WEBVTT - Ep. 82: Ed’s Skin Mount Transporter 0:00:06.200 --> 0:00:08.959 Ice fishermen are free at for nine months of the year. 0:00:08.960 --> 0:00:12.239 They're free. It's called open water. I'd say at least 0:00:12.240 --> 0:00:14.880 half the stuff I'm making it's just going to people 0:00:14.920 --> 0:00:17.959 decorating cabins or lake houses and things like that. He 0:00:18.040 --> 0:00:21.240 recently said that cutthroat were the prettiest and everybody was like, 0:00:21.600 --> 0:00:24.440 you need to catch a native brook trout, my friend, 0:00:25.120 --> 0:00:26.960 get out of here with that noise. Go find a 0:00:27.040 --> 0:00:35.240 shed mark Kenyon, Joe, you sweet summer child. Good morning 0:00:35.240 --> 0:00:38.040 to Generate anglers, and welcome to Bent, the fishing podcast 0:00:38.120 --> 0:00:41.040 that's getting its side hustle on selling mouse pads featuring 0:00:41.080 --> 0:00:44.000 sunrise and sunset photos we took on our skunk days. 0:00:44.520 --> 0:00:48.200 I'm Joe Surmelli, I know that feeling man, and I'm 0:00:48.200 --> 0:00:50.480 made in Samac and I'm here to tell you that 0:00:50.560 --> 0:00:53.800 these are these are exceptional mouse pads. And you know, 0:00:54.200 --> 0:00:57.240 kidding Aside is a former hawker of my creative wares. 0:00:57.360 --> 0:01:00.440 Like three dollar mouse pad is one thing, but if 0:01:00.440 --> 0:01:05.160 you're selling something expensive, right, there is nothing more just 0:01:05.520 --> 0:01:09.160 blood boiling than when an influencer is like, hey, you 0:01:09.200 --> 0:01:11.360 know that stuff that you worked like real hard on 0:01:11.480 --> 0:01:15.040 and it's like really like valuable in that way. Yeah, 0:01:15.040 --> 0:01:16.640 if you give me that for free, I'll shout you 0:01:16.680 --> 0:01:21.680 out to my four followers on Instagram. I hate that. Yeah, yeah, 0:01:21.760 --> 0:01:23.840 and that that does happen a lot, right. And look, 0:01:23.880 --> 0:01:25.800 that's not to say that we don't absolutely love it 0:01:26.080 --> 0:01:30.039 when we get something sent by a listener like we that, um, 0:01:30.120 --> 0:01:34.240 but to actively solicit that sort of thing, um, it's 0:01:34.280 --> 0:01:36.400 just kind of lame. And that's that's another way of saying. 0:01:36.440 --> 0:01:39.399 For the record, just so you guys know, Um, if 0:01:39.440 --> 0:01:42.200 you ever see me or Hayden posts something from a 0:01:42.240 --> 0:01:45.360 listener that somebody made, we did not ask for it, 0:01:45.440 --> 0:01:46.600 you know what I mean, Like, it's cool. We have 0:01:46.640 --> 0:01:48.200 some cool people out there who are like, yeah, I 0:01:48.240 --> 0:01:50.280 make this. I'd love you guys to check this out. 0:01:50.720 --> 0:01:52.640 And if it's something that we can use and it's cool, 0:01:52.680 --> 0:01:54.400 we're We're always happy to do that and we will 0:01:54.440 --> 0:01:57.640 shout you out, but we certainly don't uh seek, you know, 0:01:57.840 --> 0:02:01.040 makers out and and ask for this stuff. Yeah, can 0:02:01.080 --> 0:02:03.240 I have that sweet decoy. We'll get to that later. Man. 0:02:03.480 --> 0:02:08.080 I own bottom. But that said, I can tell you 0:02:08.880 --> 0:02:11.680 truth from the bottom of my heart. Throughout my entire career, 0:02:12.360 --> 0:02:15.040 I have always tried to use my platforms whatever I 0:02:15.080 --> 0:02:16.800 had going on, whether it was you know, in a 0:02:16.880 --> 0:02:20.280 magazine story or gear round up or podcast or whatever, 0:02:20.600 --> 0:02:24.320 to give exposure to the little guys when I could 0:02:24.360 --> 0:02:26.760 and when appropriate, um, you know to. I have