the Super Duper, I tie them on with a Rapala knot. I use the same knot with spoons, too, like Johnson's Minnow and most all lures that wiggle and wobble. The Rapala knot is really stopped loop, and lets the lures action work freely. They are enticing in the water from my point of view and they cast well. Youre right, too... the 501 size is about right for gill.

[John Sheehan]

I 'm thinking you'll break the solder hold on the hook if you bend it down but maybe not. I gotta get that Rapala knot down again!

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I was able to bend the hook, netting about a 20% smaller hook gap.

The new "bent" hook is a few millimeters longer with a narrower gap than an unbent hook. It compares to something around #6 or #8. It was tricky, as the hook itself is made of very stiff steel. I had to be careful to bend the hook, and not put stress on the solder joint, as you suggest.

The slightly longer hook may help with short strikes, and it will still catch fish. As for bluegill, I won't be surprised if this winds up in the box with all the other "Good Ideas That Didn't Really Pan Out."

[John Sheehan]

Hope it works David!