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Good point Dan…it does seem anti productive to practice catch and release on everything big…then be proud of the 10+ lb pike I just shishkabobed.

The more I think about it…the stranger the mind set is. Personally I’ve release many larger fish…but when it comes to spearing…the bigger the better. Figure that one out!

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As a darkhouse spearer and hook and line fisherman who releases big fish it is very sad to see you perpetuating a lie like that Briank.

There is no better way to release a fish than by look and releasing it by simply not throwing the spear while darkhouse spearing. (No delayed mortality, no frozen gills, no handling “mistakes”, heck the fish don’t even know it is being released)

I can assure you it is just as easy to release a large northern pike swimming under you while watching it though the darkhouse spearing hole as it is to release it when it is in your hands after catching it with a hook and line.

We as sportsmen all need to come together to ensure the future of our fishery. Stereotyping sportsmen who choose to use the method of darkhouse spearing for 3 months out of the year then return to a hook and line the rest of the year as fishmongers who are only interested harvesting large northern pike isn’t getting it done.

It is neither the darkhouse spear nor the hook and line that determines what fish will be harvested, it is the only the sportsman who can make that choice.

It is up to all of us sportsmen, no matter the method we choose to use, to let the big ones swim and harvest the small ones. It is also up to us as fellow sportsmen to respect each other’s rights/privileges to use and enjoy the legal method of their choice.

The argument that darkhouse spearers are only after big fish is as foolish as someone saying bow hunters are only after big deer. Northern pike fishing by either method equates to deer hunting with either method, same results different method.

A fisherman using the method of darkhouse spearing is no more “evil” than the deer hunter using the method of bow hunting.

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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.

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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.

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With the lifting of the ban on Cass Lake Spearing, when is the lake open to this? Is it immediate for the opener of the 2011 season?

Inquiring minds want to know……

T

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Answered today by the MnDNR.

http://news.dnr.state.mn.us/2011/10/10/cass-lake-opened-to-darkhouse-spearing-beginning-in-2011/

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I’m dead set against spearing but will admit I really don’t know much about it.

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If you ever want to learn just sit in with a darkhouse spearer.

I darkhouse spear across the state and if you are interested in seeing what it is about just let me know. I will meet you on the lake of your choice and you can check it out.

You can cut the hole, lift the block out, set up the house, or just set in once all that is done. What ever you choose.

If you haven’t experienced it, it is something you will never forget.

If you don’t get into the spearing aspect there is nothing stopping you from sight fishing from a darkhouse.

Just let me know if you would like to try it sometime, my spear shack is always open.

I am not against catch and release as an important PART of proper resource management.

However, I am against the catch and release only and or “no kill” mentality, no matter if it comes from fellow sportsmen or PETA themselves.

I am also against the kill’em all mentality.

I can assure you that Darkhouse spearing does not fall into either of those two groups.

It amazes me to think that the state of Minnesota has trusted me for 20 plus years to responsibly harvest northern pike on Cass Lake via hook and line without restriction or damage to the resource but they can’t trust me to do the same with a darkhouse spear? So the state can trust me to return a large pike that is IN MY HANDS after being caught by hook and line, yet I can’t be trusted release the same fish when darkhouse spearing by simply not throwing the spear while it is swimming below me?

Is a northern pike really somehow more dead if it is killed by a spear than if it is killed by a hook and line?

Don’t let the smoke and mirrors fool you, this is not about darkhouse spearing vs hook and line fishing, this is about the right to responsibly harvest northern pike on Minnesota lakes by any method.

These anti-harvest sportsmen’s groups don’t know when to quit. They have closed the winter catch and release season on muskies in Minnesota… (YES they worked to close the catch and release season in the winter!!!! I hope they told the muskie not to bite in the winter…)the big question is do you want the northern pike to follow the same well beaten path?

Ask yourself…. just how will the CO know if you are legally targeting northern pike in the winter (catch and release or for responsible harvest) or illegaly targeting muskies when the same equipment is used for both? The answer of course will be to shut down winter fishing of northern pike.

Their first step is to eliminate harvest by Darkhouse spearing. Then eliminate all winter harvest… then turn the northern pike into a summer time only/catch and release only species… if you don’t believe it look at where the muskie is in Minnesota today.

It may have taken 20+ years; but MN finally made it right to the people and fishery of Cass Lake.

You better believe I will be there supporting the community that made it happen!!

See you in December of this year on Cass Lake, with a spear in my hand and a smile on my face.

A Big Thanks goes out to all those who fought hard and long to return our fishing rights and privileges from those who wish to take them away from us.

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There is no chance of those fish surviving. That’s one less big fish for me or my sons or grandsons (none yet btw) to catch. There shouldn’t be any spearing on those lakes. Guess i’m too much the catch and release guy.

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Slot limit fish are unintentionally killed both though angling and darkhouse spearing. Niether method of selective harvest is perfect.

Darkhouse spearers unintentionally kill slot limit fish though misidentification when using the look and release method. According to the look and release method listed on the MnDNR website a darkhouse spearer can only be 98% sure that they are not misidentifying the length of the slot limit fish.

Anglers unintentionally kill slot limit fish though the hooking mortality when using the catch and release method. There are many studies on the hooking mortality rates of catch and release fish but most point to a rate higher than 2%.

Knowing that both anglers and darkhouse spearers unintentionally kill slot limit fish at somewhat similar rates, it becomes very hard to make the argument that the 15 thousand darkhouse spearers statewide, fishing only in the winter, can unintentionally kill more slot limit fish than the 1.4 million anglers fishing in the winter and summer, especially considering that darkhouse spearers are out numbered 99 to 1 in the winter season and 100 to 0 in the summer season.

Why is it OK for anglers to continue to kill more slot limit fish every year and yet darkhouse spearers, who are only asking for fair and equal access of the public resource, a resource that they pay twice the MnDNR fees for, are met with calls for more and more outright and effective bans?

One look at how darkhouse spearers and anglers are treated when an unintentional kill does happen and it is no wonder why darkhouse spearers have to resort to self imposed bans on slot limit lakes.

Remember we are talking about the same “crime” and the same dead fish here.

Darkhouse spearers who unintentionally kill a slot limit northern though misidentification are instructed by the MnDNR to
– Turn themselves in to a Conservation Officer
– Get issued a ticket for spearing an illegal length fish
– and be subjected to the following punishment
—-> Maximum fine of $1000 and up to 90 days in jail.
—-> Any gear used to take the fish could be confiscated (such as rods/reels, spears).
—-> License revocation is a possibility if two or more violations in a 3 year period, or if restitution value is over $500.
—-> Criminal record for the offender.

Anglers who unintentionally kill a slot limit northern though hooking mortality are instructed by the MnDNR to
– Return the fish to the water immediately
– face no fine

It only makes a guy wonder how many anglers would be out there on slot limit lakes if they faced the same “time” for the same “crime”