Darkhouse Pictures 2007-2008 Season!!!!!

[bassNspear]

awesome shots man. Great to see that you had a great day to hang it up for the year. Next year is going to be even better.

[Gordie]

great photos shamalex and its great to hear that that jointed decoy you made is working out so good. anticapation for next year is what we got head of us.

[shamalex72]

It's only been closed one day, and already looking forward to next season. I am going to build a new permanent house. Then use the portable every once in while to head up north.

[bassNspear]

ya im looking foward to next year as well. I have learned a little bit about these lakes around me that i have here, but ill take the boat out and see more for next year, so i can learn more about them. I can wait for next year.

[cherokee]

Bass n spear, We'll have to hook up next year as I have been fishing these lakes for sometime now. It would be nice to compare notes as I'm sure we've been on the same water and not even known it.

I get out musky, northern and bass fishing quite a bit during open water. Maybe we can hook up. Anyone else interested let me know.

Ended my season on Saturday. Almost didn't make it as one daughter was sick and the other had play practice with mom. Hit a local lake and had to wait till 5:17 before the first one decoyed. Five minutes later another decoyed. Two good eaters and my season ended. Good way to go out.

[bassNspear]

We can get together and go out on my boat forsure, i have no problem with that at all. Im sure your right, that we were out on the same lakes, and didnt even know it. But ya, we will have to hook up together and see what we can figure out together.

[cherokee]

Sounds good. Can hardly wait to get the Cherokee out.

[Jim Uran]

I went out a few times this year for the firt time in YEARS!!!! Man I forgot how fun it was. Great Pics everyone.

[Hammer Handle]

I like the great pictures showing fish in the spearing hole.

But, I also noticed a lot of people don't "square off" the hole or open it up 100%.

Man, if I didn't clean the hole up entirely (even under the house), my dad would not allow me to use the house. That rule sticks with me today....

Do any of you spear under the ice? I think it would be hard with uneven ice.

I am not trying to criticize, don't get me wrong. Just curious....

[shamalex72]

 Originally Posted By: Hammer Handle

Do any of you spear under the ice? I think it would be hard with uneven ice.

I am not trying to criticize, don't get me wrong. Just curious....

What do you mean by spearing under the ice?

[Hammer Handle]

If the fish is not straight down in your hole, but you just see his nose and he looks like he is not coming in...do you spear?

My father is a "pro" at it. I do pretty well too, but mainly to my right and I can go way under my chair. The front of the hole is a good place to hit too...but to the left...I don't even try....

As a kid, my dad would like the house lined up so the best spot for fish to come in was from the left...being he was left-handed. I used to hate that!

[bassNspear]

 Originally Posted By: Hammer Handle

If the fish is not straight down in your hole, but you just see his nose and he looks like he is not coming in...do you spear?!

I dont, and the reason that i dont is becuase the % that you are going to get a nice throw and hit on the fish is slim to none. You have to remember that the spear will float up and away when you throw it. So you have to make sure that when you throw it, that you are throwing it straight.

[merkman]

I don't since I would rather see them swim away then be wounded.

I only take shots that I know I have a very high probability of hitting.

I haven't wounded one yet (knock on wood)... but I have totally missed them all together several times.

I suppose if there were a way to practice those shots on something other than live fish I would be interested, after I knew I could hit them, but until then I will pass.

The way I see it is; that fish may not come in today; but one day he will.

I have also noticed that sometimes the fish travel in groups. If I pass on that questionable shot, sometimes his buddy comes right in and decoys up.

In the end it is personal preference. If you feel comfortable taking those shots and you are sure you will not wound the fish then go for it. If you question any throw for any reason don’t throw.

Just my two sense.

[Hammer Handle]

I use a heavy antique spear.

I spear under the ice and so does my father. We average about 1 miss out of 30 northerns.

I don't spear as much anymore...so I may not be that good anymore...but was at one time.

It is extremely rare to wound one and have them get away.

But, you have to have a hole that is totally cleared. We always open our hole with a chisel so that it is nice a square with no edges. I would think that even spearing straight down, the spear could hit this ice and cause you to miss a fish.

My dad is MUCH better than me. I remember sitting in the house as a kid and he was showing me how to spear. A northern is there, but won't come in the hole. Finally, my dad leans way over, almost to the floor...and throws the spear under the ice. He pulls out the spear and the fish is hit right in the neck. "Don't try that" he said "unitl you have speared as much as I have. It is hard for you have to know how your spear 'glides'."

He also spears most of his fish right behind the head or even through the head (for small ones). "I waste no meat that way", he says.

[shamalex72]

I guess I have never tried that, pretty much throw straight down.

[shamalex72]

 Originally Posted By: merkman

I suppose if there were a way to practice those shots on something other than live fish I would be interested, after I knew I could hit them, but until then I will pass.

Next year you could set up a practice house at the get to gator. We could get somebody with a wetsuit and have them hold a fake fish on a stick. Then we could take turns throwing at it.

[bassNspear]

wet suit and fake fish, dude, you feeling ok?

[merkman]

Cucumbers, Zucchini, or Watermelons maybe, but not people in wetsuits.

[Hammer Handle]

Another dumb question....

When you spear, do you let the spear "go" and hit the bottom.

Sometimes I do, but it I see a good "hit", I grab the rope and stop the spear and pull the fish out. That way I don't get the hole all dirty.

As soon as you see the white of the northerns mouth as the spear hits...you can stop the spear.

I am just curious as I went fishing the other day and we were talking about spearing...and the person I was with was surprised on a few techniques that I used (learned from my father).

[bassNspear]

good questions.

It all depends on the situation, so there is some times where i let it hit the bottom, but if i dont have to i dont like it to, being that the whole will get so dirty.

[shamalex72]

I try to stop it before it hits bottom, but it doesn't always work that way.

[Central Bassman]

Nice!!!

[Gordie]

well I finally got my pike that I speared in December of 06. I made the spear for the mount and its a close replica of the spear that I use. This mount is very close to how I seen it happen except for the driftwood and the spear is accually in the same holes that I stuck it in the first place.

[bassNspear]

DUDE, THAT AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NICE WORK

[shamalex72]

Awesome is right, you don't see a mount like that everyday.