20 Best Chinook Salmon Lures (2022 Updated)

Sometimes schooling spanish mackerel are keyed in on very small glass minnows. Your typical lures may just be too large to get bites; even though you know the spanish are around they can be quite picky.

This is the exact situation where I use this lure. Throw it out, reel it fast and don’t stop, and buy an extra or two or tie with some wire because you will get bitten off. Also know that you will likely not catch the biggest spanish or kings with this lure again because of the small size, if you’re looking for bigger fish a trolled yo-zuri crystal minnow is your best friend.

Used this spoon for surf-fishing for halibut in El Segundo, CA (southern CA). Caught personal best 36” halibut. Best prices I’ve ever found on the internet. Spoon mimics grunion and the grunion spawn every Spring on the beach.

Halibut love them. And I love halibut.

Fabrication quality seems to be going down hill on this classic lure, The edge where the floro paint meets the bare stainless on other side is uneven and chipped,. and the treble is rather cheep, you’ll have to change it out.

Should have painted the back side floro as well.

It would be great if it were made properly. Poorly welded rings on 80% of them. Thin coating easily scratched. I wish Williams made them.

ive used this dodgers all my life if you know a few tricks with them then you can troll a bit faster. bye bending the front leading edge back down the dodge just bend it slitly and try it if it does nothing you have bent it to far just a slit bend if you get it right you,ll know.

and i cut herring filla it and split the tail in half and trim the belly and trim front edge of your bait and about a 22 inch to end of hooks. their great dodgers.

I use these dodgers for brook trout fishing. trolling a worm or spoon 18-30 inches behind dodger, works great if there biting. Give it a try but don’t expect instant results.

Took a while for me to accept these plugs but they are the stuff. The 11x are great , if not perfect for steelhead. The 16x is great for all salmon. One of the big selling points is the solid eyelet.

I have caught fish on the older Kwiks and flatfish , but the connection eyelet gets wallered out and they will no longer tune. Some complained about the fixed eylet because they said you cant tune the plug out of the box.

I never had one out of tune from the box so far. The key on the smaller Kwiks for steelhead is – use heavier line than regular like 15-20. Otherwise the plug will be dredging the rocks. Maglips are great but these are still good plugs !.

been using these for steelhead and stream trout in our local water. has a great wobble action that fish love. I like the frog type style and the blue / silver for both trout and steelhead. can`t go wrong.

Just like the old Flatfish lures your Dad or Grandpa has in the box. These work! Whether cast or trolled, these will get deep and stir things up. Not only do they catch walleye and muskie; you can catch LMB on these too.

If you like to tinker with your lures; you can add weight to these and make them suspend instead of float; that makes them even deadlier especially on deeper water when casting.

Bought six spoons for a recent fishing trip. Worked great caught multiple fish, however the hooks are very cheap and break easily. Never had this problem before. Disappointed as this was my favorite lure for trout fishing in Pa.

It’s a glow in the dark Cleo! Most people carry a little camera flash extracted from disposable camera’s to make them glow fast and efficiently. A shot or two from the camera flash in the palm of your hand will have it glowing for about six to twelve casts depending on flash brightness.

It does work well for night time fishing.

I have used a variety of spoons and lures for Northern Pike and have found that the Little Cleo spoons are my favorite choice for Northerns. They are easy to cast, retrieve smoothly and I have had much success with them.

I also catch Walleye and Small Mouth Bass with them. I use the smaller 1/3 and 2/3 oz. versions on white and stripped bass. They have outperformed any of my other lures on these fish as well. The action of the Cleo must be hard to resist because the fish hit them hard.

I keep several of various sizes in my tackle box.

Bought this to pick off some perch/crappie. Have yet to land anything on it though. Probably have to tip it with some meat sauce of some sort. Wish there was a 1/16 size Acme. Please.

It’s always rewarding to catch fish on an old school lure like a spoon or spinner. With all the hard lures and soft plastics available these days (which I use a lot too), I find that a lot of people dont use these kind of lures anymore.

What I like about these, is that you can cast them a mile. I use a plain gold 1/4 oz for trout, and a plain silver 1/4 oz. or 1/2 oz. for bass. You can easily cast them twice as far as your typical lure.

Even so, they don’t sink like a stone. They have that flutter down action like a spoon. They come in handy, especially, if you are limited to shore fishing, because you can get them out so much further than the angler next to you.

