Importance Of a #19 Tony Acetta Spoon

[Capt Brady Bounds]

Guys who troll know that it's all about the speed of the lure through the water and depth. In a powerboat, speed can be measured by rpm(s) on the tachometer or an actual logmeter, which is a little paddlewheel device, that is an accessory to most fishfinder systems. In a self-propelled watercraft getting that speed exactly right can be guesswork. You can't use gps because speed made over the ground has no direct relationship to the speed of water molecules moving under the hull.

In days ago, an angler in a rowboat could get his lure speed just right for striped bass, by trolling with a #19 Tony Acetta spoon on one rod and regulating his speed by rowing fast enough to keep the spoon wobbling side to side. Too fast the Tony rolls over, too slow the Tony doesn't wobble. This corresponds to about 2 1/2 mph, which is the correct speed for most striper trolling. Bluefish like it at 4mph and seatrout like it at less than wobble speed. The perfect speed is fast just slightly less than causing rollover.

So, it may be that this olde school method of dragging a #19 Tony Acetta spoon, while paddling the kayak, has great value as an indicator of speed and large stripers are well known to hit big Tony spoons. And It doesn't have to be part of your spread out behind the yak. It could be on a short line held a couple of feet off the boat, but such that the Tony is completely submerged.

Maintaining the proper speed, while trolling, is a big stride towards successful fishing. The more randomness that can be taken out of one's fishing methodology improves the catching.

[ronaultmtd]

Yeah, you're right, Captain- in my Hobie Outback I have the speed down pat by the rhythm of my peddling- when I am trolling for speck's (I shouldn't tell this secret)...anyway, back to stripers- my best success with Mann's Stretch 25's is right at 3 mph, between 3 and 3.5 mph...and on 20 pound braid with about 40-50 yards off the reel- the lure is about 30-35 feet deep and the rod has a pronounced bounce as the lure works- The Rapala XRaps are a little different- you have to work these damn lures- a zig-zag, speed up, slow down troll is dynamite and money in the bank with XR12- and XR14 XRaps in 10-20 feet of water- the lures are mid water lures running about six to eight feet deep. And I use a smaller Tony spoon- the 19 is a bit big for my tastes and it is a Bluefish and Spanish magnet...trolled about 3.5- 4 mph...the six and 9 inch plastic swim lures I simply watch and adjust my peddling until they look right- I want the tail wagging really good before I drop them back in the pattern- I usually troll one rod no matter what- as soon as I leave the launch I drop back a small Bunker color XRap XR8 or 10 on a spinning rod (if I carry one) and start peddling towards my target area to fish- it is rare that I don't catch a fish on the way out in areas no one fishes.

[Yak Fish]

Great idea Captain. I never would have thought about doing that.

[ictalurus]

Tony spoons are cool because they work all year long. I use slightly smaller ones in the summer for blues and stripers. I've tried a #19 in December and on my last trolling expedition but didn't have any luck. It was useful for determining the speed through the water, though.

[Southerly]

thanks for the tips.

do you know if people cast TA's at the flats? the 19's or other?

[Capt Brady Bounds]

Tony's on the Susky Flats

Very definitely Tonys on the flats, but there is a certain size that works better. The best color finish is gold. Years ago, gold TAs came in white or yellow feathers on the hook. The white ones were considerably more productive. Then TA stopped making them with white feathers and all that's available now is yellow.

However, although I could tie white feathers onto a Tony, for my Susky Flats clients, I have instead made my own gold spoons with white feathered hooks out of a gold hammered shorty spoon and it works a heck of a lot better. I also use 5/0 Gamagatsu single hooks which connect to big fish much better, and I incorporate a mono weedguard into the feather tying so it doesn't collect SAV.

[Southerly]

thanks much. i never casted TA's but will give it a go. seems like TA's should complement kastmasters and stingsilvers for dealing with different situations. thanks for the rigging tips also. i have become almost superstitious about using gold. i try to use chrome but only half-heartedly, then back to gold.

[Capt Brady Bounds]

Tony's are primarily trolling devices in the medium and larger sizes because their weight does not offset their resistance to being cast. A hammered jigging spoon with a gold finish like a Hopkins Shorty or A Lit'l Bunker by www.specializedbaits.com casts like a bullet but has enough flatness to be retrieved in a wobbling motion very similiar to a TA. I personally think a swimming Lit'l Bunker is far superior. On the Flats, the 1oz and 3/4oz sizes work just right.

There's folks who cast Tonys and more power to 'em.

[DOGFISH]

Yup, only us old schools tend to do that. There is just something about the dip of the rod tip, when a Tony is working just right. For the smaller cranks in the fall, such as Rapala Glass Shad Rap, 3.3 mph seems to be golden. Of course, when the fish are not biting, I will still vary the speed. Some days they like it fast.

[MTDluvsFishin]

Capt, that is a great wealth of info for a person with little knowledge on trolling like myself. Very familiar with casting hopkins from jetties/beach but always looked at the tony with a big ??

Thank you for the input (Capt B and others)