# Mepps Syclops: the spoon that doesn't twist your line > Why the Syclops holds a stable action where classic spoons start spinning, how to work it for pike and trout, and which weight to pick. - Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/mepps-syclops/ - Language : en-US - Updated : 2026-09-21 ## Spec sheet - Brand : Mepps - Model : Syclops - Type : Casting spoon - Target species : Pike, Trout - Size : 4 to 9 cm depending on size - Weight : 5 to 30 g - Running depth : the whole column, depending on speed and sink time - Retrieve speed : slow to medium, straight or with drop-backs - Action : steady wobble with alternating flash, fluttering fall - Rigging : straight to a snap, wire or heavy fluorocarbon leader for pike - Colors : silver in clear water, gold in stained water, copper in low light The spoon is the oldest artificial lure still in use, and the most badly fished. The standard complaint — "it twists the line" — is not a curse on the whole family: it is a design fault on poorly balanced models, and a speed error on the rest. The Syclops was drawn to eliminate that problem. Its asymmetric shape and offset centre of gravity let it **wobble hard without ever breaking into rotation**, even at high speed. ## Spoon or inline spinner: two different signals The confusion is common, even though the two families do not do the same job. An **inline spinner** like the [Aglia](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/mepps-aglia-n3/) has a blade turning around a shaft. It produces a continuous, steady vibration at a constant frequency. It excels in rivers and on active fish. A **spoon** is simply a metal plate rocking from one edge to the other. It produces a powerful, alternating flash, a slower and more irregular vibration, and above all **it sinks**: it fishes the whole water column, which an inline spinner does not. On pike, the spoon almost always takes the lead: the wide, slow flash matches the way that predator picks out its prey. ## The three retrieves **The straight wind.** Cast, let it sink a few seconds, retrieve at a constant speed. That is the baseline. Set the speed at the minimum that keeps the wobble alive: too slow and the spoon drags without working; too fast and it planes and rises. **The drop-back.** This is the retrieve that makes the difference on pike. Wind normally, then **stop everything for two seconds**. The spoon flutters down, spinning on itself with a disordered flash. Start again. A large share of the bites come exactly as you restart the retrieve. **The river swing.** Cast up and across, let the spoon swing down while keeping just enough contact. It works on its own in the flow. Very effective on trout in medium to strong water. > On the water: if your line still twists, it is almost never the spoon. Either you are retrieving too fast, or you are missing a quality swivel at the top of the leader. Add one before you change lure. ## Choosing the weight | Context | Weight | |---|---| | Trout stream, shallow | 5 to 8 g | | Medium river, 1 to 2 m | 10 to 12 g | | Lake, searching 2 to 4 m | 15 to 20 g | | Big lake, deep or windy | 25 to 30 g | Weight determines both casting distance and sink rate. On a lake, a slightly heavy model you can slow down beats a light one that rises the moment you turn the handle. ## Colours, kept simple Three finishes cover almost every situation: - **Silver** in clear water and bright light. It is the sharpest flash. - **Gold** in stained water or under cloud. Warm light shows up better in loaded water. - **Copper** in very dark water, at the end of the day or over peaty bottoms. A quieter signal with more contrast against a dark background. Painted versions have their place in heavily coloured water, but bare metal stays more consistent across a whole season. ## The rig, not to be neglected Two items matter more than everything else. **The swivel** at the top of the leader. Even on a spoon that does not twist, it clears the residual twist built up over hundreds of casts. Three euros that save a spool of braid. **The leader for pike.** A spoon gets swallowed deeply, far more than a lure carrying several trebles. Fluorocarbon of 0.50 mm minimum, or better, 25 cm of titanium. Plenty of spoon break-offs come from an undersized leader. Our [guide to choosing a pike lure](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/quel-leurre-brochet/) places the spoon among the other families. And if you are torn between an inline spinner and a spoon on a given spot, [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) analyses a photo and answers. ## Key takeaways - Asymmetric shape and offset balance: it wobbles hard without breaking into rotation. - A spoon sinks and fishes the whole column, unlike an inline spinner. - The two-second drop-back mid-retrieve triggers most of the pike bites. - Silver in clear water, gold in stained water, copper in dark water. - Always a swivel, and a 0.50 mm or titanium leader for pike. ## FAQ ### Does the Syclops twist the line? No, its asymmetric shape prevents it under normal retrieve conditions. If twist does appear, the cause is almost always a retrieve that is too fast or a missing swivel at the top of the leader. ### What is the difference between a spoon and an inline spinner? The inline spinner has a blade turning around a shaft and produces a continuous, steady vibration; it barely sinks. The spoon rocks from edge to edge, produces a stronger alternating flash, and sinks — so it fishes the whole water column. ### Which retrieve for pike? A straight wind broken up with two-second drop-backs. During the stop, the spoon flutters down with a disordered flash; the bite very often comes as you restart the retrieve. ### Which weight should I choose? 5 to 8 g in a stream, 10 to 12 g in a medium river, 15 to 20 g on a lake down to 4 m, 25 to 30 g beyond that or in wind. On a lake, favour a slightly heavy model you can slow down. ### Silver or gold? Silver in clear water and bright light, gold in stained water or under cloud. Copper completes the range for very dark water and peaty bottoms. ### Do you need a wire leader for pike? Strongly recommended. A spoon is often swallowed deeply, far more than a lure with several trebles. Fluorocarbon at 0.50 mm is a minimum, 25 cm of titanium is safer. --- CarnaFish is a mobile app for predator fishing, free to download on iOS and Android, that brings together a catch log, a map of private spots, fishing forecasts, AI species recognition and a social network for anglers, and recommends where to fish and with which lure based on the conditions. To cite this content, mention “CarnaFish — carnafish.com” and link the source page.