Any spearing info to help?

[fishhead16]

Going to start spearing. I have a spear,auger,spud,darkhouse is being built right know. So Im starting from zero. Any tips that you could share would be helpful. Thanks in advance!

[darkhousefisher]

Go through the old posts on here and you will find all sorts of info.  Also go to Darkhouse Spearfishing Basics it has alot of good info and tips.

[rezeye]

Going to start spearing. I have a spear,auger,spud,darkhouse is being built right know. So Im starting from zero. Any tips that you could share would be helpful. Thanks in advance!

do you have any pics of your equipment

[Higgins]

Going to start spearing. I have a spear,auger,spud,darkhouse is being built right know. So Im starting from zero. Any tips that you could share would be helpful. Thanks in advance!

Get your self a BIG WOOD SAW about "4 foot long" to cut out the hole. You could get a ice saw (I hear they are real nice) but if you have a permanent than a $100 saw might be a little over kill. I bought my wood saw for 2 dollars at a yard sale  . Are you gonna use the shanty that you made for smelt 

If you like to hunt than I have no doubt that you will love spearing  8)

[fishhead16]

Higgins, I built a new shack, the one I was going use for smelt was 8x8,portable hardside. I scraped that idea for a 6x6 spearing shanty. Im still going to take it smelting if the ice is good. I just finished painting it tonight. I'll post some pics in the daylight.

[fishhead16]

Here's a pic of my shanty and spear

[rezeye]

awesome spear and my daughter likes the shack

[Higgins]

Here's a pic of my shanty and spear

Nice job on keeping it dark. So what kinda heat are ya gonna go with  I have a small notch that I made in the door and use a buddy heater that has the hose that hooks up to a big propane tank and I just slip the hose into the notch and well let's just say you don't need allot of cloths on  .

[fishhead16]

I have a buddy heater I'll use. I would like to find a coleman single burner to keep the coffee warm. Looks like I got something to look for garage saling this summer. That spear I bought from an estate sale for $5.00! They had a couple of them and that one was the nicest.

[Higgins]

I have a buddy heater I'll use. I would like to find a coleman single burner to keep the coffee warm. Looks like I got something to look for garage saling this summer. That spear I bought from an estate sale for $5.00! They had a couple of them and that one was the nicest.

WOW, that's a real good deal......I have 2, one was given to me by my uncle who got me into the sport and the other I payed $60 for at a bait shop.

[RealityCheck]

yep....i am looking for a spear also...next year I will get into spearing. 60 is to much for me

[rezeye]

yep....i am looking for a spear also...next year I will get into spearing. 60 is to much for me

If you or a friend have a welder you can buy enough steel for two spears for around 10 dollars keep one and sell one

[rezeye]

hey fishead
just curious what kind of decoy are you going to use or using??? I use a chartruese colored pike about 8 inches and a white 9 inch northern w/red head and tail and popcan finsfrom some cheap grape soda

[fishhead16]

I was thinking of picking up a red/white one. Maybe a couple different colors by next year. Do you guys use live bait at all?

[Higgins]

I was thinking of picking up a red/white one. Maybe a couple different colors by next year. Do you guys use live bait at all?

I used to use live bait but stopped, not cause it didn't work good but because on nights when it gets below 10 degrees your hole freezes up very fast and I always hated riding that fine line of cutting the line to the decoy when I would spud out the hole  . I use fake now and I seem to do just as good but just like with any fish some days they like the fake but other days the live bait works best so just for the sake of LAZYNES I use fake  .

[darkhousefisher]

I was thinking of picking up a red/white one. Maybe a couple different colors by next year. Do you guys use live bait at all?

I use the standard Red head.  I have a Dueys Decoy that I realy like, but Bear Creek Decoys are good too.  Buschwhacker makes and sells decoys, I may pick one of those up to try.  When I lived in MT I always had a fake and a live down the spearing hole.  I would use a live decoy, but it's illegal in AK.

[fishhead16]

I think I will start out with fake. Those live decoys are pretty pricey!

[BuschWhacker]

I think I will start out with fake. Those live decoys are pretty pricey!

  Pricey, and they don't withstand too many hits on the days the fishes are feeling especially ornery!  I have some fakes I've been totin' around for several years, lots of teeth marks on 'em, and they're still getting more Fakes can be a bit pricey too, but they last quite a bit longer.
  That said, it still doesn't hurt to have other options available, sometimes you have to try everything, to find something that works.
  Good Luck in your future spearing expeditions, careful tho, I've found it quite addicting, and I don't think there's a 12 step program to help ya get better. ( And if there was, I wouldn't go anyway )

[rezeye]

 here are my decoys the one at the top is virgin, the green one is old faithful, and the red and white one is the new one that I carved this winter and it has proven to be productive by bringing a large pike in on its first outing and then on its second outing it brought in a 21 lb northern that my brother speared his second outing also  and his first one on a spear

[fishhead16]

Those look pretty nice! I like that 2nd one.Was the one you made hard to carve?

[rezeye]

Those look pretty nice! I like that 2nd one.Was the one you made hard to carve?

I used pine and it only took about 4 hours  to carve plus painting