Best decoy shape/size/color?

[Rich M]

Going to try spearing for pike and musky this winter. What are the traditional favorite decoys? I'll probably try live suckers too but want to have a decent selection of decoys bring along too. Currently considering 10" K&E natural pike and 6" Lasko red and white. They also have sucker, perch, trout and bass, yellow and green, fire tiger, 8", 9" etc. What has worked best for you?

[Ed Michrina]

Rich make sure Musky season is open before spearing . It's clsoed on LSC. I don't do much spearing so I cant tell ya much about decoys . Good luck this winter.

[JEFFK]

Rich,
I didn't do any Pike spearing last year but do remember IFN did and if memory serves the dek. he said was most productive was anything red & white. Myself, I don't target Pike for spearing, I go for the Perch (spearing) but have had many Pike come through the hole after my live dek's. The guy's I fish with, or near use dek's most of the time and I out fish them most of the time with just live minn's as my attractor. But with that said, if I were to start using a dek I'd go with red & white and maybe fire tiger. Good luck with your choices.

[Rich M]

I'm not going to be spearing on Lake St. Clair, I just posted here because I know a lot of people go there to spear pike.

Red and white has always been my best color when trolling or casting (daredevils) so that makes sense. At $10 a decoy I don't want to buy something I don't need. I think they make some of these things to catch fishermen rather than fish!

I have looked at a lot of antiques and they seemed to favor sucker and perch shapes in smaller sizes with red and white being most common. I think spearing was more popular back then so I tend to trust what they were doing. I might try carving a few to be able to experiment without the expense.

[ice fishin nut]

First of all,,, Jeff, I seem to remember a day last year that you and I went out, and there weren't any perch until I dropped my decoy in..... :D

Rich, my best color last year was red and white, but the year before was all safety orange..... I carve my own, but have been known to buy a few on ebay.....(the tounge.....LOL!!!) 6" to 8" seems to be the preferred size, but experiment with the colors!!!!

Hope this helps!!!!

[JEFFK]

IFN, I didn't say it doesn't work, :D I just don't use dek's as much as you and the other's we fish with. I am however a believer that the artificial decoy's do work to attract fish. Pike and perch both. :)

[Ed Michrina]

I would like to try deks this year but in years past I'll use a large flash spoon to draw them in or just use a large spoon that the perch will bite and keep it active. It sounds worth a try though.

[kbkrause]

I would like to try deks this year but in years past I'll use a large flash spoon to draw them in or just use a large spoon that the perch will bite and keep it active. It sounds worth a try though.Ed, I saw you post that last year and I just tied a walleye spoon and a dare devil in series on some thick line and would "attract" with that. It seems to bring them in and to my surprise even a few perch nipped at the dare devel.

[JEFFK]

Ed, Ed, Ed, your the Gino's guru. Your tactics work well for that area. I wouldn't change a thing. Besides, I think water clarity and depth was a little to do with how well a decoy works. Just my own observation but I see it as, in clear water of depths too 6ft or so the dek should work real well but in stained water deeper then say 8ft or so, when you can't see how the dek's working the chrome spoons and pimps I think would be enough attractor and at least with the spoons and pimps your attracting fish plus catching fish with your attractor. Just a thought on the subject.

[spearfisherman6]

Just like fishing in the summer, Northerns are attrachted to different colors. I think things like water clarity, depth, time of year, as well as the aggression of the fish all dictate which decoys will work on a given day. I have built up quite a collection of decoys ranging in size, type, and color over the years. Don't be affraid to change decoys often, if something isn't working then try something else. Later in the season however, you can't beat a big old 12"+ sucker minnow down the whole. All natural is the way to be! Good luck spearing

[Rich M]

Thanks. I picked up a couple of 6" decoys in red and white and orange and yellow and an 8" natural perch. Hopefully this will be enough to get me started.

The 6 inchers have flat metal tails. Are they left straight or do you need to bend them to get the decoys to swim in a circle?

[lawnboy]

Who has decoys for sell? I’m talking commercial types.

[Rich M]

Any decent tackle store that has ice fishing equipment should have decoys. I know Lakeside has them and my local MC Sports has a bunch.