such 0:02:26.760 --> 0:02:30.000 a soft spot for for for people making really good, 0:02:30.160 --> 0:02:33.359 unique stuff and garages and basements and small operations all 0:02:33.400 --> 0:02:36.160 over out there. I love that stuff. Yeah, yeah, I 0:02:36.560 --> 0:02:40.200 think we both like share that similar outlook on the 0:02:40.560 --> 0:02:45.160 bespoke if you will, bespoke be spoke whatever. Uh And 0:02:45.160 --> 0:02:47.560 and as much as like I would like to buy 0:02:47.600 --> 0:02:51.680 all your cool plugs, rods, flies and whatever else you make, uh, 0:02:51.760 --> 0:02:56.959 are seemingly limitless outdoor podcast host money only goes so far. 0:02:57.639 --> 0:02:59.960 And Joe, I think you see exactly where I'm going 0:03:00.080 --> 0:03:02.680 with this. Yeah, you're going to Wendy's tonight because that's 0:03:02.639 --> 0:03:05.680 what you can afford. Uh. No, I to see where 0:03:05.680 --> 0:03:10.280 you're going, and I only elk liver bro. I think 0:03:10.320 --> 0:03:13.919 what you're getting at is we love our fishing, right, 0:03:13.960 --> 0:03:16.720 because you got to talk about I mean we do, 0:03:16.880 --> 0:03:19.680 we do that, that is true, right, we love responses 0:03:19.720 --> 0:03:22.800 in thirteen fishing. But that's not where I'm going with no, no, no, 0:03:22.919 --> 0:03:24.919 I'm just kidding. We're going to shout them out a 0:03:24.960 --> 0:03:27.079 little later, as we always do, but the folks we 0:03:27.120 --> 0:03:29.720 want to shout out right now, are you guys listening, 0:03:29.760 --> 0:03:32.880 specifically those of you that have combined your creativity and 0:03:32.919 --> 0:03:35.480 skill with a love of fishing and have found a 0:03:35.520 --> 0:03:40.000 way to make a business out of it. That is correct. 0:03:40.480 --> 0:03:43.240 After a hugely positive response to our like should we 0:03:43.280 --> 0:03:46.760 shouldn't we question last week, we are starting a new 0:03:46.880 --> 0:03:50.840 segment called Makers, where we highlight the folks that you 0:03:50.880 --> 0:03:54.640 know make Now, to be clear, we're not talking about 0:03:54.680 --> 0:03:57.760 showcasing a cool fly you tied or a picture you painted, 0:03:57.800 --> 0:04:01.720 although we are very very proud of you. This Maker 0:04:01.800 --> 0:04:04.760 segment is really meant to, uh, to highlight folks who 0:04:04.840 --> 0:04:07.480 do it at least semi professionally, so like you know 0:04:07.800 --> 0:04:11.800 professional y, yeah exactly, Like maybe it's your main gig, 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:14.200 but I I certainly know a lot of people who 0:04:14.840 --> 0:04:17.560 are teachers during the day and make some badass rods 0:04:17.680 --> 0:04:20.440 or whatever at night. So that's that's who we're talking about, um, 0:04:20.440 --> 0:04:21.800 And we thought it would just be a great way 0:04:21.839 --> 0:04:24.479 to help bring you guys up and get your names 0:04:24.480 --> 0:04:27.600 out there. And there are so many people deserving of 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:31.200 just a little bit of highlighting here. Um, But as promised, 0:04:31.680 --> 0:04:34.800 let's highlight what's up with thirteen fishing because that's how 0:04:34.800 --> 0:04:40.359 the podcast gets made around here. Yes, indeed, we recently 0:04:40.920 --> 0:04:43.720 just did a staff ice fishing day out here a 0:04:43.800 --> 0:04:47.200 meat eater, and there were thirteen fishing rods as far 0:04:47.279 --> 0:04:49.680 as the eye could see, there were fifteen thirteen fishing rods. 0:04:49.720 --> 0:04:52.719 To be specific, they sent us what was it? It 0:04:52.800 --> 