Terms of service:
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1- Please note: this is a "one-man operation". I also work as a landscaper. This means that I am not always available to answer questions during the day. I reply to emails promptly, usually in the evening. Your spoons will be shipped two days after I receive your payment. I thank you for your patience and understanding.
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2- Because of limited time available, the catalog of products will be built gradually over time, and will never include all products available. I will start by posting pictures and descriptions of the "best-selling" spoons: the ones that have proven effective recently. But if you have a specific request for a lure, please feel free to contact me by email. Please also see the "Pictures" and "Fishing Reports" tabs, to see what colors are hot. I have over 100 models of spoons in stock, and over 100 colors of lure tape available. I can accommodate most requests for custom lures.
3- I pride myself in offering the best prices in Canada on all the products I have for sale. If you find a cheaper price elsewhere for an identical product, kindly let me know and I will price match. But please be warned that I will not do business with anyone who:
- haggles just for the sake of haggling,
- attempts to barter or trade,
- requests discounts, free shipping, or other "freebies" (discounts are only available for large orders, and I will offer them to you automatically if your order qualifies)
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My time is limited and must be spent at my workbench assembling spoons for my respectful, paying customers who value my work. Thank you.
4- How to order:
a) for your convenience, I offer "kits" of spoons, in any dollar amount starting at $20.00, plus $5.00 shipping. This is the simplest way to order for the busy person. Simply select the kit you want, and mention in the notes what species of fish you are seeking, and if you are trolling or casting. I will assemble for you the best kit possible to meet your needs. You can mention your favorite colors with which you had success in the past, and I can guarantee that you will be pleased with the spoons I will craft for you.
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b) if you prefer to shop for individual spoons, and the product(s) you want are in stock, simply put the product(s) in your shopping cart and place your order. I have not yet installed on the website any form of direct payment, such as Paypal or credit card. That is because such payment providers have fees that can be up to 6% of the purchase price. One of the reasons why I can provide outstanding value is because I avoid unnecessary expenses that do not add value to the products. For that reason the only form of payment currently accepted is e-transfer.
After receiving your order, I will email you to confirm that the products are in stock, and I will confirm the total payable and provide my email address to send the e-transfer. Please do not send an e-transfer before receiving this confirmation email from me. Your product(s) will be mailed to you within 2 working days of receiving your payment.
Important note: I do not receive visitors at my residence, but it will be my pleasure to meet with you between Sooke and Saanich. For a limited time I also offer a very low shipping fee of $5.00, that allows you to have the lures delivered to your door, without leaving the comfort of your home.
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I believe that this website is informative enough to reassure you on the quality of the products you will receive. Please see the "Testimonials" section at the bottom of the homepage. If you ended up on this website there is a good chance that it is through a referral. If not, you could reassure yourself that this is a legitimate business and not a scam, by limiting your first order to a $6.00 spoon with a $5.00 shipping fee.
c) if the product you want is not shown in the catalog: kindly email me at deniscanuel@yahoo.com and describe what you require. I will reply promptly.
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6- Warranty: all products are guaranteed to be free of defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one year. In the unlikely event that a product showed a defect, it will be replaced. This warranty does not cover normal wear and tear, fish teeth marks, lack of maintenance, or improper use of the product. I recommend storing the spoons in a dedicated Plano box or similar. After your day of fishing, leaving the box open overnight allows the spoons to dry, and prevents corrosion. Tip: Dollarama sells inexpensive clear plastic tackle boxes in the crafts department, and in the hardware department. If you are fishing in saltwater, use your water bottle to fill the tackle box, give it a quick shake, then drain the box. This is a quick way to get rid of saltwater residue.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
1- Types of spoons available:
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a) trolling spoons are my specialty. I have done extensive testing of hundreds of spoons in a variety of fishing conditions, so I have enough data to recommend the best spoons for your application.
