spearing

are there any spear chuckers here???? or are all you following in BK’s or CT’s footsteps????????

ya got me with the beers!!!!!! what part of the state you from. I live in stearns county! close to the horseshoe chain!

Going to give it a try at Iowana Beach in February. Never done it before.

You will love it or hate it. I personally think it is the best ice pastime of all.

sounds like a plan. cant go to corky’s though!!!

Quote:

---

You will love it or hate it.

---

I of course, have to be different.

I love it AND hate it.

But I’m not going to take this thread that way.

Ryan, I know you’ll have a blast!

(as long as Glenn doesn’t sign you up to a union)

I think it’s one of the most enjoyable things to do in the winter, but due to past experiences I struggle to enjoy it today.

I grew up on a lake with a great Northern population. The word got out and at the height of the three year massacre there were 50+ people spearing the lake. (numerous fish speared over 20lbs) One guy bragged about spearing 100+ northern over 5 pounds and 3 over 20 pounds in one year. The lake was and still is nearly void of decent Northern. For that reason alone I can barely stand the sight of a spear. I often think about angling through a spear hole for the shear enjoyment of watching fish, but I have no desire to throw a spear.

I have nothing against people that do spear it’s a 100% legal to do so. I do have a problem with excessive harvest and illegal spearing of muskie, which is very common in my area.

your concern is legit. I however don’t operate that way. I wont spear a fish that appears to be 12-15 lbs or bigger. its the genetics I want to stay in the lake. I always and I mean always let the first fish I see regardless let swim. not sure why I just do. I stay away from lakes with muskies for the most part and lakes with slots and I just cant see spearing understand people that many fish!!!

I do totally enjoy watching them fish in that big hole….2 in my case. quite conical at times.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

You will love it or hate it.

---

I of course, have to be different.

I love it AND hate it.

But I’m not going to take this thread that way.

Ryan, I know you’ll have a blast!

(as long as Glenn doesn’t sign you up to a union)

---

have to be union to fish with me!!!!!!

Quote:

---

I kind of hate these posts because it seems like all we’re doing is driving a wedge further between the two groups. We’re all out there for the same reasons – have fun and follow the rules. We’re all anglers and should be working together, not against each other. Just my opinion.

---

I personally enjoy these posts because I get to here from great sportsmen that enjoy spearing responsibly. If it wasn’t for knowing there are people like you guys out there I’d be on the “ban spearing” band wagon, but hearing your side makes me very tolerant of your love for the sport. Happy spearing everyone.

No doubt spearing is a blast but there’s no arguing its deadly affect on a lake. For every ethical spear chucker there’s a hell of a lot more that are not.

(as long as Glenn doesn’t sign you up to a union)

---

have to be union to fish with me!!!!!!

---

<– 49’er I would love to sit with ya for a few hours. Shoot me a PM if you have an open spot someday

I have a buddy who is passionate about spearing. He is very conscience of the size and number of fish he harvests. I have gone with him a few times (yes I always buy the license). Never forget my first successful throw…the fish turned out to be very shallow and I essentially stabbed the fish with the spear…strange feeling. We usually go to a lake that has 17ft disc clarity so I enjoy going if for no other reason to peer through that big picture window into the lives of the fish below. For me the harvest is secondary, but fun.

Quote:

---

For every ethical spear chucker there’s a hell of a lot more that are not.

---

Just to be fair…

For every ethical hook and line angler there’s a hell of a lot more that are not.

For every ethical bird/deer hunter there’s a hell of a lot more that are not.

The way I was brought up along with my dad and his dad, it was get the most and the biggest no matter how they were harvested.

I call it the buffet effect.

Hey, can I go too boys? I won’t spear, but I’ll watch and take an eater off your hands. I’ll go and fish the meth-hole.

Quote:

---

Now why in the world would you want to bother with those small channels?

A spearing and panfish combo up that way would make for a pretty sweet day on the ice, IMO.

---

Let me catch one channel through the ice and then we hit those panfish. I’d like to organize a get together up there this year.

I really enjoy it. It is like nature’s TV. At times there is so much going on down in the hole that my eyes burn from not blinking enough. I spear selectively so I can scratch that pickled pike itch. Carving your own decoys really cranks up the experience too. Interesting side note: In 2005 MN sold 15,005 (Res Spear from Dark House) licenses. 1961… 55,118

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

For every ethical spear chucker there’s a hell of a lot more that are not.

---

Just to be fair…

For every ethical hook and line angler there’s a hell of a lot more that are not.

For every ethical bird/deer hunter there’s a hell of a lot more that are not.

The way I was brought up along with my dad and his dad, it was get the most and the biggest no matter how they were harvested.

I call it the buffet effect.

---

Its all humans. I just referenced spears because this is a spear post.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Now why in the world would you want to bother with those small channels?

A spearing and panfish combo up that way would make for a pretty sweet day on the ice, IMO.

---

Let me catch one channel through the ice and then we hit those panfish. I’d like to organize a get together up there this year.

---

This is where I basically cut my teeth for ice fishing. This body of water has a lot of different species to chase, it is now stocked with muskies also.

I love the whole ordeal of spearing – it is by far my most favorite outdoor pastime. I can’t get enough of seeing big fish lured into my homemade decoys. I don’t take very many fish, though, throughout a season. I like to take 7-10 lb fish, as the smaller ones are more hassle than they are worth as far as bone removal. 3-4 fish from a couple different lakes per winter that average 8-9 lbs is a typical yearly take for me. I truly think that if I concentrated on tip-ups, I would kill more fish by deep hooking in a season. I understand that some spearers take TOO many big ones, and that sucks, but I don’t think it is a major factor, because the really successful guys are in the vast minority.

I have never poked a giant – but when that first 25# fish shows itself, I will do my best to get it. I would like a big one on my wall and won’t apologize for that. No replicas for me, I want a big pike for my wall. And so far I have watched HUNDREDS of double digit fish swim past in pursuit of that monster. Someday it will happen, and the flamers will criticize, and I am ok with that .

Dad’s last and largest is hanging on my wall.

22 pounds in the last hour of the last day of his lifetime of spearing.

Quote:

---

Interesting side note: In 2005 MN sold 15,005 (Res Spear from Dark House) licenses. 1961… 55,118

---

Yep, it is a dying sport. When you can drill a thousand holes a day and hop why would you take the time to create a good spear hole?

I agree it is a whole ‘nother world just to watch…

Quote:

---

(as long as Glenn doesn’t sign you up to a union)

---

have to be union to fish with me!!!!!!

---

<– 49’er I would love to sit with ya for a few hours. Shoot me a PM if you have an open spot someday

---

would love to hit a lake up your way!!!!

awesome conversations!!!!!!!!!! 18 more days!!!!!!!!!

I started going with my Dad when I was five years old. I will be the first to say he didn’t leave anything swim by, Just the nature of the game back then. I spent hundreds of hours watching before I ever had the chance to spear one myself. Just a fluke as I sat in the shack whole he went to fetch more wood for the stove.

Good conversation, hot coffee and spam sandwiches. Life couldn’t have been better.

WS

Quote:

---

Good conversation, hot coffee and spam sandwiches. Life couldn’t have been better.

---