I mentioned bass and trout, but anything will hit them! Because they cast so quick and far, it can be hard to keep your eye on them in the air. If you are just casting into open water, no big deal, but if you are trying to cast around structure or under a branch, it can be hard to keep your eye on it, but this isnt the lure’s fault, just stay focused on it! LIke I said, silver on bass, and gold on trout, I havent tried the other colors, simply because these 2 work so well I havent felt the need to try another color.

A slower retrieve and an occasional pause with a quick “tip up, tip down”, you will catch something for sure!.

Pros, great action, run true right out of the package. Cons, terrible paint job/finish, not worth the price for the lack of quality! The money would be better spent on Salmo Hornets, still get the Pros without the cons for the same money!.

I agree with the other reviewers that the design of the mag lip (3. 5 inch) is great for steelhead. We have found however that the hooks and snap rings just don’t measure up for big steelhead. We have had both bend significantly.

Luckily we noticed that before loosing fish! Now first thing we do is change out the hardware with Eagle Claw 4X hooks and Owner Hyper wire split rings. You would think at the price of these lures the hardware would be top-notch, but NO.

We have also noticed that the beautiful paint job on these lures doesn’t hold up as long as expected due to the hooks (even the originals) beating against the lure.

Great action for trolling . Skip beat . Lots of colors to choose from . Casting , trolling .

Not much to say about these spoons other than I love them. They have always been my go to for strippers and bass no matter what.

Great lures that catch all kind of fish. Only con, cheap hooks. Besides that, enjoy catching.

Action is great as always, but finish/components are not as good on the newer models…

Excellent old school product that actually still works nicely if you have issues with a downrigger. This size can get down to about 125 feet which is awesome. I use all three sizes for different situations.

Still working on getting my downriggers set perfectly so in the meantime this still works great.

This thing really does go deep. We were getting down to the kokanee very easily between 60 to 80 ft at 2 mph. Lots of pull on the rods though, you need a pretty stout rod. We had to adjust the release about a turn lighter so it would release right.

We are still learning as we go but these absolutely do what they claim.

I was never able to use one off each outrigger. They always tangled. I think one or both don’t track straight. Also quite heavy to reel in. Probably OK if just using one, but I gave up.

What can one say about one of the most successful crank baits of all time? The Wart and Mag Wart are my standard crank baits here on Table Rock, and produce for me when nothing else will. I fish them hard, bouncing off the rocks, and they just keep on coming back for more.

I really can’t imagine spring or fall fishing here without a box of Warts in the boat. Truly the most productive crank bait I have ever fished.

Successful fishing requires confidence in your tackle. My confidence is built around the tackle I use and for an all around crankbait, I use the Storm Mag Wart and Wiggle Wart. Although a deep diver, it floats.

Knowing that informatin, I successfully use the Wart in cover and grass, carefully adjusting my retrieve not to get entangled in the grass or brush. It takes some finess, but the float aspect of the lure allows me to let the lure rise up and over submerged brush and to skirt along the top of grass.

I have caught more bass on this crankbait than any other crankbait that I have used. The lure action is great. It is my crankbait of choice when I am working grass/cover/shoreline to locate fish. Different colors are important.

I like the fact that I can work the lure shallow, mid-level, deep. All dependent on my retrieve.

I BOUT THIS LURE A WHILE BACK AND HAVE USED IT WITH GREAT SUCCESS–IT IS ONE OF THE BEST “WIPER” LURES I CARRY–I HAVE BOTHE SIZES AND USE THEM ALL THE TIME–I HAVE CAUGHT A VASRITY OF FISH–WALLEYES, BASS WIPERS AND WHITE BASS.

I used to use these when I was a kid in the 60’s. This lure, in red and silver or a Mepps spinner were deadly. I find myself going back to these classics and having better luck with these than anything else.

Was trout fishing in Arizona and noticed that the locals used a lot of these. So I ordered a few 1 1/4″ silver prism models for back in Oklahoma. The local pond is stocked with trout every Dec – Feb.

Decided to check it out yesterday. It was so cold the eyelets on my rod were freezing over. Anyway, on my 3rd cast I landed a 14″ 1. 35 lb rainbow. Caught a couple more in succession. These fish loved this thing!! People around me were using power bait with no success.