- a medium trolling spoon of 3 to 3.6" in length covers most conditions where large fish are present
- a small trolling spoon of 2 to 2.6" in length is useful when targeting smaller fish. Sometimes, large fish respond well to smaller spoons too (when the baitfish are small)
- extra small spoons (under 2" in length) or magnum spoons (3.75" to 5.25" in length) are also available for specific situations
Trolling spoons are available in 3 thicknesses:
- standard duty: .025" thick - suitable for trout, walleye, and salmon fishing (produces good action at 1.8 to 2.5 MPH)
- light duty: .018" thick - suitable for trout and walleye fishing (large salmon could bend that spoon out of shape). The advantage of a light duty spoon is that it will produce suitable action at lower trolling speeds (1.5 to 1.9 MPH)
- heavy duty: .050" to .060" thick - suitable for salmon fishing (more expensive due to more materials used in their construction - will not bend even when catching large fish). Suitable for higher trolling speeds of 2.0 to 3.5 MPH.
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b) casting spoons: I currently have a few models available. I am not usually casting when I fish, so I cannot give technical advice, but I can certainly assemble custom casting spoons if requested.
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2- Types of finishes:
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What sets my business apart from my competitors is my ability to offer spoons with superior finishes, mostly precious metals or rare finishes. I also offer some more conventional finishes. Here are the characteristics of various finishes:
- nickel: a durable finish that produces an intense "flash" in the water, nickel is useful mostly on large/deep bodies of water where we want to attract fish from long distances. Perfect for ocean fishing.
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- silver: an alternative to nickel, silver produces an even brighter flash. Silver needs to be clear coated otherwise it can tarnish. A more expensive finish, which explains why few manufacturers use it.
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- brass: a classic finish that produces well in a variety of conditions, but is also subject to tarnishing. Can be polished to restore its shine.
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- gold: true 24k gold possesses the qualities of brass without the inconvenience of tarnishing. Will produce fish in almost any condition. A more expensive finish, which explains that few manufacturers use it. Its effectiveness is due to its unique light-reflecting characteristics.
- black chrome (black nickel): a well-kept secret, black chrome throws an intense black flash in the water, that triggers aggression from fish. You will rarely get "nibbles" on black spoons. Typically the takedowns are brutal. This finish needs to be clear coated to prevent corrosion. Black produces well in low light conditions and cold water conditions. Black spoons may also remind fish of leeches, which makes them attractive for trout.
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Professional guide Cal Kellogg explains the effectiveness of black lures:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXf4TJmiweo&t=250s
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- copper: a popular finish for tea-colored water, and low-light conditions. Needs to be clear coated to prevent tarnishing.
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Most of the colors listed above are available in either a smooth or honeycomb texture. Lure tape adheres well to a smooth texture. That is why in the catalog I show very few honeycomb spoons with lure tape. By special order, I can apply some thin lure tape to honeycomb spoons, but there will be no warranty given on durability, even though testing has not revealed any durability problem. Honeycomb spoons are especially useful to purchase as an "economical" spoon, without lure tape. The honeycomb texture reflects light in a way that imitates fish scales.
You will see in my fishing reports that from January to April most of my fish have been caught on gold or black colored spoons, due to low light conditions during winter months. I know from experience that nickel/silver finishes usually start producing fish in May, and continue to be effective until December.
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3- Hardware:
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To ensure proper performance of the spoons I only use the best hardware available:
a) for trout spoons:
American-made (Worthco), fine gauge split rings (rated at 30 lb test)
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high-quality single hooks (VMC)
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b) for salmon spoons:
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American-made (Worthco) stainless steel split rings, rated at 60 to 75 lb test depending on size. A tiny but sturdy stainless steel solid ring rated at 200 lb test, is added to the split ring at the top end of the spoon (for fishermen who prefer to tie their leader directly to a smooth ring instead of a split ring, to prevent line fraying). If the solid ring is not required it can be removed. For more details, please see the "Tech Tips" section of this website.
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Hooks: the hooks I use by default are VMC 7265CB (Coastal Black nickel), which offer an excellent blend of strength and resistance to corrosion. If you do not rinse your gear in freshwater after use, you might be better served by a Mustad Siwash stainless steel hook, which offers the very best in corrosion resistance. But any stainless steel hook is a bit "softer" than a carbon-steel hook like the VMC. Stainless steel hooks can straighten out if too much pressure is applied while fighting a fish.
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No hook combines all the qualities we would like to see, in one product.
