Decoying basics?

[JoeTC]

I'm new to spearing and was hoping someone could help explain to me the basics of decoying. Like when to use live suckers vs. a fake decoy and how often to jig the decoy and so forth. Any info on your basic decoy strategy and set up.

Thanks,

Joe

[Early Riser]

It is great to hear about more new people getting into spearing.

I like BnS's idea of running a live sucker right under an artificial. I did try it one day and had some success with that for brining in fish.

I also will run an artificial down about halfway to bottom and then run a live minnow on a separate line halfway to the top from the artificial.

Most days I don't move the aritifical much other than to change it or every 30 minutes or so to bring in some panfish. Many times a bass or pike will come in right after moving it. Sometimes it takes a pike a minute or two to come in after moving the decoy becuase I think they are outside the hole trying to figure out the best point of attack. They seem to always hit the decoy head on or from the siide and many days they like to wait until it is perfectly still before coming in for it.

When you move the artificial, don't do more than a few slow circles. When I move it too fast I have seen some pike that were just outside the hole bolt out.

The live decoy is fun too. I have seen them come in to the aritifical at first and then start to eye up the live chub. Some days they act like the artificial is not even there. I have had a few days when they acted like the live minnow was not even there and only wanted the wood.

The bottom line is that everyday is a little different and there is a lot to learn and experiment with.

[bassNspear]

I have ran my decoy that way for many years. There is a ton of ways that you can do it, but this is the way that i have done it for a long time.

when i do it this way, i usally run my decoy about 3 feet from the bottom, where my live decoy will run abuot 1.5-2 feet from the bottom. The best advice i can give you, is to try everything that you think might work, and you will find the best way that will work.

[merkman]

One thing to think about when running decoys is size of the decoy.

If you have 2 decoys down (live and or fake) make sure you have different sized decoys down.

In general, I have found you don't need to mess with them as much as you would expect.

[bassNspear]

this is why i love to run my setup the way i do, alot more action on the decoy, and you never have to touch the line until you pull it up....Thats if you dont have one come in a smoke it.

[merkman]

The one thing that produces a lot of flash and really lures the fish in is the white belly of a bait fish.

I like to place my live decoy harness as close to the dorsal (top) fin as possible try to get the decoy off balance so when it swims it will swim and shake in an upward wiggle.

Make your decoy look like a quick easy meal.

And most of all remember there is no right way to do any of this.

Hours of boredom in the spear house will give you plenty of time to try different things.

P.S.

I do like and use BNS's setup.

I have a loop tied in a line that goes down to the harness for the live decoy below. I place that loop over the pectoral fins of my fake decoy then clip it into the snap swivel that I use to connect my fake decoy to.

[bassNspear]

Im glad that people are trying out my system. Hopefully its working out of everyone.

[Central Bassman]

BNS Dont be tell everyone are system!!! J/K i love it and it should work good for everyone.

[bassNspear]

i posted it once, thats enough.....JK

[Dabignorski]

Hey B n S i was wonderin how you rigged up you live decoy under ur fake decoy how u hooked up the harness under ur fake decoy?

[bassNspear]

can you make it to the get to gator. If so i can show you there, if not i can post it here

[Dabignorski]

no i don't think that i will be able to make it to get to gator i already had plans on going to a different lake with a buddy

[browning_gold]

I always run a artificial on a seperate line from my live. The live usually gets run about a foot to 18 inches below my artificial..The reason i run two lines is that I like to have control over each decoy seperately.

[bassNspear]

well its actually really simple, but yet noone has ever done it till i posted it here. What i do is i take my decoy, and a piece of mono line, and i tie it right behind the head of my decoy, so the decoy itself, will swim with the live decoy. what this does is makes everything work together. So when the live decoy moves, by fake decoy moves as well.

Here is a photo of it. Its not the clearest but i think you can get what i mean. Let me know if you have any questions. The guys that were with me on little long lake, have never seen it dont like this before, but after seening it and understanding how it all works, they figured it out. There is going to be more to come as to how it all works and showin everyone the way that i run it all

[D-fresh]

 Originally Posted By: Bass N Spear

[color:#000099] well its actually really simple, but yet noone has ever done it till i posted it here.

I have been using this technique here in Michigan for about 15 years now, and most people around here use it too. It usually works pretty good because the decoys weight usually holds the sucker in the hole fairly decent, while still allowing him to swim.

[glenn57]

i use both methods also. live and artifical. only difference i have a 2 hole house and cut both holes with 1 deke down each.

[bassNspear]

so are you running to fakes as well

[glenn57]

bns, no. i put a live chubby down one hole and a fake deke down the other. it does tend to be a lot of work cutting 2 holes when the ice gets this thick. i have not decided if im going to do both sunday or not. i plan on leaving between 1-2 pm. so i dont know if the effert is worth 2 holes. i do really want to see those icecsaws in action though.

[bassNspear]

I will show the ice saws when i am cutting my hole. Anyone that would like to see how they work, can come and watch how i cut the hole with it. My hole is a monster, which i dont believe that anyone cuts a hole the size of mine.

[kingkobbla]

Does anyone ever use a decoy and off to the side of your hole you use a Daredevil with no hooks to attract the more active ones? I've heard about it but never done it. Thinking about giving it a whirl tomorrow.

Kingkobbla.

[merkman]

I borrowed an auger from a friend and drilled 6 holes then cut between them with the ice saw. All I can say is you guys are lazy... or should I say smart. Having an auger is all the difference with the ice saw. without the auger it is 10 ft around my 2X3 hole. Plus the hole is allot lighter and easier to pull out.

[bassNspear]

that is why you cut the holes out in the corners, so you cut 4 holes there, and cut one in the middle. But when theres ice that we has at the get to gator, i cut three on top, and three on bottom, with 2 in the middle, and cut the rest with the saw. I have to cut it with the saw, cuase i cant look at them points in the ice that the auger leaves when cutting the hole.

[glenn57]

bns, ive used the auger for years cutting spear hole. i use a chisel to get rid of auger points. other question, the hole in the middle is that to grab ahold of ice block with the ice tongs?

[bassNspear]

i did the same thing glen, but thats just too much work.

I cut the hole in the middle so i can cut my block into 4 pieces.

If you look at a spear hole. i cut a hole in all 4 corners, and then one in the middle. Then i cut with my saw, and i cut it into 4 pieces. Alot easier to get out, and alot cleaner cut for the hole.

[merkman]

 Originally Posted By: Bass N Spear

well its actually really simple, but yet noone has ever done it till i posted it here. What i do is i take my decoy, and a piece of mono line, and i tie it right behind the head of my decoy, so the decoy itself, will swim with the live decoy. what this does is makes everything work together. So when the live decoy moves, by fake decoy moves as well.

Here is a photo of it. Its not the clearest but i think you can get what i mean. Let me know if you have any questions. The guys that were with me on little long lake, have never seen it dont like this before, but after seening it and understanding how it all works, they figured it out. There is going to be more to come as to how it all works and showin everyone the way that i run it all

Here is another pic of that setup in the hole.