Live vs Fake

[Jigging55]

Alright Im new to spearing im in the Bemidji area havent got a clue what to use I know what lake im going to give a try but I don't know what I should use a sucker minnow with harnes or a carved bright decoy or a daredevil teaser w/ golf ball any trick or tip would be great looking for some guidence I alreay have one of the best saws Fish's Ice Saw so getting throught the ice wont be a problem at least.

[pikestabber]

Jigging 55, I like both a sucker and a decoy 90% of the time. Some days the fish will come in to just the sucker, some days to just the decoy, some days they will hit each equally, some days this won't come in at all! If the fish aren't coming in, try on or the other for an hour each...still nothing? Move.

The key is to experiment, but my typical set up is a sucker at mid-depth on one side of the hole, than a decoy on the other side about a foot lower than the sucker. If the sucker sits idle too long, I prod the line to keep him moving fairly often. As for the decoy, start it off slow and give it a few spins around every 15 minutes. Some say jig more, others less, but 15 minutes is just a starting point--let the fish tell you what they like.

[Meat-Run]

I have a similiar question whats better a weighted harness or a clip that goes through the skin to hold the sucker on? Is there benefit to one over the other? Sorry to steal your post but I think this might help us both?

mr

[merkman]

I like both a sucker and a decoy 90% of the time. Some days the fish will come in to just the sucker, some days to just the decoy, some days they will hit each equally, some days this won't come in at all! If the fish aren't coming in, try on or the other for an hour each

I agree.

Most times for me it is a live and a decoy.

Sometimes I use the BnS rig and put the live sucker under the decoy.

Then there is the HB spinner with almost anything you can attach to it.

[merkman]

I have a similiar question whats better a weighted harness or a clip that goes through the skin to hold the sucker on?

I use a harness but I don't think one is beter than the other.

It is one of those Ford Chevy questions.

[Meat-Run]

Merckman, the clip doesn't have a weight and the sucker has a tendency to swim out of the hole and out of range? What I used in the past was the egg sinker under the sucker but I don't have any experience with the clip. Just wondering if i'm over looking another harness that might make it easier to have a live sucker on.

mr

[Jigging55]

Great guys thanks a lot how do you mount your decoys I’ve herd use a old fishing real then you can change depth real easy like I said just looking for w/e help I can get

[Meat-Run]

Put two strews in the wall over the hole rap line around the screws and let line out as you need it or do the same and then run the line up to a hook in the cealing and then center the line down to the middle of the hole for the decoy/sucker. The only problem is if you have a pike grap it there is no drag and could break off your favorite decoy. I'm in the process of using a rattle wheel that I can adjust the tension/drag for my sucker/decoy and if need to I can still use it for angling later. I also have a wooded dowel with line on it for my decoy so I can react to the pike as they come in and draw him closer or further away. If there is two persons in the house it's easier to hand that off to the non-spearer so you have both hands free to put the smack down on the pick!

mr

mr

[browning_gold]

I run both!!

[merkman]

Great guys thanks a lot how do you mount your decoys I’ve herd use a old fishing real then you can change depth real easy like I said just looking for w/e help I can get

Here is what I use.

Or this

With the chair mount the line goes up and over (eather a pole from the fish house or a rope I have tied between 2 poles depending on what house I am in) then it goes down to the decoy.

I kinda like having the line up and over something in the center of the hole.

[DaMoose]

I also use about the same set-up as pikestabber, in fact I think I have been spearing with him before. As far as what to rig the line to, I use a dowl rod with a real zip tyed to it. The dowl rod can be attatched to the wall of a permanent, or to the poles of a portable

[merkman]

This is the BnS rig I spoke of earlier.

[bassNspear]

that is correct merkman.

I like the weight less, becuase it will give you more movement!

9 timese out of 10, the fish will not hit it until its half to 3/4 way back into the hole anyways. This way you till never have to touch your line, and the fake decoy is aways swiming with the live!