Slowed down??

[clayshooter]

Hi guys. Things have slowed down for me over here in Mi. 3 sits without anything in the hole. Was pretty steady for a few weeks 2-3 fish everytime out. Tossed some beans down hole to brigthen things up. Worked good but now about a week latter I have alot of small bubbles coming up(gas from the beans??). Do you think this might be having an effect on seeing fish?? I have missed three fish, since my first-time success. And we have a 24" min. size here so I've been waiting for a fish I figure is 30" before I throw the spear. But where have they gone!

[MJ1657]

It's slowed down for me to. I have been seeing a few real nice fish but they have been hugging the bottom.

[Gordie]

Hey Clay shooter Welcome to the HSO family and the spearing forum. Glad to have you onboard!!

I notice a big slow down every winter for a couple a weeks but it usaaly picks up for the last couple of weeks of the season hear.

For the question on the bean bubbles I have seen some studies and that have been done on some fish I think it was mostly salt water thou and bubbles did detour fish from the area the were checking out. If I remember right they were testing out the fact that sharks wouldnt go thru a bubble fence so to speak and it could be used as a shark repelent.

Not so sure that it would affect pike even thou they are kinda like fresh water sharks

Here in MN we have a one over 30 inch rule. Three fish limit and only one can be over thirty.

I was talking with friend the other day and we were talking a bout possibly spearing in Michigan. maybe some day

[MJ1657]

I have a question about fish hugging the bottom. I was trying some different things a couple days ago when I wasn't seeing many fish.

I lowered my artificial decoy to about 15 feet deep. A big pike came in and looked at it but it was to deep to safely spear. My question is do you think I am hurting my chances at getting a fish to come up in range to my live decoy by doing this? Or is anything I can do to get a fish attracted to my area a good thing. I'm curious to see what you guys think.

[Gordie]

MJ what I was taught was to always run your live decoy deeper than your fake decoy because if a pike comes in and looks at yur live decoy you can jig your fake one to entice the pike to look at the fake one that is higher up. not saying that it always works but I have jigged afew in this way I think the biggest depth change was aroud 6-7 feet between the two.

Another thing I have done is slowly pull the live decoy up if the pike is looking at it they will sometimes follow the decoy up sometime right away sometime bit after. At least your seeing fish.

[MJ1657]

I'll have to try that. I have always ran my artificial lower. All but one of the fish i've speared this year have came into my live decoy.