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What do you look for in a spear and decoys?


MinnesotaMuskie

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Can you guys tell me if you can spear on lakes that have muskies. I can think of several lakes I would like to try that have had muskies planted over the years and they are not listed in the fishing regulation book as prohibited for spearing. Thanks.

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Early Riser,

Be sure to check both sections of the regulations for lakes that are closed to spearing and also for lakes that have special regulations (such as length limits or a restricted daily limit). If your lake isn't listed you should be good to go for Northerns.

Owen

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To clarify my earlier post, you can spear (in Minnesota) in lakes that are open to spearing that have special regulations, such as a minimum lenght limit of 30", However, you must comply with whatever special regs are in effect.

Owen

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spearingboy

do you have try spear at spirit lake and hickory lake? i planning to going to spirit lake(my first time) there i start spearing last year at apple lake so i want to try new lake and clear water too

my late grandpa used to went to spirit lake lot

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Shadrap- I've never tried Spirit but am hopeing to sometime. I know it's clear and has some nice fish in it. Maybe I'll get out there over x-mas break. Hickory I've never tried either. I'm not sure if it's a clear lake or not? Do you know? Let me know how things go if you get out there.

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Hey guys. Anyone been out lately? I've sat about 10 hours over the last four days. Didn't go out xmas day but was out thurs fri and today. Had some luck thursday. My brother and I got 3 between the two of us. Frying them up tonight. Then speared Gun on friday and saw 5 and speared one. We could've speared all 5 but passed on them. Then today I speared Bay Lake and if I saw one hammer handle I saw 30! No joke, I'm sure a lot of them were the same fish but I sat for 1 1/2 hours at this certain spot and I bet every 5 minutes on average I had a pike under 20" in my hole. It was very enteraining. They weren't very aggresive which is good because I only had 3 suckers. They'd come in, look around, maybe hit the decoy a little then just kinda sit there and eventually swim off. I brought my camcorder and got some neat footage of northerns. Planning on going out tomorrow morning for a couple hours. Anyone else been out or have any luck? Oh, I almost forgot, I had what I thought was a dogfish swim through my hole about a foot below the ice! It kinda startled me but it was really cool to see. It was probably around 20" long. Anyone else have some reports?

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Hi Spearing Boy, got the permanant house out today. water was still cloudy. Got one 2 1/2 pounder and saw 2 dog fish. Going to try Osakis this coming weekend. Now that I my wife home from the hospital I can start going to other lakes some. Hope to try a couple new lakes with Griz and a couple other folks soon. Glad to hear you made it out and got a couple!! Mike

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I was on Red Rock, about 15 miles west of Alexandria yesterday. The water has been very clear...cut a hole and it was cloudy?

Not sure why. So, we switched to fishing and picked up a nice bunch of crappies.

I have some time off this week, hope to spear around St. Cloud somewhere.

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the northerns that u guys are spearing how are the teeth in them? Are they gone or just loosing them or what thanks seen some today on the camera but they just looked at the minnow so i was just wondering why they aren't hungry.


That is an old wives tale - northerns do not lose their teeth.

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I've yet to see a tooth less northern. If you have ever seen the inside of their mouth, you'd think you were looking at many many rows of "shark" teeth!! They might slow down on the bite, but never loose their teeth.

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The fish I saw today sure was hungry. My decoys took a beating from him. I haven't paid any attention to the teeth on the ones I've got so I can't help you out there. Mike- Good to hear your wifes out of the hospital. Did everything go as planned? How big were the dogfish? I've never seen one before spearing other then the other day so it was pretty cool. The ones you saw, did they come into your decoy or were they just swimming through? Hope the water clears out so you can get out.

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Hi Spearing Boy, the dog fish I have seen and speared all seem to just be swimming by. The biggest I've speared was over 6#. They are fun to spear as they really fight then!! The best part is they are really good smoked like white fish!! As for the wife she is healing slowly, it was a hysterectomy and that take time to come back from. That's another reason I haven't changed lakes yet. Maybe this weekend I'll see how she's doing. Good luck out there!! Mike

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6# dogfish is a pretty big dogfish! Didn't go spearing today. Went after crappies instead. Went up to a lake in Savannah Park and only got two. Still fun to get out though. Probably go out spearing tomorrow we'll see. Well I hope your wife gets to full health quickly. Take it easy! Brett

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That may be not be true (or an old wives tale) about northerns losing thier teeth. Later in the winter or early spring (if fishing boundry waters) I have noticed that some have lost thier teeth on thier gum or lips. They still had the teeth on the roof of thier mouth though. I guess I flet that is why dead bait on the bottom was more effective at those times. In the spring they didn't chase live bait because they had weak or missing teeth and it was easier to pick up the already dead. I might have just misjudged my observations.

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I've been spearing a very clear lake recently and just have a couple of questions for you guys. Decoys or live decoys work better in the clear water? I've been thinking while sitting in there if with the clear water the fish are maybe more spooky and go for the realizism over the curiousity of a fake decoy? I've used both and have made most of the fish that I've seen come into my sucker decoy, so I guess that might be my answer right there huh? But from your guys experience have you had better luck with live decoys in clear water? Also, as far as location on lakes where do you like to spear? On drop offs or points or a shallow hump in a hole? What do you look for on lake maps that helps you decide where to put your house? Thanks

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Spearingboy

For the third time I'm trying to put in this post.

Normally I've always thaught live to be better in clear water, but this yr. everything I thaugh is out the window and backwards.

As far as what I look for a weed edge or change in the weeds. Sometimes a dropoff is good other times it's a nice flats. If it's 7' I don't mind a couple feet of weeds but don't want 4' or 5' which isn't too bad if I'm in 15'. Personally I tend to spear deeper than most, had better luck in them cold snaps when fish don't seem as agressive. If I'm going to a new lake I have a general idea where to go from looking at lake maps. Just go out with the depth finder, auger to check weeds, water clarity, depth etc. until ya find what your looking for. If you pick a spot and it don't pan out go back in a few days it may be different then. Another thing thats helps when looking for a new lake is to check out DNR surveys as to numbers and size of fish.

On a note if you've noticed most spear houses tend to be bunched up on the same flats. Usually the reason is there are fish there, but I believe better fishing can be found by going finding your own spot away from the crowd. Hope this helps.LOL

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Griz and Spearing boy, I agree on the decoy vs the sucker. On some days one works better than the other. Many time I have both down the hole, the best of both worlds!! I also do not care to go where the rest go. I like going by myself to another area, sometimes I can only go by the shore line but if I'm thinking I bring my flashlight depth finder and shoot though the ice to find some sort of lines. Happy New Years to you all!! Mike

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Went out today on Blind lake. Saw two fish one that was down deep at the edge of the hole probably 4 lbs. and then another came in quick and hit the decoy that was probably 1 1/2 lbs. Fish didn't seem to be moving much, probably has something to do with that weather system just moving through. Saw some nice sunnys down the hole though. Anyone else get out over the weekend?

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got out friday and seen 4 two inch bass. That was it. Then when I went to go out Saturday, in the portable again, I found my house licence was gone. My buddy set it to the side and it fell off the house somewhere. Now I'm going to get a dupicate today. Oh Well. I'm off work this week so maybe it's my turn now!! Mike

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Been out the last couple days.

Ain't seen much couple bass some perch and sunnies.

Yesterday forgot my red and white so grabbed a pop can hung it down and had a bite size northern (no longer than the can) come in and stare at it. confused.gif Thaught that was kinda neet.

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