Log your setup - depth - direction - decoy - etc.

[merkman]

Location: Metro

Date: 12/5/2008

7-8 foot depth, sand bottom, no weeds, outside a backwater

Time: 9:15am-2:00pm

Small pike hit 10" red/white pike decoy as I dropped it down the hole. 2 pounder came for a look five minutes later. 9:40 had a keeper slide in, no warm-up tosses this year, 36 inches and 13 pounds. Bigger than I thought but it was 20 minutes into my first time this year. Took a 28 incher at 10:30 and then watched 2 pounders off an on until I left.

Next day same lake, 10 yards to one side, plenty of weeds, 12:30 -4:30 pm. Seven pike seen, biggest one taken 27 inches with a hook and leader in it's mouth. Others were 2-3 pounders which came into red/white pike, perch, firetiger pike. Saw about a dozen bass (two bigger than Merk and Huey's visitor), a few perch, and well over 50 sunfish.

I wanna spear where you spear!!!

I never see that many fish.

[mn_archer]

Never see that many fish Merk??

I have been out 3 times this year and have seen a total of 1 fish, and it was a Walleye at the cabin this weekend!

My luck is changing for the worse!

michael

[merkman]

Never see that many fish Merk??

I have been out 3 times this year and have seen a total of 1 fish, and it was a Walleye at the cabin this weekend!

My luck is changing for the worse!

michael

That is because you live in Zimmerman and Elwood is getting them before you do!!!

[mn_archer]

I know it. Every time I turn around he is nailing another one. I personally think he has a right-handed decoy~!

michael

[terrible_fisherman]

Don't feel bad. I have been out 4 times this year and speared one pike and seen a total of 6. Very slow year so far.

[tca12]

Oddly enough, the day before the sunfish and bass parade I saw maybe 3 sunnies and two perch besides the handful of northerns. In fact, right before I saw my first bass I was lamenting the fact that I hadn't seen any for over a year on that lake. Last year I took some folks from Europe out to the spearhouse and tip-up fished and had no flags and saw no fish. The next day I went out to the same spot and saw 24 northerns (3 pounds max.). I don't count a pike unless they are ten minutes apart and I still bet some are the same but what a difference! Two years ago I was seeing fish regularly until Jan. 1, then didn't see jack after that.

[Gordie]

yea snooze a loose, and as for the decoy its ambidextrious and as in an earlier post I told glen that I was a pike magnet

also mike I took the day off spearing yesterday to wet a line on the dead see caughgt a limit of perch and saw a 10-12 pound pike and 20mins later saw a muskie in the 50 inch range 10 fow 4 ft down slowly crusin dont think that My gear could of handled that monster 4lb test and a pimple but would of been fun tring.

[merkman]

Location: Spectacle Lake, Isanti County

Date: 12/13/08

Time: 11:30 am til 2:30

Setup: 7.5 feet of water near drop to 20ft.

Ice Thickness: 9 inches of crystal clear ice .5 inches hardpack snow.

Water Clarity: Could make out some vague details of the bottom.

Decoy: Larger Live Decoy than I usually use, a little bit of everything on the fakes side.

Never saw a fish.

I can't find a super clear spot on this lake?

Everyone talks about it being clear but I never see one.

Water clouded up more when 4 wheelers went by.

[cherokee]

Location: Metro

Date: 12/13/08

Time: 7:30 am til 9:45

Setup: 6 feet of water.

Decoy red and white and also perch colored

Speared a 28" at 8:30 and a 24" at 9:25

Both decoyed nice and slow. Came in from side.

[merkman]

Skunked again today.

No fish to clean.

Location: Cambridge MN area

Date: 12/14/2008

Time: 8-1:30pm

Setup: 7 fow heavy weeds 3 ft up. Decoys set at 3 foot down.

I should have been out near the edge of the weeds but I missed my spot by about 5 ft and I was to lazy to cut another hole.

Water contions: Very Clear

Decoy: Anthony Grandbois Red and white one live, Bearcreek Red and white and one live, Bearcreek realistic 10" pike and one live, Then 2 live on one line

Never saw a fish.

Next time I won't be to lazy to move. lol

[Gordie]

Location: Zimmerman area

Time:9:00-11:00

Depth: 9 fow - 2 ft down

Decoy: live sucker and yellow with red dots spoon on redneck spinner

speared a 35 inch pike at 10:00am came to spoon on elecctric spinner

[Gordie]

same as previous post except

Time: 2:30-4:00

seen two fish one was about 14-15 inches and man it was cool to watch this little pike come in first it came into the spoon on the spinner then swam off then back to the live decoy and then it canme back two other times it was small enough not to bother the crappies that were swimmin around. the second pike was 27 1/2 inches and came into the spoon and wacked it then dropped it and sat right under neath the spoon until I stuck it.

[tca12]

Congrats on the 35 incher. At only 2 ft. down, is the water that murky (you've mentioned that before) or do you usually decoy that high? I'm usually 4-5 feet down in 6-8 feet of water but I can see the bottom...

[Gordie]

tca I can just make out the bottom bareley the panfish tend ride that high so when in rome do as the romans do. I will play with the depth but ussally dont go down much more the 3 ft in deeper water. seems to work for me.

[Gordie]

date: dec 18th

time: 9:30am

depth: 9 fow 3ft down

decoys: live sucker and spoon on hillbilly spinner

location:Zimmerman area

destination: the smoker.. yumm

used a live decoy and a fake decoy for about an hour then put down the hillbilly spinner with a yellow and red dot spoon and a 36 incher went right past the live decoy like with in 3 inches of it and stared at the spoon and the rest is history

[Fish&Fowl]

Date- 12/19/08

Time- 1:30-4:00 pm

Fish- We got a 27" and a 28", passed one about 12#, one about 15#, and one 20-21#. The 15 lber and the big girl were both 2 feet down and would have been the easiest shots you could ask for.

Incredible afternoon, almost beat my record from last year of the most and biggest fish in the same day!

[Gordie]

great stuff fish and fowl

location: zimmerman area

time: 12:00 2:00

decoys: live suker and spinner/spoon

depth: 9FOW 3-4 ft down

never seen a pike today but got to see a bunch of crappies and one was really small had some guys hook in its mouth kept waiting to see a jig stick go by but never happened afterwards packed up house for GET TO GATOR and picked up a bunch of garbage left behind by other inconsiderate fisherman but did find a mag lite and a couple ice jigs amonst the trash.

[GoneFish'n71]

Speared my first pike ever!!

Location: SW minnesota

Time: 12:15 - 3:15

Decoys: 1.live sucker under duey's black and orange

2.red and white laura duetch

Depth: 10FOW 3-6 ft down

Thanks to all for the tips, from darkening my house to putting a live sucker under the fake decoy. I am learning a lot.

Got the first one right after I set up (25") came up to red/white. Number two came up to orang/black (28"). Number three sat about 8' down and looked at my live sucker (29.5")

I think I might be hooked.

[Gordie]

congrats on the first pike

WELCOME TO THE ADDICTION

[bassNspear]

Congrats on the first pike. Glad you love to get out!

[merkman]

Speared my first pike ever!!

I think I might be hooked.

Wow what a great day!!!

It isn't always that easy!!!

Getting the first pike is an awesome rush!!!

Congrats!

[LOTWSvirgin]

Sorry I dont have a set up yet. But i just got my first spear!!! I hope to be replying on my luck real soon.

[Gordie]

good luck and have paitence