Spearing with Lucy and Old and New Decoys: Frank Mizera and Stouffer

Got up at 6 a.m. went out on the Ice with Lucy in the Dark and cut our hole. Dragged out the ice with the tongs, set up the pop-up darkhouse and put one of Frank Mizera's old Decoys down the hole along with one of my early decoys, an obvio...us take off on his. Lucy jigged mine, I jigged Franks. 9:15 the biggest Northern Pike I've ever seen came in under Lucy's corner, and looked like he would take up the whole hole. His back looked to be about 7 inches across down in the water. He was already turning away from the black and white decoy under Lu when I saw him and I lifted my spear to try for a shot he saw my shadow. It looked to me like he looked up at me through the water and with one flick of his powerful tail he shot off towards shore. The one that got away... Lucy didn't even get to see him. He was easily bigger than 36 inches.

Spearing my first Northern Pike December 9, 2011

I went spearing this afternoon. Didn't think I would make it in time. Six inches of ice here in Ely on most lakes. Arrived at 3:00, cut my hole and had the portable up in strong wind by 3:30. Sat down inside and put on one of my decoys, then one of my friend's Jay McEvers, then Harley Ragan's, then mine and back to McEvers (it has a "flasher" spinning blade attached. Let it sit in the hole. 4:05 a little one came in. I was so excited after not seeing anything but a sucker for 3 years that I threw at him. He got stuck between my tines, but not hurt, so I released him. He swam away fast. Put the decoy back in the hole, another one came in and nosed it and shot off like a rocket. Then a bigger one came in slowly. Sitting for a long time and making me nervous. Inching in... Inching in. I threw and pinned him to the bottom. I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest. Blue is a good color.

26" pike. Beautiful.