I have to ask this question…………..

I am building a small permanant ice fishing shack out of an 8x8x6 crate from work that I’m going to put out on willow creek this winter. Yes its been so cold latley that I am thinking about ice fishing already. I was just on ebay and seen a couple of ice fishing decoys. What the heck is a ice fishing decoy for? To bring fish closer to your shack? for spear fishing houses? for the heck of it? Troy Pike

I believe they are for spear shacks, you put the decoy up (hanging into your hole, to attract fish) so you don’t have to stop and buy bait all the time, or deal with the hassel to keeping it alive, they seem to work fine, my buddy has one as a backup, incase his big sucker or whatever disapears.

Yes they are for spearing shacks to bring in pike. They would almost certainly scare anything in Willow Creek.
You’re not alone thinking about ice fishing!
Good Fishing,
Mike

Rider has it.

Generally they are 4 to 9 inches and their tails are turned. The new ones are made out of plastic but you can find wooden ones yet. When you lift the line that holds them in place they will “swim” in a circle. When spearing, northerns have a tendance of hitting a real decoy (large sucker) which is not what you want. The idea is to have the brute swim into your hole and stare at the decoy (weather it’s a live sucker or fake one) this gives you time to throw the spear.
Although I’m seen it many times where it didn’t matter if you were using live bait or not…the wolf of the lakes will hit a fake decoy just as hard as a real one.

Actually, they sometimes use much larger ones on Lake Winnebago to lure in sturgeon.
JWB

If the decoy is painted good enough, you can use it to take pictures of the fish you caught and released, you can even get an action shot as you slide it back down the hole! And quite thinking about ice fishing already….geez!

You’re not alone thinking about ice fishing!

bill_cadwell wrote:

Now I know where Mike is getting this craving for Ice Fishing from. Nate told me that a couple of cold days and he catches Mike at work day dreaming about ice fishing aready. Mike, wake up Bud, its still summer. And then theres fall before winter. Its a longggggggg ways of yet. Enjoy it Bud!!!
Thanks, Bill