Confessions of a DarkHouse Spear Fisherman. ( airing of grievances)

[Neighbor_guy]

Why must a puppy chew on every single thing they find?!? It wasn't my favorite decoy... But it must have tasted good.... Because she chewed it's head off like an otter chews off the head of a dead sucker minnow left on the ice. Those little milk teeth punched right trough the aluminum find too... I don't even know how she got it?!?! 

Then there were the decoy blanks... She has a long ways to go to be a shop dog... Over a dozen of those with teeth marks in them too. That's what I get for not watching her every move I guess. 

[Neighbor_guy]

I have decided to paint a sign similar to this one for all future decoy shows. Only instead of a puppy it might say "harmonica"..... Or "taught to curse"

I had a goose head get broken off, and a perch decoy dropped off the table and stepped on this weekend. Hard to grit your teeth and bite your tongue at the same time. 

[Mike89]

you break it you buy it would be my sign, sorry to hear that news from you

[perchking]

On 2/2/2016 at 11:21 AM, Neighbor_guy said:

a "rare earth" magnet and a 15' peice of para cord is a lifesaver. It doesn't take up much space and will retrieve most of the things that fall down the spear hole. Chisel, saw, tongs, even some decoys. 

Its cheap insurance. 

For some odd reason, I am a hoarder of rope.  My theory is you can never have enough of it, I do have to ask what that knot is called? 

[Neighbor_guy]

Which side of the rope are you asking about??? The one end is a surgeons loop(with the magnet).

The other is just the way I learned as a kid in scouts to quickly secure a rope so that it didn't get tangled up and could quickly be redeployed. Loop it several times to take up the slack. Then wrap the tag end around several times and pass the last few inches back under itself. Pull it snug. When you need to use it just pull the tag end free and unwrap. Don't know that it has a name.?.?.?

[perchking]

Go it, I like the surgeons loop.  going to have to give that a try!

 

Thanks,

[Neighbor_guy]

The beginning of the spearing season is off to a stellar start eh?

 

The Grand Rapids Decoy Show was a bust, biggest show attendance wise in the history of the show, but nobody was willing to spend any money to buy anything. Most people were if the attitude that they weren't going to buy anything new this year as it wouldn't be worth not getting to use it. It's a double edged sword, spearable ice puts folks on the lake and not at the show so attendance falls. Those that do spend money and are excited to try their new decoys. No ice pushes attendance up, but no excitement for early ice. May need to add a show to my list to make up the difference. 

 

Now our annual season kick off is a fail as well. We will still gather and see people who haven't been seen in a year or sometimes two. And the fun will still be had, but it won't be the same.

 

People who make their living at this sport, like dixons resort, or Heaths, little winni, or Beckers, are all going to feel the sting much more than others. I cover some of the costs of my hobbies by selling decoys. These folks need guys like us to pay the bills. 

 

As nice as it is to not pay high heat bills and shovel snow every other day. I want ice bad. The duck season is over, the deer are in the freezer, time for decoys in the water, and hot dogs on the tailgate.