spearing (Inexpensive) decoys

Inexpensive decoys If the thought of 22 dollars for a spearing decoy is more than you can afford, I have a frugal idea you might enjoy. (Note. don't pass this on to professional carvers, it just makes them whittling mad). So next time your knockin around in the woods just snip off a chunk of ash or birch or balsam about one inch in diameter and as long a northern pike spearing decoy that you wish to use. I prefer about eight inches. If you cut branches that have the -Y- still attached they make excellent tails for your decoys. Peel of the bark and let it dry. Then dip the head end in brilliant red paint, the tail in white and again let it dry. Once that's all done take a hand saw and slice the wood chunk where the tail is to go. The thickness of the saw blade you use really won't matter. Make the cut about one inch deep in the decoys soon to be tail section. Now if you have any old plastic milk cartons, these are generally clear, butter dispensers yellow, beer cans are whatever colors you're used to holding, but trim out a tail to your liking and slide it in the saw cut. Secure this with a sheetrock screw. The sheetrock screw will add weight to the decoy as well as securing the tail fin. Along the decoys sides as you move closer to the mouth you can with a heavy duty stapler add beer can fins of a multitude of colors; I prefer Budweiser as it's already red and white. The can inside is bare aluminum but adds quite a reflective contrast. Just fold a quarter inch lip, staple in place, and the pectoral fins are all done. Now along the top edge of the decoy at intervals o within a third of the decoys length take a quarter inch drill bit and drill three holes that go completely through the decoy body. These holes will facilitate the decoy falling. Then next to, and along the same line drill three more holes half way into the decoy. These holes fill with small split shot. You can push these in the holes with a sixteen penny nail. Test your decoy in a five gallon pail of water for what fall rate you want to achieve. You can load the head, or have it hang level, or make the tail ride high, all based on your sinker loading. Finally to secure the decoy to your dangling line you can use a simple screw eye. Over the years we have decoyed pike with painted golf balls, painted hockey pucks and so many different crushed can configurations it's almost funny. After a while it's like tying flies, you just pick your preference and have a go at it. But more often than not a good selection can make all the difference. Dark water dark bait, bright water bright bait, seems to work best for me, for starters, but some days it's just nice to have plenty of decoys, especially ones I can afford. The trout whisperer