# Pike Spearing 101



## buckhunter14

Can anyone offer novice tips on spearing Pike in a stagnant body of water (lake). I haven't seen a thread similar to this and this will be my first attempt and I feel confident, but would like some outside advice.

Anything from personal tips and tricks, to preferred depths. Things such as attracts or tactics.


Some things to start us off:

I have heard that some people will put a rattle trap under the water and rip it around for a few seconds and the rattles attract curious Pike, any input?

I have a location in mind where I have caught (hook and line) a few 40" Pike that is around 10' with a weed bed. This is where a very small creek dumps into a lake, could this creek create dirty water, unable to see the bottom? Should I favor a side of the creek rather than in front of it?

How about the block of ice from the hole? Push it under the ice or pull it out? Does the reflection/different environment attract curious Pike or does it push them away?


Thanks guys, feel free to post any information or PM.

- BH14


----------



## CaptainNorthwood

Theres been quite a few pike spearing questions and if you do a search I am sure all your questions will be answered. The questions you have specifically though........its gonna be hard to spear near the creek when it warms because of runoff. Some lakes this is a bigger problem than others. It all depends on the lake and what the surrounding area is like and its gonna depend on how much mud is going into lake. Pull blocks of ice out of water rather than pushing under the ice. We always use artificial decoys but theres alot of reasons for that. Give both a try and see what you like better, a good 12-14" live sucker can be alot of fun but alot of work keeping them alive when your not spearing. We've used jigging spoons without hooks as well. We spear in 8-9 feet of water 90% of the time. Use a good sharp spear and tie the spear rope off to the head so the pike comes to surface upside down. And the biggest and most important advice is mark your hole well when your done. Be safe and have fun.


----------



## Scottygvsu

I'd definitely stay away from the mouth of the creek. The warm temps lately have led to dirty runoff clouding the water in the lakes I spear. This weekend my spearing hole looked like chocolate milk. I could barely make out my 10" bright white decoy four feet below the ice. If you want to keep a live decoy alive for weeks, take a five gallon pail and drill as many holes as you can in it. Make sure you drill holes in the lid too or it wont sink. After fishing put your decoy in the bucket, tie a rope to the handle, tie off the other end to the bottom of your shanty, and sink the bucket in your spearing hole. The next time you go out pull the bucket and your sucker will be alive and well.


----------



## buckhunter14

Thanks for the tips fellas, keep them coming.



Scottygvsu said:


> I'd definitely stay away from the mouth of the creek. The warm temps lately have led to dirty runoff clouding the water in the lakes I spear. This weekend my spearing hole looked like chocolate milk. I could barely make out my 10" bright white decoy four feet below the ice. If you want to keep a live decoy alive for weeks, take a five gallon pail and drill as many holes as you can in it. Make sure you drill holes in the lid too or it wont sink. After fishing put your decoy in the bucket, tie a rope to the handle, tie off the other end to the bottom of your shanty, and sink the bucket in your spearing hole. The next time you go out pull the bucket and your sucker will be alive and well.


How far under the water do you submerge the bucket. Great idea, but I was thinking that the bucket might make fish avoid the area as it would be unfamiliar? I realize while your in the shanty you would take the bucket out, but fish may still notice it during the off-period?


----------



## Scottygvsu

Just enough to get it underwater. I haven't had any trouble with it spooking fish from the area. Fish aren't that smart! If you plan on putting tip ups out or jigging while you spear, use a decoy pin instead of a hook. That way your minnow doesn't count as a line and you can still have your three lines in the water. But remember that as soon as the spear hits the water it counts as one of your lines. I always put out two tip ups and jig for gills in my shanty. When a pike comes in I just reel in my jigging rod.


----------



## Scottygvsu

Not to talk your eyes off but I love talkin' spearing! If you've never speared a fish, the one trick I learned the hard way is to measure the pike against the decoy. If you have an 8" decoy, you need at least three decoy lengths to make a legal fish. They look bigger underwater and combined with the excitement you don't want to spear a 20"er on accident. If you don't want to mess with the live decoy, a wooden one works just fine. Red and white is the old stand-by and always works. Have it half-way to 3/4 to the bottom so pike can see it work. Sit tight, don't be afraid to work the decoy, and dont step on the spear rope.
Good Luck!


----------



## buckhunter14

Thanks alot for the reply. I am stoked about getting out the shanty. I have been watching videos on the internet, etc. Honestly, there isn't much information on the internet about spearing.

