The perfect Spear House

[Kiecker]

As many of you know I am a rookie at spear fishing and have fallen in love with the sport. I have decided that I need to build my own spear house this summer, but with limited experience I was wondering what you guys think is the perfect house?

I was wondering what is the right size for a two man permanant house?

What are the essentials to make the house warm and comfortable?

What would you use as construction materials and would you recommend wheels or a skid system?

These are my three main questions but any other input would be greatly appreciated.

[mrklean]

if you look back I know there were some threads were guys were building houses and they gave tons of info like blue prints and pics

[thedeadsea]

I have a 4'x8'. It is a bit narrow but works fine for spearing. Fairly easy to move on skids.

I would do a 6'x6' if I rebuilt and wanted to keep it light. A little more room for basically the same weight and you can have a lot more leg room and/or room behind your back.

I used 2x3 cedar studs, thin galvinized metal for roofing and OSB (3/16"??) for sheeting. 1" yellow insulation between studs. A buddy heater keeps it toasty and I can move the heater around to make room depending on whether I am speaing or angling.

[bassNspear]

the key is to figure out how big you want it. There is alot of different sizes you can make it! Remember to think of others that might come as well. I have a 8X8 and love it for the size of the hole and the room that i have inside the house!

[thedeadsea]

Agree that bigger is better if you can move it with a truck.

[merkman]

Elwood, Laska, and I had this same conversation on Saturday in the spear house.

I think the best we could come up with is that there is no perfect Spear house that fits every person every time. There are many variables that go into making the right spearhouse for you.

At least you know you are looking for a two man permanent house so that answers some of the questions right off the bat.

Here are some common floor layouts

I currently have layout #1 it is nice but; when the spearer in the back needs to get out of the house the spearer in the front needs to move out of his way. Two doors would help that issue.

I like this layout because you can still see the other guy spearing but you can also concentrate on your hole if you need to. I am still not sold on the fact that this is the best layout though. But it it does not bother me enough to change it.

I was wondering what is the right size for a two man permanent house?

[merkman]

I used 2x3 cedar studs

[thedeadsea]

What is luan?

[browning_gold]

Luan is cheap underlayment plywood.. Very cheap grade

[bassNspear]

Luan is cheap underlayment plywood.. Very cheap grade

isnt it going to be junk in a few years?

[browning_gold]

If luan is exposed to moisture it will deteriorate fast.. I personally would not use luan plywood..

[thedeadsea]

A guy I know sheeted a house with that and then put Thompsons on it. (didnt know it was called luan until now). Lasted about 5 years until is started to separate on the bottom, so he put another sheet of it on as a wainscoat.

Steve

[Kiecker]

Thanks guys

Do you need to put any type of padding under the carpet or is putting it right on the floor enough?

What would you put on the out sides, siding or just the plywood ?

Please keep your opinions coming

[MJ1657]

When I plan something like this I take a sharpie and draw the floor plan out on the garage floor at full scale.

Grab your chair and sit there and figure out if you like a particular layout.

[thedeadsea]

If you have the time and materials and will be moving it by truck, side it. Otherwise if you need to move it by ATV or sled, keep it as light as possible.

Steve

[thedeadsea]

Can a light 8x8 on skids be moved with a larger ATV, say a Polaris Ranger across a packed snowmobile trail?

[browning_gold]

Yah it should pull easily!!

[Laska]

My spear hole is 47" x 29" it§ awsome and big enough for 2, I'd recommend metal skis mounted on the bottom of your shack around 4" from the ice, its pulls through a lot of snow and helps keep your shack from sinkin in nasty weather, I'm thinking of makin a 2 man with 2 doors and 1 hole- 47"x36" that will fit in my ranger, should be sweet... Ill be using 2x2's, with metal sheeting n insulating it like elwoods portable

[thedeadsea]

If I build a second house, I would do an 8x8 with a big spear hole against the back wall.

I built my first house as a lightweight dual purpose house and would do the same if I do another one. Spear from first ice through new years, and then move it into deeper crappie water.

I may build a bigger one next summer, and put my small house out on a pike only lake that is a little further from home. Either that or put the big house on the crappies at first ice and keep the small one nearby for spearing.

