spear fishing...

raider

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thinking bout trying this out...

anyone on here into it???

would like any info on equipment and strategy..

thanks...
 


VDAWG

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Go with someone first to learn the ropes. Once you try it you will be head over heels hooked.
 

raider

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do you need sak or devils lake clear water, or detroit lakes clear water... how deep do you usually set up...

can you use a black pop up tent type...
 


Gator

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Every lake is different every year. To start a couple decoys ( pearch, small pike, red and white decoy would work most places) sometimes a daredevil or something flashy works. Use a heavy Dacron line with a heavy swivel, or you will have to repurchase these. I purchased a Lako spear at first 69.99 . As far as where to set up, I am still learning I have had luck in 3' and 18' of water, depends on clearity and their mood. Best times seem to be when it's sunny and calm. Egg shells help to find bottom, white beans work as well, I only use these in stained water ( lake darling). Ice auger with a chisel point works to cut a hole,or a Fishes ice saw, Nills is ok but I don't know if I would buy anything else, far as ice saws go. A cheep plastic snow shovel with 3/8" holes drilled in it, works well to get the slush out. Dark house doesn't have to be that dark but if they can see you move in your house it's game over. I have speared in a clam fish trap and a Eskimo lodge, they both worked just fine, last year I used a cabelas hub house, so far my favorite.
 

gatorbaiter

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What gator said mostly, if your a reader try Darkhouse Spearfishing by Jay Leitch. If your a watcher you can learn a lot from a few youtube videos. Taught myself and figured it out quick no biggy. Flip style shelters defintly work, taller and darker are better but you dont need every hole covered. Usully like a little light so i can see what i'm doing in the house. Biggest problems are you must have fairly clear water. Doesnt need to be gin clear but better be able to see bottom in five feet. I usually fish shallow, less then ten feet but mostly fish small lakes by Devils. Big plus is going early in the year, usually the fishing is better and cutting holes in a foot of ice is way easier than three feet. With thick ice it can be a real pain getting the ice chunks out of the hole without a set of ice tongs. I use a hole about two by three feet. you can go bigger but would hate to fall in if you tripped in the house.
Warning, if you see more than a fish an hour its not too bad but it gets very boring staring down an emty hole for very long. I usally set tip ups and spear at the same time. Some days the spearing is better and somedays they will only hit tip ups and some times its both. Whats really fun is just jig down the hole, you get the fun of watching them hit and can still throw them back. I've got to say though there's something fun and primival about hurling a spear at something. If there's plenty of action it is a blast.
Things you need: Ice auger, to start holes
Ice saw, to cut between holes
Spear with rope
Decoy, ten dollar plastics one will work
Dipper, bigger is better for clearing big holes
Dark house, flip or hub style will work, better if its a darker version like Eskimo, not those light blue Clams
Egg shells, throw em on the bottom of slightly murky water, they make a big difference

A good spear will probably be a hundred dollars and the same for ice saw. You could probably get everything you for two fifty if you already have house and auger. I was lucky and old fellow borrowed me the stuff so i could try it before i bought my own, it was well worth it.
Good luck and PM me if you have any questions.
 

raider

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thanks guys, very good info!!!

starting out, do you drill a hole and drop down a camera to check clarity and structure??? do you look for anything particular for bottom structure??? if you are close to the bottom and hit it with the saw, how long does it take the water to clear up??? do you ever just push the ice chunks down and under the ice???

do you use the same hole for a few days in a row if you have luck, or does the bottom get buggered up after some throws???

thanks again...
 

CAH

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rather than pulling the slab of ice from your hole completely out of the hole, I just push the chunk under the ice and slide away from the hole. That way you don't need the ice tongs.
 


Tikka280ai

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I just use an auger and still multiple holes that touch. It might not be the best way to do it but it works for me. And no fighting large ice chunk
 

gatorbaiter

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Drilling holes that touch does work, but that's a lot of holes if there's two to three feet of ice. Also pushing the slab under the ice will work but only with a foot or so of ice. What i do is drill a hole and then look down it, just cover your head with a coat or even just your hands alongside your face. Drop a flashy lure down and until you cant see it anymore. If its five feet or more of clarity your good to go. Fished creel bay at devils last year and it was very clear. no fish when we were there but that's just minor detail. could see the bottom in almost twenty feet.
As far as making it murky it totally depends on how bad it is to start. When you can barely see i'll just stab the fish instead of letting go of the spear. You hit bottom in muddy spot like that and your out of business for ten to fifteen minutes at least. I get really tired of staring into a murky green hole when i cant see bottom so i usually dont even try. The egg shells give your eyes something to focus on which is why their so usefull. I usually fish where is more sandy so it doesn't stir up too bad.
I bout one of those micro cameras for about 250 to try with some stuff like this and wasn't worth it. maybe if you had a high dollar one it might work. I just usally look down the hole.
 

KDM

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A buddy of mine made a roll up mat sort of thing out of chain link fence and threaded white plastic strips through it. He just unrolls that and lowers that to the bottom with his decoy cord and it stays put. His only grip is when he slams a fish into the fence and it gets hooked, but he's only had that happen a couple times. When he's done fishing he just hooks the fence with one of those weighted treble hooks and hauls it up. He uses his gaff to grab an end, rolls it up, and he's off. He mentioned that it takes LOTS and LOTS of egg shells to cover a muddy bottom and like was mentioned, one thrashing snot rocket and all the egg shells disappear under the mud. With this, if it gets covered in mud, all he has to do is lift it off the bottom and set it back down and he's back to fishing. I think he has two of them that are 4 feet square and they are flexible enough so he can get them in and out with "relative" ease.
 

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