I have a few spots that I really want to try, but the main lake I am spearing is a very sharp drop. 3' to 12' FOW in a matter of a few feet. I have pulled a few 40" fish out of a certain area, but it is either shallow or DEEP. So, I am trying to get on the hub, and we will see what happens.

Do you hang your excess rope for the spear in the shanty so there is no intereference? I have heard some put it on like a coat hanger so it readily pulls away upon the "throw" with very little resistance.

How bad does a little light affect the shanty? I am a college student so I was going to bring a small headlamp and read, will this affect much?

What is the idea of the "pin" in the decoy? I realize the prupose is to not use an extra line but how is it attatched to the decoy?

Thanks for the help!


----------



## WhiteTailHunter87

I second dont step on your spear rope :rant::yikes::lol: I have did it more then one time :lol: try not to sleep to much also use any thing with flash that brings em in  Good Luck posted some pics of your first pike you spear


----------



## redwinger00

Not 100% certain but I do not believe that a spear counts as one of your three lines...someone correct me if i am wrong


----------



## D-Fresh

redwinger00 said:


> Not 100% certain but I do not believe that a spear counts as one of your three lines...someone correct me if i am wrong


I am pretty sure you are correct, I just glanced at the guide quickly and couldn't find anything that said a spear counts as 1 of 3 lines/rods. I'd like to know 100% for sure if it is, maybe a good question for the law forum.


----------



## northlyon

This does sound like fun! Whats the smallest hole you can spear from? silly i know but i just got a new shanty this year and it only has about a 10"x18" hole. As i type this out it sure doesnt sound big enough! lol


----------



## chuckinduck

buckhunter14 said:


> Thanks alot for the reply. I am stoked about getting out the shanty. I have been watching videos on the internet, etc. Honestly, there isn't much information on the internet about spearing.
> 
> I have a few spots that I really want to try, but the main lake I am spearing is a very sharp drop. 3' to 12' FOW in a matter of a few feet. I have pulled a few 40" fish out of a certain area, but it is either shallow or DEEP. So, I am trying to get on the hub, and we will see what happens.
> 
> Do you hang your excess rope for the spear in the shanty so there is no intereference? I have heard some put it on like a coat hanger so it readily pulls away upon the "throw" with very little resistance.
> 
> How bad does a little light affect the shanty? I am a college student so I was going to bring a small headlamp and read, will this affect much?
> 
> What is the idea of the "pin" in the decoy? I realize the prupose is to not use an extra line but how is it attatched to the decoy?
> 
> Thanks for the help!


Sounds like you've found a good spot, we always try and orient our locations to a drop off if at all possible. Its been our experience that most large pike will come from the deeper waters to investigate your dekes, or sucker. Northwood and I don't do anything fancy with our rope thats affixed to the spears. Just lay it lose at your side and you shouldn't have a problem. Keep it simple. Tying to make it easier then it has to be can end up making it more complex, if that makes sense. Your biggest challenge as a newbie will probably be judging pike. It doesn't come quickly, but as a general rule, if a pike looks "skiinny", its generally small. For whatever reason, pike seem to thicken up as they head north of 24". Its a personal preference, but if you set a goal of 28", you're odds of spearing something 23" drops. Just a personal number we strive to go by. Its up to you. You could read in the shanty, but its a waiting/watching game, so reading only takes away from the watching. :lol: Thats what beer is for.  Sometimes those big hawgs only give you one chance, you'll want to be ready. Aim for the back of the head, and don't THROW the spear, just ease it into the water, and give it a firm push. GOOD LUCK!


----------



## Scottygvsu

The spear doesn't count until it hits the water. I've been checked by CO's a few times with two tip-ups out and a jigging rod in the hole while spearing. Have had no trouble. The CO will ask to see your decoy to make sure there are no hooks on it. As long as you use a decoy pin for live bait or a fake decoy/ lure with no hooks you'll be fine. Just make sure to reel in your jigging rod when it comes time to stick 'em. Some guys don't like to put out extra bait, i.e. tip ups, when spearing. But I like to have something else to watch! What do you guys think? Tip-ups lessen your sightings?


