mnflyfisher Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I'm looking for any information from anyone who dabbles with these. What do you find works best to use for fins? Where do you get it and how to you cut/shape them? Glue them into the body? I believe copper seems to be the most common, but what thickness? I have actually used lexan lips with some success. I would like to hear what others have found works well. Any good ways for weighting them besides using/placing enough lead to make it sink/swim at your preferred rate? Maybe use a denser/harder wood? Also, fin position so that they swim correctly? I imagine the fins are placed near the center of balance. At least that is what I did with this one and it seems to swim okay. I made this one with lexan fins that flip up and hold at 90 degrees to the body when the decoy is falling, and then they drop down when you jig it up. It's different, but you can't keep pumping it like a regular decoy to make it glide continuously, once you jig it up the fins drop so the action there is lost and it swings back to the center of the hole - not that that's a bad thing - but I think I like the continuous glide of the fixed fins better. For the tail, I just used the same metal tails that are used on the suick jerk baits since that is what I had lying around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spare tire Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 kinda new to it myself. Please check out my decoys in the gallery I have about 5 or six of them. I use about 020 copper glued in where needed. If Im putting a line tie thru the dorsal I pin the fin as well as glue. I also pour my lead in and remove just enough to make it sink forward slightly and slowly. Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnflyfisher Posted January 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 where do you get your copper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spare tire Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I own a small sheetmetal shop so I have scraps, but if I need small pcs Mcmastercarr.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bemidjibasser Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 I have always just used aluminum. Soup can lids or coffee cans cut with a tin snips have worked in the past for me. They are pliable then so you can adjust the "flight" of the decoy as you jig it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt duarte Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 what are decoys used for? to lure fish kinda like duck decoys for hunters?.....weird what if the fish takes the decoy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bemidjibasser Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 They are most commonly used for spearing northern pike. From time to time you will also have bass, walleyes, muskies, etc. come in on them. Often times the fish will hit the decoy, but the use of heavy line prevents them from taking the decoy, and just leaves it with a little battle wound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt duarte Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 oic lol ya i should of read the title a lil better hahah...thats crazy though. i thought you use the decoys to fish with rod and reel... not a spear gun lol all makes sence now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bemidjibasser Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 Usually the spearer just uses a long steel spear with 7 or so tines, and has a rope on the end so it can be retrieved after throwing at a fish. I think it would be a little cold under the ice to use a spear gun...it could be done I guess if you had scuba gear and a tether rope back to the hole in the ice that you went in... I would rather just sit in the spear house and be warm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
