Winter Pike Spearing: Hunting Through the Ice

Pike spearing is part hunting, part fishing and a whole lot of fun.

The tools of the trade: A freshly speared northern pike alongside the decoy and spear used for the catch. / Joe Shead

The sleek pike burst into view from some unknown weedbed and slashed at the 8-inch fake fish before I could even react. But rather than rear back on a rod and set the hook, first I had to pull my jaw off the ice, then pick up the spear, center it crossways over the fish and drop it, thus pinning the fish to the bottom. But by the time my brain reacted, the fish knew it had been duped by the hard-plastic "fish" and sped off into its underwater weedy lair.

The payoff: A northern pike on the ice, perfect for pickling or other delicious pike recipes. / Joe Shead

What is Pike Spearing? A Unique Winter Fishing Adventure

For those who have never tried it, I always describe winter pike spearing more like hunting than fishing. You jig a live sucker or fake decoy to attract pike, then you have to silently maneuver to drop a spear on the fish mere feet below your boots without spooking it. Although there are lulls between fish, the action is exciting when a pike appears.

Heritage on display: A native Inuit fish decoy carved from walrus tusk in the early 1800s. / Smithsonian American Art Museum

Tracing the Roots of Ice Spearing: a Time Honored Tradition

Evidence of humans using fish decoys dates back thousands of years to indigenous peoples living in the northern regions of North America and Eurasia. They carved decoys from bone, antler, or wood to mimic local baitfish species. These artifacts suggest that ancient communities used decoys to lure fish such as pike and sturgeon into spearing range beneath ice holes.

Timeless craftsmanship: A 1930s American antique fish decoy, a piece of fishing history. / Smithsonian American Art Museum

Where Can I Go Pike Spearing Through the Ice?

Winter pike spearing is legal in many states, like Minnesota, Michigan and North Dakota, but not allowed in others, like Wisconsin (with the exception of Lake Superior), so check your state's regulations.

Ryan Bybee uses an antique ice saw to cut a pike spearing hole through the ice on a Minnesota lake. / Joe Shead

Essential Gear for Pike Spearing: Tools for Success

Spearing requires some specialized ice gear that you wouldn't ordinarily carry while jigging for perch or walleyes. You'll need things such as:
• an Ice Saw -to cut a hole much larger than the 8 or 10 inch hole used for most ice fishing–usually approximately three feet by two feet
• Ice Tongs -for grabbing and removing the big slabs of ice you just cut with your ice saw
• a Spear -a multi-pronged large fork attached to a long, sturdy handle
• a Decoy -a fish imitator, usually plastic or wood, to attract a pike–picture a large lure with no hooks

You’ll also want some of your normal ice fishing gear like:
• an Ice Auger -for drilling holes at the corners of the opening you’ll make with your ice saw
• an Ice Shack -a darkened shack is necessary to block the light and help you see into the water

Daine Billmark speared this northern pike through the ice of a Minnesota lake. / Joe Shead

Choosing the Right Spear: Tips for Beginners

There's a lot of variability in pike spears. You can buy custom-made spears or even just weld barbs onto an old fork. Some come pre-sharpened, while others you'll need to sharpen before using. Whatever you choose, make sure it's relatively heavy and flies through the water in a straight line. It should have a place to tie a rope so you can retrieve it after throwing at a fish. Make sure the tines are close enough together so fish can't pass through. A wider spear gives you more leeway when you throw at a fish. Ask a local sporting goods store for advice when picking a spear. Also, make sure it's not too tall, especially if you're spearing out of a shorter portable shack.

Where To Find Winter Pike

Pike spearing is generally done in shallow water. I like to be in about 3 to 5 feet, so when I drop the spear, it pins the fish to the bottom, but doing so isn't a requirement. However, I think it ups your connection rate. I look for shallow cabbage beds that are known to harbor pike.

How to Cut the Hole in the Ice: Carefully!

The hole you cut into the ice is your window to the underwater world. The larger it is, the better you can see and the easier it is to remove long fish horizontally from the water. However, it doesn't have to be huge. Start around three feet wide by two feet tall. Obviously a large hole and slippery ice can be a dangerous combination!

I cut four holes with my ice auger at the corners. Then I cut the spaces in between with an ice saw. If the ice is thick or the hole is very large, you may need to cut two additional holes in the center of the long way to keep the ice block from wedging when you pull it out.

