I have been accused of having a wading box that more closely resembles a museum collection than a modern tackle selection. Populated with such classic as 51M series MirrOlures, a lonely Cordell Brokenback Redfin and of course the long-forgotten spoon, I have a jukebox of a lure collection, but the simple fact is that I have them because they work.
The clearest example is the Johnson’s Sprite spoon. Honestly, if left alone on a deserted island, I think I would prioritize a Sprite spoon only sightly behind a fire starter. It is an incredible versatile bait that can be ripped near the surface, fluttered for a slow drop, paddled along a muddy bay bottom and everything in between. I struggle to think of a common bay species that will not bite a spoon, and I can readily remember many great catches that would not have happened without one. My friend Brian Holden once mused at my bait choice by commenting that my lure selection, “was so out of date that fish had forgotten what it looked like.” Beyond the great wit in that comment, I like his point. Sometimes being a contrarian has its payoff. Think about digging up a spoon for your next trip. You may find a long lost fishing companion.