Decoy Harness

[MJ1657]

What kind of decoy harness do you guys use? The person that taught me to spear uses the safety pin style so that is what I have always used. Sometimes I have trouble with the decoy hanging head down more then I would like. I'd like to hear some opinions on either.

Thanks

[merkman]

I use the non pin style harness.

I have tried the pins but for some reason I just like these.

I do like the spinner blade under the minnow and I have hooked other things (spoons etc) under it to give it more flexibility.

[browning_gold]

I use the same type of harness merkman is showing there.. Cant go Wrong!!

[bassNspear]

i use the old fashion triangle harness with nothing else.

[thedeadsea]

25# old school black braided line tied in a loop, snugged down with a rubber core sinker.

[waterbound]

How do you use the non-pin harnesses? Is it basically a loop like thedeadsea said?

[browning_gold]

Yes it has a loop and you close it up with a crimp that is on the harness

[merkman]

How do you use the non-pin harnesses? Is it basically a loop like thedeadsea said?

I put the sinker below the sucker.

To do this I place the sucker between the two beads above the sinker.

Then I grab the top bead above the crimp and use it to slide the crimp down until the sucker is tight in the harness.

I then place the sucker in the hole very gently the first time, only a couple inches down.

I let the sucker swim a second or two making sure the harness is on correct and the sucker is sitting where I want him to.

After he gets adjusted and swims good I let him down the hole.

After he has been in the harness for a couple of min you can bang him around pretty good and he won't come out. Even if a pike takes him for a little "joy ride"

You can adjust the position of the harness to suit your needs.

If it is slow and there are not many pike around I will push the entire harness back so the sucker looks wounded and flails upward. Other times the pike prefer a more natural presentation.

If I know I will be out fishing the next day I leave the decoy in the harness down below the top of the ice but above the bottom of the hole. He will be alive when you get back the next day. Don't do this if you run a hook on your decoy though.

Anyways you can take it from there.

Also the sinker helps keep the sucker from swimming out of the hole.

[merkman]

25# old school black braided line tied in a loop, snugged down with a rubber core sinker.

Dat works too... and as an added bonus, it appeals to the inner hillbilly!!!

[MJ1657]

I'm going to try one of them harnesses tomorrow.

[merkman]

I'm going to try one of them harnesses tomorrow.

They have a bunch just under $3 each at the Holiday Station on Main and 65 (Westrom's Corner).

While you are there tell them that you want larger live spearing decoys too.

I keep telling them to get some cause they will sell and they don't believe me.

[MJ1657]

I have one but never used it. I've been getting my decoys at Fish Lake Bait. They have awesome minnows.

I'll probably be stopping at Westrom's Wednesday morning and I'll mention the decoys.

[merkman]

I'll probably be stopping at Westrom's Wednesday morning and I'll mention the decoys.

Thanks

[Gordie]

I have used both and I perfer the triangle weight pin style over the harness. I have lost a couple decoys with the harness so I just dont have the confidence in them yet. I know that the pinned decoy isn't going to swim away. I also like the pinned style because if I leave the decoy in the hole when I leave the perm shack it will be there when I get back. I leave the decoy hanging in the water but not below the ice it keeps the decoy alive longer and the hole open longer. I have had decoys on a pin like this for as long as almost 3 weeks I think 18 days was the longest last year.

I am going to start useing the non weighted pins now because that way I can put the weight above my snap swivel and if I want to leave and take the decoy with I dont have to unpin just take off the snap and toss in the minnow bucket and vise versa when I go spearing again.

[MJ1657]

Do you put the pin through right behind the dorsal fin Elwood?

[Gordie]

I pin it ahead of the dorsel fin just behind the head (about half way between) that way it swims more upright. I have also pinned them right in front of the tail when the water is dirty so I get a bit more action out of the decoybut I dont do this that much.

[MJ1657]

I'll have to try that. I was always told to pin it behind the fin. I do not like how they often hang down because of that.

So many good ideas from this site it's hard to figure out which one to try first!!

[Gordie]

when you pin ahead of the dorsel fin try and pin it just under the spine cause to far could kill the decoy. stick the pin thru slowly and you can feel the spine.

[MJ1657]

Thanks for the tip.

[Gordie]

Good Luck MJ

[bassNspear]

when you pin ahead of the dorsel fin try and pin it just under the spine cause to far could kill the decoy. stick the pin thru slowly and you can feel the spine.

cant say it better myself. And if you are going to use a harness with out a weight, which you should make sure that if the live decoy is swimming up to the ice or out of control, pull it up and cut some of the back tail off so he cant swim that high! The more action you get with this live decoy in my opinion, you will see more fish!

[MJ1657]

I tried the non pin harness and I guess I didn't have it quite tight enough. Minnow stayed in it for a grand total of about 3 seconds.

I only had one extra decoy so I figured I better experiment more with that at a later date. I pinned the other one where Elwood said to do it. I really liked how it swam.

[bassNspear]

did ya see any fish?

[MJ1657]

4 in 6 hours. One was big but it was real deep. I had a little one that had my decoy in it's mouth three seperate times. I couldn't get rid of it.

[bassNspear]

that happens alot with the little ones, just not smart enough to figure it out!

Glad you had come awesome luck!