----------



## chuckinduck

Scottygvsu said:


> The spear doesn't count until it hits the water. I've been checked by CO's a few times with two tip-ups out and a jigging rod in the hole while spearing. Have had no trouble. The CO will ask to see your decoy to make sure there are no hooks on it. As long as you use a decoy pin for live bait or a fake decoy/ lure with no hooks you'll be fine. Just make sure to reel in your jigging rod when it comes time to stick 'em. Some guys don't like to put out extra bait, i.e. tip ups, when spearing. But I like to have something else to watch! What do you guys think? Tip-ups lessen your sightings?


I was never one to use tip-ups unless I'm scouting out new waters for places to spear. I can't say they lessen our sightings because lord knows theres always about 10 to 12 of them surrounding our shanty when we get out there. :lol: Our shack must be like a bullseye or something. For me, I don't put them out, one more thing they can key on is never good when you're trying to attract them to your hole. Plus, our shanty has no windows, so to check the tip-ups would require me to open the door a lot, not worth it to me. Just my opinion.


----------



## Scottygvsu

Thats funny 'cuz i noticed the same thing. Seems like my spearing shack looks like prime pike habitat to other anglers. People see a shanty and assume the area must hold pike. It can be irritating at times but I just smile and wave when I throw the door open and send a flopping pike out. How far do you guys stay away from other shanty's when setting up yours? Seems around here that if you're sticking fish, the next guy will set up door to door with you. Sometimes it seems like I can see the flash of my new neighbors decoy:sad:


----------



## buckhunter14

How do you attach the live sucker (decoy) to the line?

If I have smaller suckers or shiner I am guessing I would just use a hook. I could do the same with my big decoy sucker, but want to keep it living as long as possible and in good shape. Thus, not counting as another line in the water.

Thanks.


----------



## D-Fresh

buckhunter14 said:


> How do you attach the live sucker (decoy) to the line?
> 
> If I have smaller suckers or shiner I am guessing I would just use a hook. I could do the same with my big decoy sucker, but want to keep it living as long as possible and in good shape. Thus, not counting as another line in the water.
> 
> Thanks.


Use a decoy pin like this, there are a few other options out there with weights and or beads/blades, but this is the basic concept. It doesn't count as rod/line with a pin, but if you use a hook to attach it, then it becomes one of your 3 rods.


----------



## buckhunter14

I figured I would come back with a report...

First, I'd like to thank all that gave some comments/tips.


I think I found a high traffic Pike area. A friend and I put the shanty up this afternoon, Spudding, banging, moving, situating, etc. I had a few hours of daylight left and I was eager to see how this all works, so I gave it a 30 minutes break and got into the shanty.

After a few minor adjustments I had a shiner down and a wooden decoy I just made this past week. Within 10 minutes I had a pike face-to-face with my wooden decoy. Talk about pumped!

I slid the spear gradually into the water and let him have it with a swift push. Perfect, right behind the gill plates. Now, I realized how much bigger tha water makes them look. I thought he was about 28" and as I got the tape to him he was only 24.5", even though I am very familiar with Pike, even large ones, I still misjudged the size.

I took a few pictures and moved some things around, only to look back into the hole and see a bruiser cruising a few feet under the ice, with my spear outside the shanty!

I seen many other fish, a few coming very late, but never put the stick to another. A great time out for my first experience.


Now a question, the water is a little murky, and at 9 foot I can make out a little of the bottom but think I would have had a shot if I could have recognized these fish a little sooner. *What is your experience with putting visual aids on the bottom of the lake ( potatoe skins, beans, eggs shells)?*


----------



## brigeton

It's been a few years since I have speared but I did it a lot when I was younger. It's a rush to see a big pike cruise in after watching an empty hole for a few hours. It definitely helps to have something light colored on the bottom so you can see the fish going over it instead of blending in. Especially late in the afternoon. Many times the big ones just kind of float in along the bottom and look at your decoy and can be hard to see. It would take quite a while to collect enough egg shells. I always had good luck slicing potatoes thin. On the flip side it isn't always absolutely necessary to see bottom. one of the most productive holes I ever had was in 15' off a dropoff & pike would come off the drop at the level of my decoy. I'm not sure how much a headlamp would impair vision but I do know you want the shanty as dark as possible from the outside. any light entering a little crack in the door or whatever will reflect in the hole. Many people hang a rug inside the door to block any light that may come in around it.


----------



## Scottygvsu

Congrats on your fish! You're addicted now aren't ya? Glad we could help. If you decide to put something down your hole like beans, corn, rice etc. make sure you do it as you leave for the day or the day before you go. Those things leave particles that will cloud up the water and make it worse for a while. do it on a day you don't plan to fish and give the particles a chance to settle to the bottom. those that dont will freeze into the skim ice on your hole and you just toss it out your door the next time you go. Or make sure and rinse whatever you use really well before you go fishin'. It definitely will help you see.


