spearing

[jkrash]

He definately has a way of putting a spin on things, If you guys have to justify trophy killing (which the origanal post was about)by comparing it to the use of electronics that is pretty lame. I think a guy sitting in a conoe in the boundry waters would have a better chance at catching a trophy than the guy fishing V in a Ranger with all the bells and whistles on it.

[This message has been edited by jkrash (edited 12-27-2001).]

[This message has been edited by jkrash (edited 01-01-2002).]

[Guest]

Pete; Its most likely going to be my old faithfull that my father made 12" red & white and no I do not use live bait! & will still let every one pass if it is not my fish. and to Jkrash; Did I say I was going to Vermillion to spear? I have a cabin up their & have for over 25 years. Can I go up & take in the senerey? Or do you guys all hug trees Too?

[This message has been edited by BIRDOG (edited 12-28-2001).]

[Guest]

Very well said Perch Jerker!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

Geez, like the Energizer Bunny, this thread keeps going, and going, and going..... Haven't checked in since before Christmas - did the holiday with family thing, got out spearing (didn't stab any - but saw about 15 in 4 hours) and enjoyed myself.
Funny thing happened to me though - got out on the lake on Sunday, and realized my chisel was sitting back in the garage at home. Cursed myself, chuckled, and prepared to head back - when a nearby angler inquired as to what I was up to. Explained my situation, and he not only loaned me his auger to cobble together a hole, but helped me set up the InsTent in the high winds. He ended up coming in and watching for awhile, and seemed to enjoy the experience.
Another convert to the cause...
Like I've said all along fellas - if there is a sound biological reason to ban spearing, I am all ears. So are many other spearfolks. The fact is that the sport apparently has little impact on the resource, but its looking more and more to me like facts aren't nearly as important as opinion, image, and feelings.
What started out as a simple request for information on who rents fish houses has turned into something else entirely - in which one side squawks about unsportsmanlike conduct - and the other side gets defensive.
As some of you fellas sit there in your smug superiority of just how "sportsmanlike" you are to oppose spearing, take a few minutes to review your own tactics.
High-powered boats, electric trolling motors, multiple sonars, GPS, depth maps, fluorocarbon line, underwater cameras, pulling summer fish out of deep water only to "release" them......... point being, that you ought to be real careful about slinging accusations about "sportsmanlike" conduct when your own conduct may also be called into question.
Now, lets toss some bass in the pan, crack open a cold one, and all sing Kumbaya.

[Guest]

12 inches!!! Geez Louise - your arm must get sore bobbing that thing around the hole. I have a 12 inch perch that I made a couple of years ago, and the kids refer to it a Moby Perch. Funny thing is the darn decoy only seems to attract the scrawniest of snakes.
I try to make one or two new ones every year, but haven't finished this year's project yet.
My favorite is a small gold and red one I carved about 20 years ago. The first day we used the thing we had 4 slimers over 20 lbs. in the hole - one of which ended up on wall at my cousin's house.

Now, JKrash:

Its tough to have an intelligent discussion about these issues if we can't them all straight. Seems to me that killing a trophy fish is one issue in and of itself - apart from the actual method killing. A large dead fish is a large dead fish. Some folks don't want any big fish killed, and others want one for the wall - or the record books. That is a great debate, and we as fishermen need to hash that out as best we can, knowing that in the end someone will probably be unhappy.
The second issue, and the one that seems to have generated even more controversy is just what constitutes sportsmanship? Spearfolks are being portrayed by some as being less than ideal sportsmen by such phrases as "meat-hunters" "shooting fish in a barrel" "is that your idea of sport" and a few others. My point in this regard is that spearing is a pretty basic sport, virtually unchanged in equipment and tactics for generations - my spear and some decoys are inherited from my Grandpa. We don't rely on the latest and greatest inventions, or electronics to locate our fish.
Angling however has taken a decided turn to what one of my partners terms "equipment mania." Like many of you, I am complicit also, owning a couple of depth finders, some awfully nice graphite rods, a trolling motor, some depth maps, and other assorted goodies. I have wondered for some time, however, where "the line" is in this regard, where gadgets begin to take some of the "sport" out of sport fishing. I strongly suspect many of you guys have had the same thoughts.
My point was, and remains, that before we start pointing fingers at others and accusing them of not being "sportsmen", maybe we should examine our own actions in the same context.
Resorting to merely labelling my point as being "lame" and failing to explain yourself or your reasoning detracts from your message.

[jkrash]

For me, this thread has been about killing large pike on Vermilion.
I have no problem with the sport of spearing I think it's a great tradition but I would like to see it band on V for two reasons.
1- The population of large pike in the lake are at a all time low,

2- I would like to see the tiger muskies develope in the lake, even though natrual production is rare there are reports of anglers catching them, to produce this strain of muskies for anglers, we will need all the large pike to stay in the lake.

[This message has been edited by jkrash (edited 12-28-2001).]

[This message has been edited by jkrash (edited 01-01-2002).]

