Spearing question

I’ve speared pike a few times in my life but it’s been years. I really enjoyed it but I have not speared since the new “Pike Zones” were created. I was just recently gifted an old spear which belonged to my wife’s Grandpa; my plan is to take a grinder to the tines, give them a fresh point, grab a dark-house permit and sit in my portable with windows covers velcro’d up.

In the southern zone where I’ll be, you can take 2 pike, with a minimum length of 24″. I guess it’s just your best judgement? Don’t throw unless you’re sure? What if you accidentally stick one that’s a hair too short. Is it back into the lake to watch it sit belly up on the bottom? I’m all about the push for bigger pike and am curious to see how the zones work after a few years, but the regs almost discourage spearing, it seems. I just don’t have a lot of experience so I hope I can judge the size accurately.

I’m not that far from the North-central line, maybe I should just find a lake there and stick hammer-handles all day – but then you might get one that’s too big? At least you can have one over 26″ there so you have something to mentally compare to once you start seeing a few through the hole.

Would appreciate some insight from those with more experience. THANKS!

ThunderLund78 wrote:

I’m not that far from the North-central line, maybe I should just find a lake there and stick hammer-handles all day – but then you might get one that’s too big?

What do you mean “one that is too big”?
In the North-central zone, you are allowed one between 22 and 26 plus one over 26 with the other eight being under 22 inches.

Pretty easy to target small ones. If you spear one over 26 you are still legal to spear another of any size.

If you spear one in the 22 to 26 range then yes, if you are going to continue to spear, you better be a good judge of size. or just quit for the day.

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My Father used to spear and he always said if you don’t know, don’t throw the spear. There is no such thing as catch and release with a spear. A lot of the negativity from people when it comes to spearing is the mortality of large pike and muskies. If you can’t tell the difference between a pike, a pure strain muskie, and a tiger muskie, you might want to just avoid lakes with muskies altogether.

I say take as many of the 21 inch pike that you can. They are abundant and need to be thinned.

First off I don’t know anything about spearing but don’t a lot of people use a decoy that they know the length of?
So if you have a decoy that is 24 inches long it gives the spearer something to gauge the size of the pike?

Use 2 normal size decoys 22″ apart. If the pike fits between them, send it.

mxskeeter wrote:

First off I don’t know anything about spearing but don’t a lot of people use a decoy that they know the length of?
So if you have a decoy that is 24 inches long it gives the spearer something to gauge the size of the pike?

A spearing decoy is not the same as say a duck decoy or a turkey decoy. The decoy used for spearing typically represents a food item to the pike. For example a bluegill, crappie, sucker, or 6 inch pike, etc.
I have never tried a 24 inch crappie decoy, but not sure it would be practical.

Dave maze wrote:

Use 2 normal size decoys 22″ apart. If the pike fits between them, send it.

Most of my spearing decoys will swing in about a 3 to 4 foot arc when I’m “working/jigging” the decoy. If I had a 2nd decoy hanging anywhere in the spearing hole, I’d have a tangled mess on the first pull.
Don’t you “swim” a decoy when spearing or do you just lower it and let it hang there motionless?

“In the North-central zone, you are allowed one between 22 and 26 plus one over 26 with the other eight being under 22 inches.”

Huntindave – this is my point and why I think I’ll go to the North Central zone. Should by chance I see bigger fish, I know I can legally take one and that would at least give me good idea of size to compare other fish to.

If I go in the South zone, I’ll just be content to watch them come in and not throw unless it’s a no-brainer.

I do like the idea of a two decoy set-up spaced a certain distance apart to at least give a rough idea of length. But yes, if only spaced 26″ apart, it would tangle immediately.

I swim one and spin the other. My decoys usually don’t do big circles like that.

Huntindave wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dave maze wrote:</div>
Use 2 normal size decoys 22″ apart. If the pike fits between them, send it.

Most of my spearing decoys will swing in about a 3 to 4 foot arc when I’m “working/jigging” the decoy. If I had a 2nd decoy hanging anywhere in the spearing hole, I’d have a tangled mess on the first pull.
Don’t you “swim” a decoy when spearing or do you just lower it and let it hang there motionless?

Dave maze wrote:

I swim one and spin the other. My decoys usually don’t do big circles like that.

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Huntindave wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dave maze wrote:</div>
Use 2 normal size decoys 22″ apart. If the pike fits between them, send it.

Most of my spearing decoys will swing in about a 3 to 4 foot arc when I’m “working/jigging” the decoy. If I had a 2nd decoy hanging anywhere in the spearing hole, I’d have a tangled mess on the first pull.
Don’t you “swim” a decoy when spearing or do you just lower it and let it hang there motionless?

Everyone’s style is slightly different and unique.

Thanks HD for the clarification. Never new that you use a decoy for bait.
Next question—can you use live bait to attract pike?

mxskeeter wrote:

Next question—can you use live bait to attract pike?

Yes. A lot people use decoy sucker minnows on a harness.

I live and breath spearing. And HD is correct. I usually fish in northern Minnesota. The law estentially says you can have 10 pike.

2 over 26. Or as they call it an OOPS. one that would be in that 22-26 inch slot. And this is for spearing only. The rest need to be under 22.

I use a live sucker minnow almost all the time along with an artificial decoy. Just an FYI, I got back today from a spearing trip and the pike had no interest in live decoys.

My favorite decoys are the bear creek, ones shaped like a little pike and rec and white.