Spearing (Pics)

[bassNspear]

Im just giving ya a hard time. Gota have some fun around here.

Did you see my new post for my spears?

[Early Riser]

Tony, The information on your spear is from a book by M. Salive (1993) "Ice Fishing Spears." It is a very good book with a lot of information and pictures. Dr. Salive is a metalurgist/engineer, and as you can imagine he goes into great detail about his topic.

[Stiff]

Ok Early Riser,

Take a look at this one. I don't know where it came from but it has been in my family a long time. As a kid I found it in a shed on the farm. I was told that it was either my Grandfather's or my uncle's. I never got to know my Grandfather very well and only have vague memories of him as he died when I was 5 years old. Anyhoo, I'm sure that this is the spear that sparked my interest years ago.

The handle tapers to a wooden insert which makes it look like it was a commercially made spear, which seems odd to me because my grandfather was a metal worker and it seems like he never bought anything he could make and he could make darn near anything.

Have you guys seen anything like this one before?

~T

PS - BnS, since people generally only tease people they like, I'll take it as a compliment.

[Central Bassman]

LOL know thats old school!!!

[Capt'nMorgan]

In page one of this thread there are pictures of decoys, and as one mentioned the Bruell decoys are longer made, I have 6 of them and are awesome. Do ant of you have the red/white 12" that is my #1 decoy many teener sized pike have came into this one.

[pokegpike]

I have that exact shape on the end of my custom spear. Square, then 6 tines. Then the bottom is fused to one piece of hardened steel shaft(some special type of steel I'm told from Chicago). An old guy from the Rapids area built it. I was told mine was one of the last me made. Very nice.

Looking for an ice saw? I got mine here www.doublediamondspears.com. They are the BEST! His spears are a work of art as well. Gorgeous actualy. My saw was $150 (pictured below on top of the spears), nice PVC case, complete with handle, included.

His hand made spears (as of 3 yrs ago) were $250, and when I picked one up while getting my saw, I was speachless. Perfection is all I can say, and probably worth every penny. They have a wooden handle at the top. VERY pretty weapons! I have yet to hold a nicer, more perfectly balanced spear in my hand. He uses some sort of steel and gets it to look like platinum. Have a look for yourself on that site. Very nice guy too. He lives on site and hand makes these items in his large shop on site outside of Plato MN on a farm. If you buy one of these from him, he'll log your name w/ the product you buy. Free ice saw sharpening for life he says. I just cut my hole open this afternoon w. my saw - still razor sharp! - 12" of ice(2'x5' hole) like budda!

[Early Riser]

Those are some great looking spears. I am sure they do the trick on the pike. I have one of his saws and they really seem to stay sharp for a long time.

Stiff have your tried out that old spear? I was wondering if the wide metal boss that holds the tines causes the spear to plane out at all. I know the double diamond spears are highly esteemed. Pokedpike do they throw real straight when shooting off to the side a little?

[Stiff]

I'll second that one - all of that equipment looks VERY sweet. Definately something to keep in mind.

Early Riser, I have used that spear, but not very much. It seems to throw pretty straight, but like I say I haven't used it very many times and when I did the shots were pretty much right in front of me.

[night bite]

14.5-37 in

[image][/image]

[shamalex72]

A few pics from today.

[Stiff]

Congrats Night Bite! Nice fish! And nice pics to both of you guys! I especially like the view down the hole.

I'm curious about two things:

What do you guys do when you harvest a larger pike that isn't going on the wall? Do you bake it (boil it, broil it, etc)? Invite friends over? or portion it and freeze it?

Second, I'm curious what different peoples criteria are for letting a fish swim vs harvest. I haven't had the chance to take a fish over 10 lbs yet, and I 'm not sure what I would do if one showed up in the hole. I'm generally looking for smaller fish so it hasn't been an issue for me (yet). Apart from the excitement of taking a big fish, I think I'd be inclined let a big one swim (especially if I had already taken one) unless I had specific plans for him.

So I'm curious - when you have a fish in the hole, what is your target size for harvest? and what do you let swim? and why?