[Guest]

Not to sure what to think here. I feel like I am putting my foot in my mouth. BUT, here goes. Remember the pictures we have seen in tons o magazines of the hangars of fish that were speared or fished in the 20's, 30's, 40's well you get the picture. This kind of fishing has obviously passed and we will not be see anything like that again. So, when we see fish being speared that are the monsters of the lake. The ones that are needed for the propogation of the species. We need to decide how to control that overinfectious attitude about keeping anything that attaches to our line or spear. I think we all need to maintain our fisheries by protecting the species so my boys and daughter (and yours) can enjoy the future of the sport. I did hear that he was being selective and I admire that attitude, but I also hear that he wants more and better. Whats next? 2 or 3, 24 pounders because you cannot get the 30 pounders anymore. Hmmmm, maybe some sort of S or NS (Spear or dont Spear certain sizes) is what needs to be implemented with spearing. Spear only certain sizes.
All I care about is protecting the future for the generations to come. Let them enjoy a little of what we have been able to enjoy. (OH and P.S. you did not only ask where to rent a spearhouse! You added you will not spear anything under a 30#er).

[Guest]

Unless you try the sport of spearing you should not knock it. It is both relaxing & exciting to work that decoy & try to get a nothern to come in. I have not ever seen a plus #30 lb. fish and probaly never will. Like I said before they do not school in your hole, you go home just about every time only seeing water bugs! If you are lucky you can toy with an occasional snake & yes thoughs dreaded muskrats that scare the pants off you when they come in and challenge you for your house.Its so easy to find that door handle except for that particular moment. 24 years of hard work, of trying lake after lake and getting 2 big fish is not that great of a track record! and spending time with my family & work I may get out 2 or 3 times this season. so don't worry!

[GullGuide]

Bird dog,
You just confirmed why many of us were so upset when you started this post. In YOUR OWN WORDS, you just stated that you have never seen a 30# plus pike and you probably never will. I therefore ask you this-
If you have never seen a 30# plus pike, how the heck do you claim to know one when you see one? Are you going to spear one you THINK is 30#'s plus only to have it be 28.5 or 29? Then will you be satisfied or will you continue to hunt for that 30#'er only to spear who knows how many until you reach the magical mark?
It's your right to do it if you so choose, and I for one am not going to say it is wrong, but don't you think a fish that has made it to be that big deserves better?
In an earlier post, I said that I also have killed a big fish, sometimes I wish I hadn't, but I can't go back and change it, I can only do the right thing from here on out.
I wish you well on your quest, but please do not kid yourself about being able to judge a fishes true size by seeing it. #1, you cannot get a true idea of it's girth from looking down at it and I do not care how long you have been spearing, water still magnifies.
>"////=<

[Guest]

Birddog, So the theory goes don't knock something unless I try it. Hmmm, does that mean I shouldn't say something about the evils of war - because I never fought in one. Or do not tell my kids about the evils of drugs - because I never did any!!!. I have been around enough to know what the spearfishing has done to our lake. I have been around family that has speared and I am not ignorant to what can happen to a fisheries when a lake gets overfished. I used to trap until I learned how cruel it could be. No one is perfect, and I hope we all can listen open mindedly. Cmon I even told you I admired that your were being selective EVEN THOUGH I MAY NOT HAVE AGREED WITH YOU! You need to chill out a little and understand a little about what all these people are saying. Go wet a line and relax.

[Guest]

If I ever see won over thirty. I know it has too be bigger than the one on the wall that I look at always. And yes I have been spearing for a long time & would know the difference. As you can see I am A little bit out numbered hear you must get alot of crappies,Go back and read Petes thread he sums It all up about how lakes get over fished. and I can agree with one topic that Ace made that we don't have to agree to get along. So as you can see we can keep going round & round on this topic and never change each others minds.So lets be nice and end it. Someone said that this forum reached 100 threads, is this a forum record? Did not mean to set another record. just kidding! Hope everyone has a Great New Year! Lets go fishing!

[guideman]

Birdog,
Good call!

------------------
Ace guide service.
Beautiful Lake Vermilion.
[email protected]
www.aceguideservice.com
(218) 753-2612

[Guest]

Hope you and your family have a Safe and Happy New Year. Good luck.

[Guest]

the end!

[beaverlakeman]

WOW!!!!
took a long time to read all these replies...
I have a lake all to my self in the peaquyann area. the only cabin on the lake. The only species of fish in there are pike.. anyways to get back to things. i haven't personally speared.. but i have sat and watched a guy spear on my lake... i watched how he did things and stuff like that, i do not have the pacients to do something like that.... It's hard work to fish like that.. so for anyone who can sit there all day, for many days, and many years, looking for that one fish 30#'s. I have the utmost respect for them... although i have never spear fished i will never disagree nor disrespect that way of FISHING!!! Your not in a boat with sonar and stuff like that.. you can't go and chase and look for your fish... spearing, you have to sit and wait for your fish.. To me it sounds the same as bow hunting.. i am getting off track here.. for all of you that are knocking on spearing the trophy pike, not to mention that 30 pounder should think a little bit... A 30 pound pike.. how much longer is a fish of that wieght and AGE going to live naturally.. probably not very long. So to end this reply, I say best of luck to you birdman on you quest to find that 30 pounder.. if my lake had fish that big in it, I would love to have you up there...
thats it, good bye all.

beaverlakeman

p.s. i don't want to start another arguement, I just wanted to say what i thought about the whole thing...
GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE WITH THE WAY THEY FISH.