0:04:56.480 was the It was little Kalon reels on. I think 0:04:56.520 --> 0:05:00.000 the widow Maker rods. I can't I can't remember exactly 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:02.240 which one they were, but everybody looked cool as hell 0:05:02.320 --> 0:05:06.040 with them. And I am in love with those Kalon reels, man, 0:05:06.080 --> 0:05:09.000 They're so smooth. And to be honest with you, I'm 0:05:09.080 --> 0:05:11.800 just about over ice here, and and you know, I'm 0:05:11.800 --> 0:05:15.560 ready to use the Kalon reels on on the open water. 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:18.479 And I'm also ready to talk spring and summer with you. 0:05:18.560 --> 0:05:20.680 Joe man, what are you? What are you looking forward 0:05:20.720 --> 0:05:24.160 to using? The most? Uh? Shad Well? I got first 0:05:24.200 --> 0:05:25.880 of all, I got Chad on the brain. That is 0:05:25.880 --> 0:05:29.720 always the first significant thing that like really kicks off 0:05:29.720 --> 0:05:32.480 a fishing season here for me. Um, and I had 0:05:32.480 --> 0:05:36.279 a chance to use thirteen ft Steelhead rods for Chad 0:05:36.600 --> 0:05:39.840 last season. Um and they they are perfect for both 0:05:39.920 --> 0:05:45.240 casting really tiny darts or backtrolling. And you know, Chad 0:05:45.320 --> 0:05:48.480 have a lot of similarities to Steelhead, particularly that they 0:05:48.000 --> 0:05:52.280 they change direction very quickly, so those long whippy rods, 0:05:52.400 --> 0:05:55.719 and that that ability to sort of absorb those those turns. 0:05:56.279 --> 0:06:01.080 Steelhead rods traditionally have made great UM Chad rods, but 0:06:01.160 --> 0:06:03.720 the feet steel head are particularly good. But yes, it 0:06:03.839 --> 0:06:07.919 is warming up here. I'd say three weeks we'll start 0:06:07.920 --> 0:06:09.920 hearing reports of the first shot around here and I'll 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:12.000 be out there. I have a full disclosure. I have 0:06:12.080 --> 0:06:14.880 never caught one on my first try of the year 0:06:15.080 --> 0:06:19.080 because it's generally too early. I'm just so itchy to go. 0:06:19.240 --> 0:06:20.839 You know. You hear like, oh they were too caught 0:06:20.880 --> 0:06:23.000 down here, and you're like, I'm going, I'm going right now. 0:06:23.880 --> 0:06:26.479 But it usually takes a week or two. But maybe 0:06:26.480 --> 0:06:29.200 that trend will be bucked this season. Maybe first time out, 0:06:29.240 --> 0:06:32.280 I'll get it done. Yeah, I'll tell you what, man, um. 0:06:32.600 --> 0:06:36.520 I let's see what number one. I used to do 0:06:36.520 --> 0:06:38.800 with the same thing with salmon all the time, Like 0:06:39.240 --> 0:06:41.359 you here about one and You're like, it's on No, 0:06:41.520 --> 0:06:43.120 it's not, dude. I would just I would just start 0:06:43.160 --> 0:06:45.240 going up at the end of August, man, just you know, 0:06:45.320 --> 0:06:48.200 to hang out and start getting my uh my sea 0:06:48.320 --> 0:06:50.640 legs under me or my salmon river legs as it. 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:53.240 Where the other thing, man is. I think I'm gonna 0:06:53.240 --> 0:06:55.280 be on the East coast a little bit towards the 0:06:55.440 --> 0:07:01.839 end of April May. Oh well, and can still be 0:07:01.839 --> 0:07:04.480 in there. I know when you see them up high, 0:07:04.960 --> 0:07:07.000 there's plenty to do if there if there's not. But 0:07:07.080 --> 0:07:10.440 the last few seasons, surprisingly, man, I've had great shad 0:07:10.480 --> 0:07:14.920 fishing almost up to Memorial Day. So late late