Hopkins® Shorty® Spoon

Target Species: Walleye
Also Good For: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike

Perhaps the earliest lesson I learned about fishing was the simple rule: If you see seagulls, throw a Hopkins metal at them. Obviously not at the birds themselves, but at the bait fish they are circling and feeding on. Chances are there would be bluefish or striped bass also in the area. This was as a child on the Jersey shore, but just recently for the first time in several years I was reintroduced to the Hopkins Shorty, this time on freshwater.

First Impressions

Some in the industry describe the Hopkins spoon as "the most productive lure in history". That may or may not be true, but I can say I've caught more fish off the Hopkins Shorty than any other lure I've used. As a youth, many days were spent on Island Beach State Park in New Jersey taking bluefish, striped bass, even flounder and the occasional sand shark on the Hopkins. When bluefish were feeding, you could throw a Hopkins and land 30-50 in a little over an hour if you were lucky as my father and I did one fatefully July morning. This time, however, would be my first using the lure on freshwater.

Fishing the Lure

I prefer fishing metals and spoons in the Fall season for two reasons: they best mimic schooling shad and they are also good for the Northern Pike and Walleye bite which is more aggressive as the cooler weather approaches. Another nice thing about spoons is the fact that they can be cast in moderate to heavy wind conditions due to their shape and weight — a factor particularly in the northern Midwest as Fall usually brings about brisk wind.

The best area to throw the Hopkins Shorty is in the vicinity of schooling bait fish, especially pockets of shad on rocky shoals near shorelines and peninsulas.

Take care not to cast into the shad themselves, but over and off to one side. This allows the spoon to pass just next to the school where you are less likely to "spook" the school, and perhaps trick a lunker into chasing the lure thinking it was a wayward shad loose from the main group.

Review Summary

I'll admit it, I may be a little biased. But, the Hopkins Shorty is truly a lure worthy of consideration and I'd recommend it to anyone who does any type of shore fishing or trolling. The Hopkins is a treble-hooked spoon, so it's versatility can be limited in heavy cover or vegetation and if you fish enough you'll lose a few due to snags or frayed line. However, in open water it just may be the most effective lure in existence. The Hopkins Shorty spoon comes in a variety of sizes and weights so, freshwater or saltwater, you'll find yourself grabbing this spoon again and again.