I’m totally sold on these, especially for trout. Just ordered a few more just in case the inevitable happens and I hang one up. Tight Lines!.

Fished these years ago. The color and price enticed this purchase. I still have several of my old Warts. Plan on putting them to use this year.

They do wiggle. I like the action, that was just testing. Might be spring before they get used..

I have consistently caught lots of bass on the Wiggle Wart. It often triggers what I would call an anger strike where they hit the bait so hard it almost knocks the rod out of your hand. The Wiggle Wart often brings results when nothing else will, including other crankbaits.

I have been using it for more than 30 years and I truly hope they don’t quit making them. I have caught numerous 5 pounders and one 8. 25. This is one of my top 5 lures of all time.

I have been using Slingblades in 4, 6 and 8 inch sizes for several years. They are my go to for Kokanee and Bull trout and I have found them to be out-fishing my traditional trout gear also. If you want to flat line them run a wiggle hoochie behind them or run them in tandem.

I usually run them off a downrigger or with. 5-2oz of weight a couple feet ahead of them. They do a nice job from. 8 to 2. 5 mph. At slower speeds a little bend in the blade will help them transmit more action to hoochies or other non-actioned lures.

They work well with spinners, spoons, hoochies, apexes and bugs.

I use the Slingblade in a variety of colors including the UV Series and have not been disappointed. I only would state, if there was an issue, they came in a size or two larger, as I have found the Rainbows in our local lake love to hit what trails these.

I have caught several mature (15″-20″) kokanee trolling these rigs. A must have in the trolling box!.

Keeps catching fish even when more popular or newer ones don’t.

My Two biggest Ice Fish came on the 1/3rd oz. and 1/5th ounce SP! My go to ice Lures tipped with a salted Shiner Head or a live Fathead Minnow have accounted for a PB 26″ Chain Pickerel and a PB 20,1/2″ Largemouth! Many a Crappie and many a Pickerel have come through the ice fishing the SP this way.

For open water, casting, counting down and retrieving Horizontally the SP tipped with a piece of Crawler have Caught many Panfish as well. (Bluegill, White and Yellow Perch).

I have been using the Swedish Pimple for a few years now and it is my go to ice fishing lure. It catches a lot of different species of fish. We use the smaller ones for perch and the larger ones for walleye, bass, and pike.

I usually tip the hook with wax worms, a minnow head or a whole minnow. They catch fish.

The Swedish pimple is one of my all-time favorite ice-fishing lures. It flat-out catches fish. I use the small size for trout, perch and other panfish, and bigger ones for walleye or pike. I sometimes tip it with a live minnow, other times with a scented-plastic minnow or grub, and sometimes I fish it without any added flavoring.

Depending on how the fish are acting I’ll jig aggressively or sometimes work the lure with subtle twitches. I originally thought of these as ice-fishing lures, but have found they work great for casting and jigging in open water for trout, walleye and other fish.

Much better than any other kind of pimple.

Made in the Antigo Wisconsin USA. Muskies are the hardest fresh water fish in the world to catch. I like a vast majority of successful musky fishermen caught my first musky on a Mepps #5 blade bucktail.

No musky fisherman is without one in their box. I have used their smaller blades on trout since I was a kid. I used nothing but a Mepps during my numerous successful outings for trout this year. Mepps spinners have caught every fresh water game fish available in my part of the country along with some rough, and panfish.

I cannot imagine a fishing world without them.

I bought the 590 C completely blind. I was after a rod with a slightly through action but not to much. I also wanted supreme lightness with high power through the torque curve. It needed also to be tough and resilient to the odd over powered punch and unexpected scrapes and knocks which I encounter dozens of times every trip.

The rod also needed to lay line at short to medium range exactly where the line of the rod fell and a superb feel when fish were on the end. Not much to ask then? Well this rod did all of the above attributes and more and when they come together they are more than the sum of their parts.

Basically it’s friggin superb but unfortunately for you, you will never know……. Or will you?.

I’ve been to Alaska fishing several times and I can say without any reservation that the #5 Mepps Aglia with the silver blade and two tone red/yellow body is THE BEST salmon catcher in my tackle box.

Last trip to Alaska I caught every one of my fish on that lure. I rarely see it in anyone’s top 10 when talking about salmon spinners but it should be. That big #5 french blade just chops the water hard and drive salmon crazy! If you’re planning a trip for salmon this summer or fall put 10 of these in your box and I guarantee you won’t regret it.