late 0:07:14.960 --> 0:07:17.520 May starts to get a little but like there's other 0:07:17.520 --> 0:07:21.400 stuff to do. Late April, that's like primo. Can't be 0:07:22.200 --> 0:07:25.080 late April. My girlfriend and I are planning in a 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:28.600 Turkey hunt East Coast tours, so you know I might 0:07:28.640 --> 0:07:32.920 have to uh make a little detour um anyhow, Uh well, look, hey, 0:07:32.960 --> 0:07:35.040 I hope the early season Chad works out for you, 0:07:35.200 --> 0:07:39.160 and I love everything thirteammates. But I happen to know 0:07:39.480 --> 0:07:43.880 something that they don't make spearing decoys. That is a 0:07:43.960 --> 0:07:49.440 niche market right there. Niche indeed, mostly by mostly by 0:07:49.560 --> 0:07:55.280 local craftsmen. Yeah, we all see where you're going here, 0:07:55.400 --> 0:07:57.640 so just go ahead and get there already. Let's do 0:07:57.720 --> 0:08:02.000 it alright, folks. Today, in our first ever installment of 0:08:02.000 --> 0:08:05.120 our Makers series, we're talking to a friend of Bent, 0:08:05.480 --> 0:08:08.640 Ryan Ebert, to hear about his obsession with spearing through 0:08:08.680 --> 0:08:10.800 the ice and the decoys he makes to do it. 0:08:12.280 --> 0:08:23.160 Today we're doing our tool time salute was a real 0:08:23.360 --> 0:08:28.280 classic handmade that's a good looking rod. Yeah, well this 0:08:28.360 --> 0:08:33.959 is handmade quality ship we're talking here, all right. So 0:08:34.160 --> 0:08:37.680 joining us today on the Bent podcast is is my 0:08:37.760 --> 0:08:43.800 Instagram buddy and decoy carver extraordinaire, Wisconsin's favorite son, Ryan Ebert, 0:08:44.120 --> 0:08:48.800 now Joe. Before my tenure here on Bent, you and 0:08:48.920 --> 0:08:53.000 the beloved Mr Nolty mentioned Ryan on the podcast because 0:08:53.000 --> 0:08:55.920 he sent you a decoy and he say he sent 0:08:56.000 --> 0:08:58.679 me the greatest deco I've ever gotten. It's they're unbelievable. 0:08:58.840 --> 0:09:01.120 They unbelievable, and that's why his guest number one, have 0:09:01.240 --> 0:09:04.360 you gotten your Pikelope? Yet? I have not gotten a 0:09:04.400 --> 0:09:06.600 pike because Ryan still trying to decide if you're as 0:09:06.600 --> 0:09:10.679 cool as me and mine? Well, uh, since but since 0:09:10.720 --> 0:09:13.600 that faithful day. I've been a big fan of his, 0:09:13.760 --> 0:09:16.000 and while I do not have a pike lobe Joe, 0:09:16.320 --> 0:09:19.640 I do have a cut throat and I do have 0:09:20.320 --> 0:09:24.400 another like working decoy on the way. My my girlfriend 0:09:24.400 --> 0:09:26.000 called her first perch through the ice and it was 0:09:26.040 --> 0:09:29.120 like a big one. So in order to commemorate that, 0:09:29.240 --> 0:09:34.959 I solicited Mr Ebert for a for a replica perch. 0:09:36.480 --> 0:09:39.280 Um I have said to Ryan, Have I not said 0:09:39.280 --> 0:09:41.400 that you could actually just carve fish like in lieu 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:43.800 of taxidermy. You're good enough to do that, I think 0:09:43.840 --> 0:09:46.560 where that could be another avenue for you, Like we 0:09:46.600 --> 0:09:49.160 have to explain that like these are not like the 0:09:49.679 --> 0:09:54.400 like gift shop decoys, Like your level of detail borders 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:58.480 on taxidermy. I appreciate that. I don't know, I an 0:09:58.559 --> 0:10:00.960 artist's eyes as worst critic, so I'm not I don't 0:10:01.000 --> 0:10:03.840 know if I'm quite at that level, but I get that. 0:10:03.880 --> 0:10:05.560 But I'm telling