What's on your Work Bench ? January 2019

Huntindave McCann

Huntindave McCann

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Happy new year everyone!

My latest project is a spearing decoy. I'll have to visit Minnesota to use it but that should happen next week. Put a simple but popular paint job on it. Still need to add a screw eye to hang from, before it is completely ready to use



View attachment spear_decoy.jpg
 
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[size 4]Now that is pretty cool Dave. Looks pretty sturdy.... tough enough for a big 'un to break off a few teeth on.

Got me interested in reading about how this whole spearing thing works. Pretty interesting.

Came upon this article about spearing decoys: https://www.fieldandstream.com/photos/gallery/fishing/2012/03/fish-decoys#page-4
 
Here is the finished deadmount carving that I started back in November.

Always wanted to do something like this, but never seemed to work up the enthusiasm for figuring out how to pull it off.

Finally sat down and drew up what I thought it should look like, and then commenced to figure out how to get it all done. I have to say it was a lot of fun figuring out what had to be done and getting everything in the right sequence.

It was an exercise in patience for sure, another education at "The School of Head Scratchin' "



View attachment IMGP0956 (600 x 395).jpg View attachment IMGP1042 (900 x 598).jpg




View attachment IMGP1303 (412 x 600).jpg

I located the panel the carving is mounted on at an architectural salvage warehouse downtown. It's a "pocket" desk writing surface that had just the right look because of the splits that had occurred in the boards used to construct it. When I sanded it down, I came to find they were pecan. Refinished the surface with some Milsek Orange furniture polish, and added the lanyard with the turned pecan call and an Oneida #1 Victor trap that I found in an antique place. The old Ohio plate was just the right color to complete the whole piece, and I found an old bag of cut nails buried in a draw in the shop, and which I used to "hang" everything.
 
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Dave,

Head to Lake Winnebago and join the gang that spear sturgeon. Only 15-20 minutes from my house. Too late this year for a tag, but something to think about if you get the bug to try for a sturgeon. PM me in the future if you're interested. This from the WI. DNR:

The deadline to purchase licenses for the 2019 Lake Winnebago sturgeon spearing season is Oct. 31, with state biologists forecasting great opportunities to land the fish of a lifetime. The 2019 spearing season opens Feb. 9, 2019,
"The fish population is strong - we've got more fish than we've had in decades and plenty of big fish,
 
MLBob Furia said:
I have to say it was a lot of fun figuring out what had to be done and getting everything in the right sequence.

Click to expand...

Bob,
Been following along on face book. I'd have to say "mission accomplished".
 
Bob,
I've often thought it would be fun to try to spear Northern Pike thru the ice. Trouble was, Iowa doesn't allow it and Minnesota, for years, only allowed residents to spear. That was changed just a couple years back so I once again got interested. I made a spear while I was still employed. Bought a hub shelter that was tall enough to spear from and now have a decoy (working on a second) so I think I am ready.

I was in Northern Minnesota just before Christmas and watched my friend for a while in his spear shack. He was using a live sucker minnow as a decoy. It was really neat to see the Northerns come in and attack. Sometimes the Northern would just be a flash as they swiped at the sucker. Other times you could see them staging just a short distance away and slightly below the decoy. When they launched it was with a vengeance.
 
jim bosanny said:
Dave,

Head to Lake Winnebago and join the gang that spear sturgeon. Only 15-20 minutes from my house. Too late this year for a tag, but something to think about if you get the bug to try for a sturgeon. PM me in the future if you're interested. This from the WI. DNR:

The deadline to purchase licenses for the 2019 Lake Winnebago sturgeon spearing season is Oct. 31, with state biologists forecasting great opportunities to land the fish of a lifetime. The 2019 spearing season opens Feb. 9, 2019,
"The fish population is strong - we've got more fish than we've had in decades and plenty of big fish,
Click to expand...

Jim,
I'll have to keep that in mind, certainly something to think about. We'll see how the Northern spearing goes. [laugh]
 
Good morning, Bob~


Spectacular work all around! The bird hangs just right and the composition is perfect. I was disappointed, though, to read that you did not carve the Victor. I expected you to tell us you had used Ironwood.....


Here is a Hen Greenwing from The Bench of George Williams. (I'm still completing a boat rehab.)


