Future of Spear Fishing?? Your thoughts?? - Ice Fishing Forum - Ice Fishing Forum - Page 2

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So I’ve kicked around the idea of adding a couple spear houses to my guide service over the past couple years. I just can’t wrap my brain around whether I am for it or against it. On one hand I like the combination of Hunting/fishing for the biggest and baddest, but on the otherhand I never keep the biggest and baddest when fishing hook and line, and am freaky when it comes to making sure the fish is unharmed. I’m always concerned about preserving the fishery, and know that even though I’m 1 angler I lead many others to the biggest and baddest fish. I personally haven’t ever Speared, but know from my love of hunting that I probably would enjoy the sport. From other more experienced guys here on IDO I’m very interested in a FRIENDLY discussion on this to see what the general viewpoints are on Spear Chucking?? Here are a couple of my questions?? If your a guy who would insist on releasing a trophy pike in the open water season would you find yourself sticking the same fish through the ice?? Do Spear Fisherman let big fish go?? Do you mount 15lb pike or do you pickle them?? I know the sport has a long rich history, and I like the Les Kouba?? Spearhouse series of prints, and know my grandpa hucked spears. What do you guys think?? For example if I promote SPEAR FISHING through my guide service we’ll kill a lot of big fish?? I’m just going to lay back and listen……..I know hard for me to do.

I know this is an old post but…

If you can trust your clients to release a large northern pike that is in their hands while tip up fishing there is no reason you can’t trust them to release a large northern pike swimming below them, by simply not throwing the spear.

I think having yet another responsible darkhouse spearing sportsman out on the water is a good thing.

You certainly don’t kill every deer you see, there is no reason to think that darkhouse spearers kill every fish they see.

I say go for it, but also allow those who don’t wish to spear, the option to sight fish though the darkhouse.

The more people we can introduce and keep in the outdoors, the better off all our sports are.

DOnt they rent spear houses out of Zipple Bay on LOTWs? Anyone ever tried it? I would think if you ever did get into this chris maybe quick talk with your customers about conservation might be in order. It would be hard to tell them not to spear a trophy when it came threw. I would think that is the fish many of them would be looking for. Kubo did not put a 3# pike in his painting for a reason. Its that 20# that all of old spearers dreamed about. Now walking up to a spear house and seeing 3 20# pike laying out side would be a shame.

Been years sinced I speared. Sure loved it back then as a kid. We stuck everything that swam threw the hole that we could hit. Not sure what the mentality of the younger guys are that are spearing now but back then this was food. I just boated a 20#+ pike on Mille lacs 2 nights ago and my father was very upset that it wasnt coming home with us. Had to tell him there was a entire lake full of food pike right behind his house. There was no reason to eat this big one.