you they're good. I dude, I sold 0:10:05.640 --> 0:10:10.200 my pike a little for two grand on I think 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:17.400 I got a commission coming. In addition, in addition to 0:10:17.480 --> 0:10:22.360 his to his decoys, uh, Ryan also does um like 0:10:22.360 --> 0:10:25.200 like a peril and in fact, I own like five 0:10:25.320 --> 0:10:28.160 of his t shirts or I I used to own 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:30.679 five of his T shirts. Realistically, I'm allowed to hang 0:10:30.720 --> 0:10:34.720 on to one and my girlfriend, Uh, she's stolen the 0:10:34.720 --> 0:10:40.319 other four. Actually, dude, this is a total coincidence. No, 0:10:40.480 --> 0:10:43.240 it's not. He's rolling up a shirt. You got to 0:10:43.240 --> 0:10:45.880 cut some meat shirt on? Yeah, the Pike. Yeah, yeah, 0:10:46.280 --> 0:10:48.840 I swear, I swear I did not do that on 0:10:48.920 --> 0:10:54.120 purpose because we scheduled this very last minute. Anyhow, I've 0:10:54.160 --> 0:10:56.080 been a big fan of his. We have folks at 0:10:56.080 --> 0:10:58.000 the office who are a big fan of his. Uh, 0:10:58.120 --> 0:11:01.760 Seth and Chester demanded that I get them both Pike 0:11:01.840 --> 0:11:05.160 Spearing hoodies. Anyway, dude makes a nice shirt. But that's 0:11:05.200 --> 0:11:08.880 not really what he's here to talk with us about. Joe, 0:11:09.760 --> 0:11:12.760 what you want to You want to talk more about 0:11:12.800 --> 0:11:15.920 the decoys? I do. Yeah, So this is our this 0:11:15.960 --> 0:11:17.880 is our first Makers segment, which, by the way, if 0:11:17.960 --> 0:11:21.440 Maker's Mark is listening, is that not perfect? If Maker's 0:11:21.520 --> 0:11:25.400 Mark Whiskey would sponsor the Makers segment here on ben Um. 0:11:25.400 --> 0:11:27.280 But yeah, it only seemed right to kick this off 0:11:27.320 --> 0:11:30.120 with you, Ryan, because we we've just you know again, 0:11:30.160 --> 0:11:32.800 we have some decoys. We've been following each other on 0:11:32.840 --> 0:11:36.359 the instagrams, and I think decoys are are very interesting, 0:11:36.440 --> 0:11:39.360 right because fair to say, um that while they certainly 0:11:39.400 --> 0:11:41.720 have function, because there's a whole culture people out there 0:11:41.760 --> 0:11:44.400 that actually use them for spearing. They're one of the 0:11:44.440 --> 0:11:47.600 weird things that you can make in the fishing realm 0:11:47.640 --> 0:11:51.600 that also has a whole other life as sort of collectible. Right. 0:11:52.000 --> 0:11:54.240 And also there are people who just make, like make 0:11:54.280 --> 0:11:57.000 these things that are never meant to get used unlike yours, 0:11:57.000 --> 0:12:00.320 that are just like gift shop kitch. So you know, 0:12:00.640 --> 0:12:04.400 I'm curious to talk about, like what what really separates 0:12:04.440 --> 0:12:06.200 one from the other, what makes it? Is there something 0:12:06.240 --> 0:12:09.960 that makes a decoy more functional, uh and ready for 0:12:10.000 --> 0:12:11.920 the hard water than a lot of these things you 0:12:11.960 --> 0:12:13.839 just see people pump out to put at the at 0:12:13.840 --> 0:12:17.240 the gift shop. Yeah, everything that goes into it, I 0:12:17.280 --> 0:12:19.480 mean makes it more functional, from the swim, the type 0:12:19.520 --> 0:12:24.680 of wood, making sure it's properly sealed. Obviously, the price 0:12:24.800 --> 0:12:27.640 level kind of determines if a guy's putting it down 0:12:27.679 --> 0:12:30.480 in the water or putting it on the shelf. Um, 0:12:30.520 --> 0:12:32.640 I'd say at least half the stuff I'm making, it's 