(Pole)Spearfishing

[GingerInTheMist]

Anyone spearfish in the Niagara area? Looking to get into it and have fun getting some carp out of the water, and go down South on vacation and try something I've never done down there. Any advice or stories are welcome!
Have a good one

[boogaloo]

I don't think you want to get caught with a fish spear anywhere near the Great Lakes or Niagara river. I am pretty certain that this activity was outlawed many years ago. Check the regs or make a call to the ministry..............................Daniel

[MikePal]

I was surprised that you can still SpearFish for Carp and White Suckers in parts of Ontario...

Spears cannot be possessed on or within 30 m (98 ft.) of the edge

of any waterbody except when fishing for carp and white sucker
as described on this page. Northern pike spearing is not allowed

see page 11: http://files.ontario.ca/environment-...ing/198219.pdf

[crayfish]

Used to love spearing pike in the spring as a kid, we shot them with bows too.

[werner.reiche]

Dip netting and spearing spawning suckers was a common thing growing up in Renfrew county.

[mosquito]

Bowfishing carp is a good way to get fertilizer for the garden too. A cheap 35lb bow, a fishing arrow, bow fishing line or real heavy fishing line and home made "reel" are what I started with and got lots. You need a stronger bow to go after gar as I hit one one time and the arrow bounced off (square hit) like I hit a wall and the gar seems to have hardly noticed.

My first "reel was a 1x4 piece of wood about 6" long, rounded and tapered toward the front a bit and a slot in the front to hold the string and nailed to a 1x1 that was duct taped to the bow. Always wind the line on carefully with the line closest to the arrow tip at the very front and then put in the slot to hold it from unspooling. Try it in the yard several times to make sure the line comes off smoothly and out of the slot without sticking so you don't loose the arrow or have it bounce back. You might have to sand and angle the "reel" at the backend where it attaches to the 1x1 so it points out straight and spools off evenly.

This looks like it would work too, just wind the line the same way I mentioned so there is no overlap.
http://leatherwall.bowsite.com/tf/pi...ll15004804.JPG

[Hunter John]

I have a friend who free dives and spears carp in the St Lawrence as well as a yearly trip to the Caribbean . In Quebec you can spear fish for some game fish as walleye but not sure what else is legal in La Belle Province.

[werner.reiche]

Used to love spearing pike in the spring as a kid, we shot them with bows too.

Not sure if they still do it in New York state, but pike shooting (from tree stands with high power rifles) used to be a springtime sport. They'd shoot them where they were entering trout streams.

Update - it was Vermont not New York.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aR1_DMQNUNBM

[dutchhunter]

we grew up spearing pike in the ditches and small creeks around home ,I still have two spears and my smelt net ,,may have to try it again some time ,lots of fun ,,,Dutch

[crayfish]

we grew up spearing pike in the ditches and small creeks around home ,I still have two spears and my smelt net ,,may have to try it again some time ,lots of fun ,,,Dutch

You aren't aloud to spear pike anymore, pretty certain it changed a few years ago