The Silver Minnow remains a proven
choice, often used for redfish over shal- low grass or shell. But it’s not as versa- tile as the Sprite. The Sprite is awfully hard to fish wrong; the first-timer can sling out and crank back and catch specks and reds. Not to mention most every other inshore predator. (I once caught a baby sawfish on a Sprite.) The treble hook attached to the tail
split ring reaches out to stick even short-striking fish; conversely, the large single hook on the Silver Minnow can be difficult to set on a long line.
The Sprite was
conceived by Louis Johnson, a metal-
worker in Chicago who first designed the Johnson Silver Minnow spoon in 1920.
Especially if the big point is dull or the metal weed guard gets in the way. Of course, today’s Sprites are not
perfect. The factory trebles are puny (especially the 1/4-ounce ones) and no split ring is affixed to the line-tie hole punched in the nose. A stainless nose ring is needed to allow free movement and to protect the line from chafing against the rough metal edge. While
you’re at it, change out the cheesy hook. Also, the flashy plating is inferior.
Any zip code encompassing even brack ish water will pretty well insure a quick tarnish on the gaudy bauble. Fish one hard for two or three days against salt and sand and it will look like an encrusted relic from Cabeza de Vaca’s final voyage. But it’s a hell of a fish-catcher. You
can work it fast or slow, high or low, and the flash and wobble are undeni- able. And, being metal, it has good bal- listics, assuming the concave face doesn’t catch a gust and nose dive. Another plus, the Sprite is durable
(no Spanish mackerel or bluefish will chop it in half) and inexpensive (about half the cost of many plugs). Many
metal lures are available but most old salts will agree that Louis Johnson delivered the finest spoon for all- around inshore fishing.
The 52M gained major popularity as a Gulf Coast
trout-killer during the ’50s and ’60s, and remains a
top-tier plug for quality trout.
SUB-SURFACE PLUGS These can be divided into two basic
groups: slow sinking and fast sinking. The MirrOlure 52M defines the slow
sinkers. The lipless mullet-imitation hollow-plastic lure was invented dur- ing the late 1940s by Harold LeMaster of the L&S Bait Company (which was formed a decade earlier by LeMaster and Phil Schriner in Bradley, Illinois, eventually relocating to Largo, Florida). The 52M gained major popularity as a Gulf Coast trout-killer during the ’50s and ’60s, and remains a top-tier plug for quality trout. The original 52M is 3 5/8-inches in
length and weighs 1/2 ounce rigged with three trebles. It boasts a life-like
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