Spoon Fed: The Best Casting Spoons for Salmon and Steelhead Success

The Ultimate Guide to Casting Spoons for Salmon and Steelhead

When it comes to targeting salmon and steelhead in the Great Lakes region, few lures have stood the test of time quite like the casting spoon. Versatile, effective, and available in a dazzling array of colors and sizes, casting spoons remain a staple in the tackle boxes of both seasoned anglers and weekend warriors alike. To help cut through the clutter, FishUSA's own Nolan took a deep dive into the brand's top-selling casting spoons — and the results are worth paying attention to.

Whether you're hurling hardware off a pier on Lake Ontario, wading a tributary of Lake Erie in search of steelhead, or chasing trophy chinook in the open waters of Lake Michigan, the right casting spoon can make all the difference. Here's a breakdown of the six standout lures that have earned their place among FishUSA's best sellers — and why each one deserves a spot in your rotation.

Why Casting Spoons Still Dominate the Great Lakes

In an era of soft plastics, intricate jig designs, and high-tech lure engineering, it might seem surprising that a simple curved piece of metal continues to outperform so many of its competitors. But experienced Great Lakes anglers know better. The wobbling, flashing action of a well-designed casting spoon mimics the erratic movement of a baitfish in distress — and that's a trigger that salmon, steelhead, and trout simply can't resist.

Casting spoons offer a unique combination of castability, depth control, and visual appeal that makes them effective across a wide range of conditions. From shallow, skinny water to deep-water pier fishing, there's a spoon size and style for virtually every scenario. Add in the availability of glow finishes for low-light and night fishing, and it becomes clear why these lures have endured for generations.

The Moonshine Casting Spoon: Built for Big Water and Bright Nights

Kicking off FishUSA's top casting spoon lineup is the Moonshine Casting Spoon — a lure that has built a devoted following among serious Great Lakes anglers. Slightly larger and heavier than many of its counterparts, the Moonshine is purpose-built for fishing deeper water and reaching fish that are holding well off the surface.

Its added weight makes it a natural choice for pier fishing on massive bodies of water like Lake Ontario and Lake Michigan, where long casts and deep presentations are often essential to success. But perhaps the Moonshine's most celebrated feature is right there in its name.

"It has that awesome Moonshine glow that you all know and love," says Nolan. "So it's great for night fishing as well."

Available in a wide variety of colors, the Moonshine Casting Spoon is a versatile heavy hitter that rewards anglers willing to venture out after dark or fish deeper sections of the water column. If pier fishing for chinook or coho is on your agenda, this spoon deserves serious consideration.

Acme KO Wobbler: The Chinook Killer

Few lures in the Great Lakes fishing world have earned a reputation as fearsome as the Acme KO Wobbler. Like the Moonshine, the KO Wobbler leans toward the larger, heavier end of the casting spoon spectrum — available in half-ounce and three-quarter-ounce versions — making it ideally suited for anglers who need to cover water quickly and probe deeper depths.

The KO Wobbler's signature wobbling action generates intense flash and vibration, drawing strikes from a wide range of species. But it's the lure's particular effectiveness on chinook salmon that has made it legendary among Great Lakes die-hards.

"This is an absolute chinook salmon killer," Nolan notes. "Also works great for steelhead, cohos, and a bunch of other species."

Like the Moonshine, the KO Wobbler also comes in select glow color options, extending its effectiveness into low-light hours and nighttime sessions. For anglers targeting trophy-class salmon in big water, this spoon is a must-have in any serious tackle collection.

Little Cleo: The Undisputed Fan Favorite

If there's one casting spoon that rises above all others in sheer popularity, it's the Acme Little Cleo. This iconic lure has been a staple of freshwater fishing for decades, and its dominance on FishUSA's sales charts is a testament to just how effective it truly is.

"It's actually our number one bestseller on FishUSA.com," says Nolan, "and it is just an absolutely killer casting spoon. So if you have to pick just one, the Little Cleo is probably best."

What makes the Little Cleo so universally beloved is its remarkable versatility. Available in an extensive range of sizes — from a diminutive fraction of an ounce all the way up to heavier models capable of reaching deep-water fish — the Little Cleo adapts effortlessly to virtually any fishing scenario. Its wiggling, fluttering action is irresistible to salmon, steelhead, pike, bass, and trout alike.