To help you choose the hook most appropriate for your needs, here is a quick "pros and cons" of each hook I offer:
Mustad 9510:
Pros: the best corrosion resistance (made of stainless steel), very sharp point from the factory, ability to sharpen the hook repeatedly, will not bend open if proper fish fighting technique is used
Cons: if someone locks the drag, the hook might open before the line breaks
​Mustad stainless steel barbless hooks size 5/0 and Mustad stainless steel barbed hooks size 4/0 are available as an option for 50 cents extra per spoon. These larger hooks will still open up if too much pressure is applied while fighting a fish.
VMC 7265CB, short shank, 1X strength:
Pros: higher resistance to opening up if too much pressure is applied when fighting a fish, very sharp point from the factory
Cons: The Coastal Black finish offers the very best corrosion resistance of all the black hooks available on the market, but rust will still develop over time if the hooks are not rinsed after saltwater use.
I was fortunate enough to acquire these premium hooks at a clearance price, so I can offer them as standard equipment on all spoons at no extra charge, while quantities last.
VMC 9171, grey finish:
Pros: excellent corrosion resistance (Perma Steel finish), very sharp point from the factory. Size 5/0 is very strong (does not straighten out).
Cons: in sizes 3/0 and 4/0, if someone locks the drag, the hook might straighten out before the line breaks. Cannot be sharpened if the point happens to get dulled by hitting an obstacle. The coating would get removed by sharpening, and the underlying steel would rust quickly. This type of hook must be replaced if damaged.
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For your convenience I have replacement hooks available at the best prices in Canada:
Mustad 9510 size 3/0 open eye: 70 cents per hook
Mustad 95160 size 3/0 closed eye: 50 cents per hook
Mustad 95160 size 4/0 closed eye: $1.00 per hook
Mustad 95135 size 5/0 open eye barbless: $1.25 per hook, $80.00 for 100 hooks
VMC 9171 size 3/0 open eye: 50 cents per hook
VMC 9170 size 3/0 closed eye: 40 cents per hook, $35.00 for 100 hooks
VMC 7175CB size 5/0 open eye: $1.25 per hook
Also available: split rings, 25 cents each. Stainless steel, made in the USA. Sizes 5 and 6, 60 to 75 lb test. Solid rings, 50 cents each, 350 lb test.
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If you are into "catch and release" and want to minimize injury to fish, instead of the typical siwash hook I can install at no extra cost a smaller octopus hook with lighter gauge wire. "Trailing hooks" are also available for $1.00 extra per spoon (see the article in "Tech tips" tab).
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4- Pricing:
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Spoon kits:
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Any denomination starting at $20.00. Standard shipping fee of $5.00 applies. The easiest way to order for the busy person. I will personalize your kit based on the type of fishing you do.
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Plain trolling spoons, without lure tape added (available in smooth or honeycomb texture):
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small, medium: $6.00
magnum or heavy duty: $8.00
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These spoons are suitable when the fish are aggressively feeding. When fishing conditions are more difficult, I highly recommend spending a few dollars more and purchasing the spoons below, enhanced with lure tape, that outfish plain spoons by a ratio of 5 to 1. Plain spoons are also useful when trolling a lake with underwater obstructions for the first time, until you figure out where are the snags to avoid. It is less painful on the wallet to lose a $6.00 spoon than a $10.00 spoon in these circumstances.
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You can also purchase plain spoons and apply lure tape yourself, if this is a hobby you enjoy. I do not sell lure tape at this point in time.
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Trolling spoons enhanced with lure tape:
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small, tape on one side: $8.00 (special price for a limited time)
small, tape on both sides: $10.00 (special price for a limited time)
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medium, tape on one side - simple pattern: $10.00
medium, tape on both sides or complex patterns: $12.00 and up
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magnum or heavy duty, tape on one side: $12.00
magnum or heavy duty, tape on both sides or complex patterns: $14.00 and up
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Plain casting spoons, without lure tape added: $6.00
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Casting spoons, enhanced with lure tape on one side: $10.00
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Service of customizing your own spoons with tape: please use the contact form and describe the work you would like me to do. Cost will be $5.00 and up, per spoon, plus shipping fees. I can only work on new spoons, because invisible grime on used spoons would prevent adhesion of lure tape, even if the spoons receive a thorough cleaning.
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Shipping fees:
For a limited time, I offer a promotional shipping fee of $5.00 anywhere in Canada for regular mail (no tracking).
If you require tracking, please select the option "parcel - with tracking": $25.00 anywhere in Canada
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