----------



## buckhunter14

Scottygvsu said:


> Congrats on your fish! You're addicted now aren't ya? Glad we could help. If you decide to put something down your hole like beans, corn, rice etc. make sure you do it as you leave for the day or the day before you go. Those things leave particles that will cloud up the water and make it worse for a while. do it on a day you don't plan to fish and give the particles a chance to settle to the bottom. those that dont will freeze into the skim ice on your hole and you just toss it out your door the next time you go. Or make sure and rinse whatever you use really well before you go fishin'. It definitely will help you see.


 
I found this out the hard way. I never seen a fish Friday, sat for 4 hours. Right when I got there I put some potatoes down and you could see particles, etc. in the water and it looks like the scent was everywhere, don't know how it affected the fish, but I didn't see any.


----------



## Scottygvsu

Doubt the smell affected anything. Spearin's like deer hunting, sometimes you see 'em sometimes you don't. I sat from 8-4 on saturday and didn't see any either. Just the way it goes. don't get discouraged. the next time you go out the water will have cleared up.


----------



## D-Fresh

buckhunter14 said:


> I found this out the hard way. I never seen a fish Friday, sat for 4 hours. Right when I got there I put some potatoes down and you could see particles, etc. in the water and it looks like the scent was everywhere, don't know how it affected the fish, but I didn't see any.


Use navy beans next time. I've never had any problems with them making the water cloudy. They shouldn't affect your fishing at all.


----------



## buckhunter14

Fished from 3:45 until 5:30 today. Had two takers. The first one (about 32") I had a good hit on and pinned him to the bottom, but as I lifted the spear he swam away. Evidently the barbs didn't get him?

The second one didn't even know what hit him, came in about 20 minutes after the other but much closer to the ice. Measured 30.5".


----------



## foxfire69

Did you allow enough time before raising? Is your rope tied to the handle or the spearhead? It's much better to haul the fish up with the tines pointing up which helps control the fish and lessen "Shake-offs"!! I usually allow the water to clear a little and see how well there stuck before attempting to raise. Good luck next time!


----------



## buckhunter14

foxfire69 said:


> Did you allow enough time before raising? Is your rope tied to the handle or the spearhead? It's much better to haul the fish up with the tines pointing up which helps control the fish and lessen "Shake-offs"!! I usually allow the water to clear a little and see how well there stuck before attempting to raise. Good luck next time!


I did alow a short time, still figuring out how much time I think I should allow the fish. The spear I am using the rope is into the End of the spear. I don't think the barbs penetrated the fish. It was the deepest throw I have had yet so maybe I needed just a little more power.

I'll have to see how the next few go. Thanks for the advice.


----------



## CaptainNorthwood

Tie the rope off to the spear head and run the rope along the spear up to the handle and double up the rope and pinch and run doubled up section of rope thru hole in top of handle and pull the little loop over top of handle and pull tight. When you get ready to spear a fish flip the loop off the top of the spear and as your spear travels thru the water the line will remain tight to the shaft and won't affect accuracy. When you pull spear up the rope will pull free of the hole in handle and the spear will flip upside down and the fish will come up belly up. You still got make sure you bury that spear though.


----------



## buckhunter14

Thought you guys might enjoy these pictures, thanks for the help.


----------



## chuckinduck

buckhunter14 said:


> Thought you guys might enjoy these pictures, thanks for the help.


Good job on those northerns, looks like you're picking it up grasshopper! Slow weekend for us. Sat from 7:30-11 on saturday, had about 7 pike show up. All shorty's but two that we couldn't get to commit, they slightly above average fish, 28-30" range. Sunday we sat from 12-6, and saw two pike, both shorties. Talk about a yawner. Storm front coming through tomorrow. I hope everyone's in there shacks, should be a good night.


----------



## fisherjam

Yeah, very slow weekend for me too. 1:00-5:30 in the shanty friday, 7:30-1:30 saturday, 7:30-11:00 sunday on higgins. Only saw one huge pike friday, but it didn't come under the hole. I don't think higgins is the best lake for spearing. I tried two different spots and three different decoys. If anyone has any tips for spearing on higgins please PM me. This is my first year spearing and I tried it for another 4 hours two weeks ago and nothing.


----------