View attachment GWilliams GWT Hen.jpg



George sent me a second shot of this bird - but it was bit too blurry to get past our QA/QC staff here at Pencil Brook Interweb Posting Services.



All the best - and a Very Happy 2019!


SJS

 
[size 4] Thanks all.

Dave,
Spearing a big Northern with the use of a fish decoy would be something to experience, and I imagine pinning it below the hole after it had been speared and extracting it would be a whole 'nother challenge that takes a unique skill-set.

Steve,
I did find some interesting info on the Victor (Newhouse) traps and their NY history : https://www.trapperpredatorcaller.com/article-index/oneida-traps-from-religious-commune-to-biggest-trap-company-in-the-world
Depending on what account one reads, it seems like the Oneida community had a "scandalous" past before eventually becoming the successful flatware & tableware giant. Wonder if they ever offered wood carving knives?
 
Bob,
I hope extracting a Northern thru the hole won't be terribly difficult. When spearing one is usually dealing with a 2' by 3-4' opening. One can create this size opening by two methods; (a) drill a series of overlapping holes around the perimeter, shove the remaining chunk under the ice (b) drill a hole in 2 or all 4 corners, then using an ice saw, saw thru the ice to connect the corner holes, shove the chunk under the ice.


I've already used method (a) to cut a couple holes for my friend. I'll try method (b) next week. The nice thing about method (b) is there is less "slush" to remove from the hole. I'm not sure which is less labor, sawing ice or dipping slush. (plus the additional drilling).


I am hoping to get some action footage on my Go-Pro so I can share the experience with my 9 year old Grandson.


Here is a photo of the spear I made. Half inch dia. steel shaft with a Black Ash wooden grip.


View attachment complete-spear.jpg



9 inch wide with 7 barbed "sticky sharp" tines.[strike][/strike]

View attachment spear-points.jpg



The guard was made by laminating three pieces of 6mm ply. The center piece being bandsawn to fit the profile of the tines.

View attachment spear-guard.jpg
 
Very cool and mean looking spear!

I've followed Wallace Decoys on instagram for a while now, he carves spearing decoys, and it's very impressive to see how they work. We don't have a spearing season here in Ontario for pike otherwise I might be tempted.

Good luck on your trip to Minnesota!
 
[size 4]Dave,
That's an awesome piece of work!! (of course no one would expect less from you).
Like William Faulkner once said " Good art can come out of thieves, bootleggers, and horse swipes."[sly][sly][sly]

I'm sure all of us will want to see that video if it happens!
 
MLBob Furia said:
Dave,
Like William Faulkner once said " Good art can come out of thieves, bootleggers, and horse swipes."[sly][sly][sly]

Click to expand...


I don't know whether to be honored or offended,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, [w00t][w00t]
 
Huntindave McCann said:
Bob,
I hope extracting a Northern thru the hole won't be terribly difficult. When spearing one is usually dealing with a 2' by 3-4' opening. One can create this size opening by two methods; (a) drill a series of overlapping holes around the perimeter, shove the remaining chunk under the ice (b) drill a hole in 2 or all 4 corners, then using an ice saw, saw thru the ice to connect the corner holes, shove the chunk under the ice.


I've already used method (a) to cut a couple holes for my friend. I'll try method (b) next week. The nice thing about method (b) is there is less "slush" to remove from the hole. I'm not sure which is less labor, sawing ice or dipping slush. (plus the additional drilling).


I am hoping to get some action footage on my Go-Pro so I can share the experience with my 9 year old Grandson.


Here is a photo of the spear I made. Half inch dia. steel shaft with a Black Ash wooden grip.






9 inch wide with 7 barbed "sticky sharp" tines.[strike][/strike]





The guard was made by laminating three pieces of 6mm ply. The center piece being bandsawn to fit the profile of the tines.
Click to expand...

When you lay-out your rectangle, use option (B) by drilling holes in alternate corners to the long axis of the hole...much less slush and over-all work, if your ice saw is sharp! If you can do the fine work you displayed on the spear tines, I am sure it is! The other nice thing is that the hole is a little cleaner along the edges. How much lead do you attach to weight the spear?
 
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Good morning, Bob~


Thanks for that link! I knew about the silverware but not the traps. I have since shared it with many other Empire Staters.


All the best,


SJS

 
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