How long have you gone without seeing a single northern?

[Dooley87]

This is my 3rd weekend out this year, been on 2 different lakes and cut 4 holes and have yet to see one northern or sunny or perch yet. I'm spearing in spots I've always had good luck in previous years. I don't know how much longer I can stare down an empty hole. Are any of you having or have you had bad dry spells?

[mmeyer]

I'm in the same boat. See "Getting discouraged" thread. I have actually seen some little guys but takers yet. Good luck, we gotta score sometime right?

[Laska]

Move... I only try spots for a day then cut another hole, so far I cut 3 holes in 4 days no fish whatsoever so in the morning I don't see nothing ill move again, until I find a spot where the northerns are traveling. Longest I've gone with no luck is 7 days then the 8th day I saw 8 in an hour all diff sizes, keep moving study sme lake maps on depth find sme underwater points with nice drop offs or weedlines if you can fnd both in one. Success lies within where you setup not anything else in my book, live bait helps but isn't a must. Gotta keep trying and moving ask BNS my strategy on cass it worked wonders for me, no worries we all have a run of bad luck, if it was so easy everyone would do it, but overall it WILL pay off for your effforts.

[deerhunter]

Same here getting frustrating hey meyer I see your from hutch I spear around hutch too

[CFD200]

I have not speared in 18 years. Got the house out of the basement this year and I dont remember it being that slow. Saw nothing this morning and moved 20 yards and saw two small ones tonight. It is a weird weather year, maybe that is it?

[Gordie]

This is by far the worst yeaqr for me not only being able to get out but the first 6 times I never saw a pike and the 7th was the charm

[Archerysniper]

Just keep moving Today it took me 3 holes before I found a fish but it was a quality one. Your not the only one on a dry spell speared 2 in the last 3 sits cutting 5 holes on 2 different lakes and tomorrow I'm off to a new lake,it's like deer hunting keep moving till you locate them.

[mrklean]

i think this year has just been an odd year, the lakes arent as clear as in the past but just keep moving till you find them

[TroutYammer]

Keep moving....sooner or later you will find them. I has three holes before Christmas that produced NOTHING!!!! I would cut one hole in the morning and one in the afternnon....sooner or later you are gonna score...find some nice green weeds and move until you find them.

[Dooley87]

It's just tough cause the lakes are all so dirty. I set up on a new lake today and couldn't even see down 4 feet. I had a buddy who had a fish come in and smoke his decoy and all he saw was the decoy move. Discouraged is a great word for what I'm feeling right now. Not really sure what lake or where to go anymore cause I've heard the same thing from a lot of people, dirty and no fish.

[BehindtheHead]

dont be so quick to set up or even cut a hole. i spent a whole day this week checking different spots and different lakes for clarity and weeds. take a day and find a clear lake and find good spots on that lake.

when i am looking for a spot i auger a hole and drop a little red and white decoy down, lay on the ice with your face in the hole, see whats down there. i never cut a spear hole with out looking down it. what if you set up right on a big rock?

if all the lakes that you want to spear are dirty dont be afraid to travel.

[deerhunter]

I do the same thing I drill holes first to make sure its clear I will even put my camera down the hole so I can get a real good look I also will travel like behindthehead said I can't stand a dirty hole I rather stare down a clear hole and see no pike then stare down a dirty hole and try to tell if I see any

[Dooley87]

I do the same thing normally but yesterday a bunch of my friends were all fishing and spearing together on the same lake and every spot I checked was dirty. I'll put my camera down as well but it's surprising sometimes how clear it looks on the camera when it's still pretty dirty. Only good way to tell is like behindthehead said is to drill some holes lay down with your hands over your head and look into them.

[Spike76]

If I would not see any in a day I would move. The lake I'm on this year is real dirty, but I've been getting plenty of fish. Week days are better for me because of less people on the lake. Sundays are the worst for me because of not getting out as early because of church, and more people on the lake.

[Jessie_H]

Decided to try a different lake this year. Our normal lake is cloudy and had bad winter kill last year. The new lake it took a couple days to finally see some fish. But Sunday I think we found the spot, saw 3. And of course when I did see the fish I was: looking for a different decoy, putting my phone away and being a putz, all on seperate occasions. But I did manage to finally get my first fish in MY new spear house. (boys, a way to get into a girls heart may not always be diamonds. Try building her a spear house instead In my case I was excited but other girls may think differently.) I also saw some massive carp.

[MJ1657]

I also saw some massive carp.

Stick them carp its alot of fun.

[Jessie_H]

Stick them carp its alot of fun.

[Archerysniper]

Yup carp are fun I got a 3 footer last winter didnt have a scale big enough to weigh it. Dont stick them in the head though it can really do a number on a spear.