[shamalex72]

Quote:

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Second, I'm curious what different peoples criteria are for letting a fish swim vs harvest. I haven't had the chance to take a fish over 10 lbs yet, and I 'm not sure what I would do if one showed up in the hole. I'm generally looking for smaller fish so it hasn't been an issue for me (yet). Apart from the excitement of taking a big fish, I think I'd be inclined let a big one swim (especially if I had already taken one) unless I had specific plans for him.

---

I couldn't have said it better myself. The 32" I got last weekend was the biggest I have ever speared. I have only seen two bigger than that(mid-upper 30"). I let both pass. I don't know what I would do if I would see a 40"+, that is a decision I will have to make if it ever happens.

[BrianLucky13]

Hey Troy(Shamalex) Have you seen any skies??? Just wondering??

[shamalex72]

Brian, I havn't been spearing on Alex. I have seen a couple on the camera while fishing walleyes out there though.

[bassNspear]

hows the water clarity there?

[shamalex72]

It's pretty good, I can see bottom in 10'.

[RonT]

Hey Stiff, can't you get a more recent picture? That picture is so old the off spring of that big mama are big enough to hang on the wall!!! See you Friday at the "Goose".

[Stiff]

Hey Ron,

That's what happens when you never catch any big fish. With luck maybe you can take a new photo for me this year with a bigger wall-dad

Sounds like people may fish a little longer this year and meet up at the Goose a little later. Either way - we always manage to find a good time - at a bar on the lake, or a bar on the shore. Might be a good idea to swing by the shack on the way up though. We'll see you when we see you.

~T

[Stiff]

New avatar just for you Ronny

[RonT]

Thanks for the slightly more recent picture. We'll give you a call when we get close on Friday to see what the plan is.

[bassNspear]

Hey sham.

Nice pictures, I would have to say, why two fake decoys? Also, we have to get you to invest in a hand saw for cutting that hole

[shamalex72]

Maybe next year I'll get a saw, but for now the ice auger works fine Why use two fake decoys? I like to experiment, sometimes just one other times two. If I'm not seeing anything I change things up.

[bassNspear]

I totaly understand. You have to change your motion every once in a while. I have done that as well. Some good advice that i took from a great friend of mine, if your not seeing any fish, and ur using a live decoy and a fake decoy, get rid of the live decoy, place the fake in the hole, and NEVER touch it. Just let it hang and never move it.

Trust me, it works.

[spearman]

Dido worked for me today had live bait down and the fish would sit back and spook when the chub moved took him off and down went mr red/white and in ten min a nice 4 lber came in nice and easy.

[bassNspear]

Ya that will happen. Its cool to see it thow

[MPD068]

Hey Guy's,

Great site/thread. I'm from Marquette Michigan (U.P) Hope you don't mind me picking your brains. Spearing is not as hot a topic here in Michigan. Don't get me wrong, there are some die hards, like myself, but not as many threads on the forums as on this site. Some guys really beat you up, think spearing is not very sporting.

Have already learned a great deal, and especially like the info on different decoy topics. Don't know if anyone has heard this one, but my buddy uses a golf ball half painted red and hangs it in his hole and uses an old egg beater to twist the line and it makes the ball spin, attracting the pike. It does work.

Been spearing for approx. 5 years now and am totally addicted. It is all I do now on free days. I have also been carving my own decoys, Nothing special but speared my first pike of the season on my own decoy which is kinda fun. I plan on using some ideas discussed on this thread.

[spearman]

yes the golf ball does work mine is black and white hooked on a spinner that runs off 2 d batteries also works good to just spin a decoy around had a lake back a few years ago that was the only thing that would get the fish to come in.

[Stiff]

Welcome MPD,

Lots of cool stuff comes out of Yooperland!

[bassNspear]

First i would like to say, Welcome to FM. Need anything let me know.

The golf ball trick works very well. Come hang out here and talk spearing with us all you want. Spiff and myself are here allt he time taking smack back and forth. Gota have fun, yet were here to help ya out bro.

[Central Bassman]

Any one been out spearing??? Im thinkin of goin out after a big one this week some time!!!!