IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Darkhouse Spearing => Topic started by: JCrean on Dec 29, 2011, 05:22 PM
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With the warm weather here in SE MI, I started carving my own dekes just to keep myself sane.
This is my 3rd deke I've made. The other 2 were not carved or painted to resemble any particular species. I decided I'd like to have a pike decoy that I could either swim, or set to the side of a live minnow, with hopes of really aggervating a monster northern or musky. After all, the biggest predator of small pike, are big pike:).
I custom mixed and hand painted the deke (Don't have an airbrush). I made the spots too big and put too many on the fish, but overall I'm happy. Going to have to invest in some good brushes, instead of using kids brushes that coes 2.50 for 6 ;D.
I used an alphabet metal punch kit letter "c" to make the scales. Took forever. Time to invest in a wood burner!
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JCrean/101_1755.jpg)
Bottom:
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JCrean/101_1754.jpg)
Teeth:
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JCrean/101_1751.jpg)
Fishy:
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JCrean/101_1747.jpg)
Finished deke ends up being about 11.5". I hope the first time it swims, a 44" northern scratches the heck out of it ;D. I'd mount the decoy in the pike's mouth!
Hurry up and get here ice!!!!!!!!
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Nice looking decoy!
looks pretty realistic. Hopefully it swims good.
Good luck with your spearing.
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What kind of wood is that? And what did you use to carve it with?
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No password to see pics, could be that I was editing.
I carved the deke out of basswood although I know most guys use cedar, and used a good ol' knife to carve and dremel tool for detail.
I made the teeth out of epoxy.
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Nice work!
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Nice work! Really great! If next time you want to save time on the spots and have them more small.. trace and cut them on a large masking tape before you put on it!
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Great detail....looks awesome.....best of luck with it.
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First off you did a great job on detail and painting, but please tell me that ya tested it out before you sealed everything up, to make sure that it fly's right :-\ Also I would love an update this year on how well it holds up cause I heard that other kinds of wood besides ceder like to expand and contract with different temps, but I have never heard of any body that has had it happen. Good luck this year and I hope it works out well for ya and the 44" that you think might come first don't be to surprised if it happens cause the first time I used my decoys that I made I hit my biggest pike at 41 1/4"
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Nice job! I wish NY would make spearing Northern Pike legal.
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First off you did a great job on detail and painting, but please tell me that ya tested it out before you sealed everything up, to make sure that it fly's right :-\ Also I would love an update this year on how well it holds up cause I heard that other kinds of wood besides ceder like to expand and contract with different temps, but I have never heard of any body that has had it happen. Good luck this year and I hope it works out well for ya and the 44" that you think might come first don't be to surprised if it happens cause the first time I used my decoys that I made I hit my biggest pike at 41 1/4"
I swam it after weighing it and all was good :)!
Thanks for the comments, and I'll keep everyone posted if it produces some pike!
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that's awesome i like it,
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I think you should be alright with the basswood. Most handmade lures are made of basswood and they are going to be in the same environment. Great job btw. I've never really seen much on spearing and the thought of the decoy seemed crazy at first but the more I think about it the more it seems like an awsome idea!
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JCrean, why dont you add hook or trebles on it? i got a 13'' here(pike imitation for water season) for big pike and musky..they're able to attack easily half of their size! ::)
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Great job on the deek. I'm sure its going to produce one way or the other. The nice thing about making your own decoys is you end up with a wide variety of paint colors. And over time you will know which deeks just don't have the "right stuff" to bring in the fish. Time to get out the paints and give them a face lift. Try something crazy or just change to something traditional in color and pattern.
As soon as you start carving your own you are half way to being totally addicted. That's the great thing about this sport. Literally everything you need you can make yourself with very few professional skills.
My first homemade darkhouse. Used some land fill pit liner. Nearly bullet proof.
(http://www.alaskaoutdoorjournal.com/Iceshanty/10iceshacksunset.jpg)
My first homemade spear and first handmade decoy. AND the first two throws of the spear in my life. THAT'S ALL IT TOOK~!
(http://www.alaskaoutdoorjournal.com/Iceshanty/2pikespeardecoy.JPG)
Here's to your spearing season. May the fish gods bring you good luck and lots of action.
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awsome job keep up the good work
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Dude....that is awesome!
I would mount that on the hood of my truck!
Cheers,
Ice Beard
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As soon as you start carving your own you are half way to being totally addicted. That's the great thing about this sport. Literally everything you need you can make yourself with very few professional skills.
I agree That's what got me. I speared sometimes, then I carved a decoy to save money, now I carve with my own forged knifes. I learned to blacksmith to make knifes for making decoys. I also forged a spear, 2 draw knifes, 4 carving knifes, and made a lathe to turn the handles. Once the addiction has you it won't let go. :'(
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Once the addiction has you it won't let go. :'(
TOTALLY confirmed at this end! Even when it may be a while before I can get out on a trip as long as there is ice on the lakes I think about spearing almost daily. Can't help it when you visit IS every day!
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You guys are spot on, I'm ADDICTED!
I've made my own dekes, darkhouse, and camera mount to film my trips.
Next step is to fab a spear!
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That is a great looking decoy :o The detail is awsome.