0:12:32.640 --> 0:12:36.439 just going to collectors or people decorating cabins or lake 0:12:36.480 --> 0:12:40.120 houses and things like that. Really half of what you make, 0:12:40.200 --> 0:12:43.320 you think it is at least? Yeah, I mean I 0:12:43.320 --> 0:12:45.839 I do see a slight sim like there's one similarity, 0:12:45.880 --> 0:12:47.800 they're not quite the same. We see that a lot 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:50.280 in striper lures the guys turning that stuff out here. 0:12:50.640 --> 0:12:54.640 Not so much for decore, but I would say, if 0:12:54.720 --> 0:12:57.480 not more in some cases are bought to hold onto 0:12:57.640 --> 0:13:00.480 like they're never going to see water. So, I mean, 0:13:00.480 --> 0:13:03.200 obviously it doesn't bother you, is the wrong word, because 0:13:03.240 --> 0:13:06.120 you're you're making money, but I assume you would prefer 0:13:06.840 --> 0:13:09.880 to see your decoys actually used on the ice. Yeah, 0:13:09.920 --> 0:13:12.240 I mean, every single decoy make even if I know 0:13:12.360 --> 0:13:15.080 it's like ultra decorative and probably never going to see 0:13:15.080 --> 0:13:16.959 the water, I'm still making it the same way. I'm 0:13:17.040 --> 0:13:20.400 using using cedar, I'm stealing it and prim in it 0:13:20.520 --> 0:13:23.560 and uh using spar you earth thing to clear coat 0:13:23.640 --> 0:13:25.800 it and making it to swim. Even though I know 0:13:25.880 --> 0:13:27.480 it's probably not going to go in the water, I'm 0:13:27.520 --> 0:13:32.200 still doing the same process regardless. Well, contributing to that 0:13:33.040 --> 0:13:38.160 statistic of the Ryan Ebert decoys that I own or 0:13:38.240 --> 0:13:41.680 am soon to own, R R and D Decorative that 0:13:41.720 --> 0:13:44.200 cut I had to make a cutthroat decoy. That's just 0:13:44.280 --> 0:13:48.640 like wonderful and that that uh that's it's proudly on 0:13:48.800 --> 0:13:52.240 my on my mantle before and I'm not knocking that. 0:13:52.320 --> 0:13:53.839 I just want to make sure, like, yeah, like they 0:13:53.880 --> 0:13:56.240 are art right. I'm not saying like it's weird to 0:13:56.280 --> 0:13:59.560 have one for decoration. My pikeolobe is decoration. But I 0:14:00.240 --> 0:14:01.760 before we go on, though, I do think we should 0:14:01.760 --> 0:14:04.079 explain just in case you're not familiar with with with 0:14:04.200 --> 0:14:07.200 pike spearing decoys, Ryan, just give us the quick version 0:14:07.240 --> 0:14:10.560 of what these things actually do. Why do you need this? So? Yeah, 0:14:10.600 --> 0:14:13.720 here in Wisconsin are big thing is surgeon spiring because 0:14:13.760 --> 0:14:17.720 we don't really have pike spearing um here, but Michigan, Minnesota, 0:14:17.840 --> 0:14:20.960 North Dakota, a whole bunch of ice belt states all 0:14:21.000 --> 0:14:24.520 have pike spearing. Uh So in the winter months, go out, 0:14:24.720 --> 0:14:28.200 take a dark house, whether it's a permanent shack or 0:14:28.480 --> 0:14:31.240 pop up shack. You cut a big ass hole in 0:14:31.280 --> 0:14:35.280 the ice, usually three ft by four ft um and 0:14:35.280 --> 0:14:38.280 then the decoy is your primary attractant for pike. You know, 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:41.479 they're just as you guys know, they're just ultra aggressive predators. 