[Gordie]

First the one that I built that merk has is aluminum and the 1x2 ceader studs no luan plywood the floor is 1/2 inch plywood

My spear shack is 2x2 studs (pine) and Luan plywood with three good coats of paint on it and it will last a long time as long as the exterior is mantained every few years (paint,etc)

A friend of mine has a 5x8 double spear shack that is very nice with the holes on the same side (like shown in Merks pics) his holes are rather small but they work.

I myself am going to build a double with wheels for next year and it will be 6x8 and it will most likely have one great big hole instaed of 2. But I do like the idea of the hole in the middle of the house but the two doors would be a must.

insulation I have used is simple 3/4 inch white bead foam and paints black real easy and its light weight.

Skids verses wheels thats all depends if you have a trailer to haul the skid house in the first place if not its one extra thing you need.

the wheeled house is nice but will cost more money

This to me is a personal decision no better than one another.

All in All the perfect house is what you make of it and if you drive around abunch of differnt lakes and stopp and talk to spearing guys I'm sure they will also give you some ideas along with getting to look at some of their houses.

[GoneFish'n71]

I have a 6x10 zack shack with a 2x5(maybe a litte bigger) hole about 2ft back from the front. I the framing allows I may move it back a few feet more so that I can sit opposing somone else. That way you can't get a sneak attack from underneath unless your partner is asleep. I also thougt about using a mirror at an angle to see better, for when I am alone. Has anyone done this, if so how does it work?

[merkman]

First the one that I built that merk has is aluminum and the 1x2 ceader studs no luan plywood the floor is 1/2 inch plywood

Whoops sorry for the misinformation!!

[merkman]

I also thougt about using a mirror at an angle to see better, for when I am alone. Has anyone done this, if so how does it work?

I think Big Roy was thinking of doing this last year using a bus mirror or something like that.

If I did it I would use a piece of polished stainless steel so it would be harder for me to break it.

[merkman]

When I plan something like this I take a sharpie and draw the floor plan out on the garage floor at full scale.

Grab your chair and sit there and figure out if you like a particular layout.

That is a great idea!!

Use sidewalk chalk or soapstone if you want less perm markings on your floor.

If you can mock up some walls too that would be good (temporary plywood or blankets) to close it in and really give you a feel for where the boundaries would be.

[mnspearingguider]

will have to watch your movement if using a mirror, the light reflecting up the hole will light up the area the mirror is pointed at, Thus making it easier for a fish to see movement through the mirror or just in the hole itself. Like those deer mirrors, sure you can see behind you, but the deer can see you too if precautions are not taken.

[Fish Toys]

For which way you have the door open it will make a difference if you are right or left handed and how the inside of the house is situated. You also want the most room for your throwing arm so the wall doesn’t interfere with any throws you make.Have the heat system out of the way so when there is a pike on the spear it doesn’t wreck it when you are exiting the house to get the pike off. If the pike are hit wrong the sure flop around and can make a mess if things are cramped in the house.

[troyfideldy]

Thinking about building a house with skis. How did you guys build the floors? Did you mount the skis permantly to the floor and just bank around the house? Or do you pick the house up, remove skis and set on ice? How did you build your ski? Trying to design so I do not have to tip it on its side or remove the skis. Hook onto it and move it around.

Any other good ideas that I may want to put in the design of my shack? Thanks guys

[MJ1657]

I built a sled to pull my portable around. I used downhill snow skis. You can find them cheap at goodwill type stores. I would think they would work well attached to a fish house.

[merkman]

Did you mount the skis permantly to the floor and just bank around the house? Or do you pick the house up, remove skis and set on ice?

Whatever you do you don't want the floor too high off the ice, it will block your view and may make your hole freeze in faster if wind gets to it.

It is nice to have the floor off the ice but IMO no more than 2" off the ice.

I personally don't think that tipping the house on the side is a big deal it works rather nicely.

Thin skis need off the floor a few inches since they will "cut" though the snow.

Wider skis float on top of the snow and can be closer to the floor.

[Gordie]

I built mine out of some rounded angle iron that I can remove light weight and for first ice it slides across the ice really easy.

It might be kinda hard to see in this pick but I welded a piece of tubeing that fits into another piece and pins in when I get to the spot I want to spear I mark the hole skis on then slide it over cut the hole slide it back over the hole and lift one isde pull off ski then repeat on other side.

The set up merkman has I made also but that is a really light weight house so flipping it on its side is really easy and at first ice with no snow you can push it along with one hand.