You can use an antique saw that may have been used for cutting ice blocks for ice boxes, prior to refrigeration, or a modern saw. The modern ones work a lot better because they allow you to put more pressure into the cut. After cutting the outline of the hole, pull out the block with an ice tongs/logging tongs. It will come out in one big block. Use a large ice skimmer to clean up the remaining ice shards in the water.

Essential gear: A darkened ice shack, like the Frabill Ice Hub HQ, makes spotting pike underwater much easier. / Frabill

How to Set Up Your Ice Shack for Pike Spearing

Place your ice shack (either portable or permanent) over the hole. Bank snow around the bottom edge of the shack to reduce light penetration and keep out any drafts. And I can't mention enough times, always be very careful when walking around a large hole in the ice!

Decoy Tactics: Attracting Pike Under the Ice

Once my shack is set up, I turn on the heater, tie my spear to a chair and break out the decoy. I choose decoys over live bait because I don't have to worry about running to the bait shop or keeping large suckers alive. Wooden or plastic decoys will swim in a circle when jigged (after you bend the tail, if it's not pre-bent) and have plenty of attraction power. However, when a pike hits that artificial offering and realizes its mistake, it may take off like it's been shot at. Not so with a live sucker. Some anglers utilize a decoy to lure pike in, but the live sucker seals the deal. In fact, a fish may hit your sucker and swim off with it. Then you just grab the line suspending the sucker, bring the pike back into view and spear it!

Understanding a Variety of Ice Pike Behaviors

Sometimes a pike zooms in out of nowhere and whacks your decoy. Sometimes the fish quickly realizes it's a fake and takes off. But pike aren't inherently smart, and sometimes they will linger even after hitting a decoy. Other times you'll just spot a pike snout at the edge of your hole as the fish studies the decoy before moving in for the kill. The motionless fish is nice because it gives you a still target. But sometimes it will be off to the side of the hole and you may have to throw your spear at an angle. When doing so, make sure the top of the spear handle doesn't hit the ice.

A pike spearer watches his decoy underwater with his spear tines in the water, ready for a fish. / Joe Shead

Step-by-Step Guide: Spearing Northern Pike Safely and Effectively

If all goes well, the fish hangs just a few feet below you, mesmerized by the decoy. Sometimes I maneuver the decoy a little to pull the pike more to the center of the hole for a better shot, like a puppeteer. You have to be mindful of the decoy string when you drop the spear so it doesn't get in your way.

When I've got a clear shot, I very carefully pick up the spear. (I like to have it resting on wood because it's a quiet material. Clang the spear on the ice and the pike will be gone!) I twist the spear so it's crossways with the pike. Place the tines into the water to avoid making a splash and for better aiming. (You want to avoid refraction, like the proverbial bent pencil in a glass of water). Position the spear above the back of the fish's head and let it go. You don't have to throw it. The weight of the spear is enough to penetrate the fish and throwing it can prevent the spear from flying true.

If you're on target and the pike doesn't spook, your fish should be pinned to the bottom of the lakebed. Carefully pull up the spear. Get the pike horizontal and out of the hole quickly and carefully. A gaff can add insurance so the pike doesn't slip off. Once the pike is above the water, get it away from the hole so it can't get away.

A spearer makes contact with a northern pike under the ice. / Joe Shead

Common Sense: Avoiding the Hazards of Pike Spearing

Once again, you have to be careful not to slip and fall down a large hole in the ice (or drop gear down it). But you also have to be sure of what you're seeing. In addition to northern pike you may attract other species. Usually spearing is only open to northern pike and rough fish (check local regulations). On lakes where both northern pike and muskies are present, make sure you're looking at a pike before you drop your spear! However, depending on your state's rules, you may be allowed to catch other species with hook and line through a spear hole if they appear.

This spotted muskie is easy to distinguish from a northern pike because it has dark spots on a light background. Northern pike have light spots on a dark background. This muskie cruised by three times. / Joe Shead

Respect the Ice: Leaving Your Fishing Spot Safe for Others

Whether your spearing trip was successful or otherwise, consider other anglers before you leave your hole. Slide the ice block you cut out back into the hole. Slamming into a 2-foot ice block frozen to surface of the the ice with your truck, ATV or snowmobile could prove deadly. And finally, stick a tree branch or wooden stake into the hole where it can freeze in and warn other anglers about the hole and subsequent thin ice below.

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