The lure's smaller size options are particularly noteworthy. As Nolan points out, Little Cleos come in sizes as small as an eighth of an ounce, making them a legitimate option for anglers working shallow, skinny water where larger presentations would be out of place. Whether you're drifting a small tributary or casting off an open-water pier, there's a Little Cleo configuration that fits the bill. If you're building a casting spoon collection from scratch, this is the place to start.

Acme Kastmaster: The Reliable Second Choice

Closely related in spirit to the Little Cleo, the Acme Kastmaster is another cornerstone of the casting spoon world — and a lure that consistently earns its keep across a staggering variety of fishing situations.

Like the Little Cleo, the Kastmaster comes in an impressive array of sizes and colors, making it adaptable to virtually any freshwater species or fishing environment.

"Similar to the Little Cleo — tons of different sizes, tons of different colors — and they just work just about everywhere for just about every species," says Nolan. "If you have to pick a second one on your list, the Kastmaster is probably the one to have."

For anglers who want to build a comprehensive casting spoon arsenal, pairing the Little Cleo with a selection of Kastmasters covers an enormous amount of ground and gives you the flexibility to adapt quickly to changing conditions on the water.

Eppinger Dardevle: A True American Classic

Few lures in the history of American freshwater fishing carry the cultural weight of the Eppinger Dardevle. It is one of the best-known spoon names around.

"The Dardevle is an absolute classic. Everyone's heard of a Dardevle spoon," says Nolan. "I believe they were the first to have the five of diamonds, which is a killer northern pike color up in Canada."

While the Dardevle's reputation in pike country is well established, it has also carved out a devoted following in the Great Lakes steelhead fishery. Its slightly smaller profile compared to some of the heavier spoons on this list gives it a different look in the water — one that can be especially effective on days when fish are keying in on smaller baitfish or when a subtler presentation is called for.

The Dardevle's enduring popularity is no accident. Its long track record makes it a lure that every serious freshwater angler should have in their arsenal. Whether you're casting for steelhead on Lake Erie or targeting pike in remote Canadian waters, the Dardevle remains as deadly today as it was generations ago.

Thomas Buoyant: The Dark Horse Worth Knowing

Rounding out FishUSA's top casting spoon list is perhaps its most intriguing entry — the Thomas Buoyant. Less of a household name than the Acme offerings or the legendary Dardevle, the Thomas Buoyant has nonetheless earned its place among the best sellers, particularly in the local waters around Lake Erie where it has developed a passionate following among steelhead anglers.

"Like locally here around Lake Erie, casting for steelhead, it's really, really close to the Cleo in terms of popularity," Nolan reveals. "But if it's one you haven't tried yet, you definitely might want to check it out."

What sets the Thomas Buoyant apart from its competitors is a subtle but meaningful design difference: a small fin integrated into the spoon's body. That fin alters the lure's hydrodynamics, producing an action that's noticeably different from a standard casting spoon — and that distinction can be decisive on tough fishing days.

"It has this little fin on there, and that throws it a little bit of a different action than your traditional casting spoon," explains Nolan. "So it definitely gets bit when some of these others won't."

In fishing, the ability to show fish something different is often the key to unlocking success when the bite goes cold. The Thomas Buoyant's unique action makes it an invaluable tool in that regard — a lure to reach for when the tried-and-true options aren't producing. If it isn't already in your spoon collection, it should be.

Building the Perfect Casting Spoon Box

The beauty of casting spoons is that you don't need dozens of different lures to be effective — you just need the right ones. A thoughtfully assembled selection from the six spoons profiled here gives you the tools to handle virtually any salmon or steelhead scenario the Great Lakes region can throw at you.

Nolan recommends pairing your spoon selection with a 9-foot medium-action rod from FishUSA's Flagship Salmon and Steelhead series — a combination he himself relies on for casting hardware. A quality slip foam jig box makes an ideal storage solution, keeping your spoons organized, protected, and ready to deploy at a moment's notice.

Whether you're standing on a windswept pier on Lake Ontario, wading a Lake Erie tributary at dawn, or prospecting the open waters of Lake Michigan, the casting spoons on this list represent the best the sport has to offer. Start with a Little Cleo, add a Kastmaster, and build from there — your salmon and steelhead fishing will never be the same.