IšverstiShow in original languageI’ve been using Mepp’s spinners for decades as the lure of choice fishing for trout in the many canyon rivers in northern Utah, and they are still the best I have found.

Construction quality is always precision and dependable with Mepp’s, though I find I the rocky bottoms and heavy vegetation in and around the shallower Utah canyon rivers are quite rough on them and challenge their life span.

Warped spoons and stripped color flutes from the hooks are usually the first casualty that ends the life of the lures that survive the snags, so I usually only get about 3-4 useful outings from each.

I really punish them, so I think that’s reasonable for such a precision device (though I would like to see them hold up a bit longer). Overall, an effective and highly recommended lure based on decades of experience!.

IšverstiShow in original languageIn my opinion Mepps spinners are unsurpassed in fish catching ability and are very durable. They are well crafted out of quality materials and are fairly simple to use with smooth retrieves.

With minimal practice, there simply no wrong way to use one. Some methods do produce better results and or size. I have fished them almost exclusively for 50 + years now and have consequently picked up a lot of little tricks.

I still get excited with every chance I get to throw one or introduce them to other fishermen. On the down side the best ones for the southeast are really difficult to find. I have to order all of mine ahead of time and usually do not like to get below about 30 of them at any given time.

If I could have 3 wishes about them they would be: 1 – More readily available 2 – More instructional material, especially for beginners and maybe even a forum to read for experienced fishermen 3 – My final wish is that I could convince every one to tie one on and consequently experience the same thrills they have produced for me.

I have been a charter boat captain on Lake Ontario for over 20 years now and have used the divers ever since I started. They are an invaluable tool for catching fish and I would be lost without them.

They allow mw to cover more area and to fish various depths throughout the course of the season. There are many days on the water that I catch more fish on my dipsys than I do on my down riggers. The different sizes allow me to use them off my downriggers as down and outs for spooky fish in clear water or off my planer boards.

If you aren’t using them, you are missing out on a lot of fish catching opportunities.

These are the best and easiest way to get your lines down a bit deeper without adding a ton of unnecessary weight or spending the money on downriggers. Ive always recommend dipsy divers to everyone and couldn’t be happier with their performance.

Great to use to get your line farther without a downriver. The Luhr-Jensen one is awesome. Highly recommended!

I have been trying to buy this lure for the past 6 months. The lure is the 18cm Rapala magnum hard body Red Head. I have bought a 11cm over 10 years ago & they are great for kingy & bonitos. I’m looking to chase Spanish Mackerels & tunas with this big 18cm while trollings.

Perfect midwater action on these lures, have got kahawai, kingfish and even snapper, John Dory on the smaller ones if you jig and then let it sink . Overall great product and my favourite lures to use

Only used it once and haven’t hooked a pike with it yet, but it seems to work very well. The floating model stays on or close to the surface depending on how you work it, avoiding weed etc in shallow waters.

Fishing has been terrible lately. So no fish with this bait yet. Not the most buoyant bait. Great shape and colors and I’m sure it will catch fish. But I’ll be sticking with Zman.

I have used the 2. 5 inch Ned Ocho called Moon Juice and am very pleased with my fishing results. I put this on a 1/5 oz Ned rig and had great results pulling fish out of some tight areas. Can’t wait to try some different colors.

Must have!.

Everyone knows that Googan Baits get bit and that the Bandito Bug is one of their best producing lures. Take the best of the swimming action of the Bandito and beef up the body with extra girth and weight for punching, and you have the irresistible Nuke Punch! This bait gives you the best action of what makes the Bandito Bug get bit and adds to it, giving you an excellent pitching, flipping and punching bait for that thick cover and around docks or pilings.

Pick up a pack today, you can’t go wrong!.

I have been googanized. Thanks to my son. Love your product, in due time, all I will have in my tackle box will be Googan tackle. Thanks for the quick shipping. My son has claimed half of my tackle so I have to order while he is at college.

This is all I have left after he snuck MY !!! Tackle in his box.

I was waiting for this thing to come out, I bought four packs immediately upon release. New Year’s Day caught a #5. 86 with 3/8 ounce thic jig and a watermelon red flake punch. I am a novice bass fisherman! It’s even better than the baritone bug as a trailer!.