0:14:42.080 --> 0:14:44.680 Um So, you're they're generally coming in and either I 0:14:44.840 --> 0:14:47.120 n it up or they're smacking that decoy and biting, 0:14:47.360 --> 0:14:49.320 chopping down on it, and then you're sitting above with 0:14:49.360 --> 0:14:53.320 a spear and and uh, yeah, that's how you get them. 0:14:53.680 --> 0:14:56.840 One question that I have is how did you get 0:14:56.920 --> 0:15:01.120 into making decoys? Like what was the genesis of ryany 0:15:01.240 --> 0:15:06.480 Bert decoit production? Here? So about fifteen years ago I 0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:08.600 got into pike spering through a good buddy I went 0:15:08.640 --> 0:15:11.320 to college with Um. We both went for graphic design, 0:15:11.400 --> 0:15:13.520 so that's where the kind of the peril design comes in. 0:15:14.400 --> 0:15:17.520 His dad was a warden up in Maynett County, Wisconsin, 0:15:17.600 --> 0:15:20.560 and he was really big into pike spearing and carbon 0:15:20.640 --> 0:15:24.000 decoys and went up and Um, the very first outing, 0:15:24.040 --> 0:15:26.960 we didn't even see a pike or didn't have any luck. Um, 0:15:27.000 --> 0:15:29.000 but I was just hooked. You know, it's so different. 0:15:29.040 --> 0:15:32.760 It's it's it's more like probably bowl hunting than it 0:15:32.920 --> 0:15:35.680 is fishing. Like you're picking a spot. I mean you're 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:38.240 not bouncing around like with tip ups or anything. You're 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:40.640 not covering a big part of lake. You're it's like 0:15:40.720 --> 0:15:42.680 duck hunting out of chimney. I mean, you've got one 0:15:42.760 --> 0:15:46.840 little area, one little area that you're watching and you're 0:15:46.840 --> 0:15:49.560 hoping they come in, and you're just waiting and and 0:15:49.840 --> 0:15:52.520 it can be boring for hours on end, but then 0:15:52.560 --> 0:15:55.640 all of a sudden, that five seconds of monster pike 0:15:55.720 --> 0:15:57.600 or any fish coming through, you know, it gets the 0:15:57.640 --> 0:16:01.320 heart pumping and and there's no guarantee a connecting either. 0:16:01.520 --> 0:16:03.760 It's it's not as easy as some guys think. You know, 0:16:03.800 --> 0:16:07.200 you're not just slaying them. So in a similarity to lures, 0:16:07.400 --> 0:16:12.040 right to lure making, like, what's in basic terms, what 0:16:12.200 --> 0:16:15.920 separates in your opinion, um and okay, decoy from a 0:16:15.960 --> 0:16:18.960 great decoy, Because you know, there's to use swim baits 0:16:18.960 --> 0:16:22.960 as an example, there's five swim baits, there's three dollars 0:16:23.000 --> 0:16:25.720 swim baits. They're all in one classification of doing the 0:16:25.800 --> 0:16:28.360 same thing. And you know, like there are people who 0:16:28.400 --> 0:16:31.240 will argue me in some cases with predator fish that 0:16:31.680 --> 0:16:34.040 if he's hungry and interested, like he's gonna eat the 0:16:34.080 --> 0:16:35.920 five dollars swim bait or he's gonna eat the five 0:16:36.480 --> 0:16:39.080 swim bait. But yet I still recognize that that in 0:16:39.160 --> 0:16:42.480 terms of action and what they do, they're obviously nuances. 0:16:42.920 --> 0:16:46.240 So what what in your opinion, should a decoy do 0:16:46.960 --> 0:16:49.920 to make it more potent or more attractive than a 0:16:50.000 --> 0:16:53.880 lesser decoy? What's the difference? The primary thing to swim? Um, 0:16:53.880 --> 0:16:56.880 it should should move forward in the water and make 0:16:56.880 --> 0:17:00.760 a nice slow circle. Uh. There are actually contests and 0:17:00.840 --> 0:17:05.159 classes and um shows that are have contests just for 0:17:05.200 --> 0:17:07.520 that and how the decoy swims in waters will swimming 0:17:07.480 --> 0:17:11.120 in a six foot tank and judge it all upon that. Um. 0:17:11.160 --> 0:17:15.040 From a collector's standpoint, it's all about the name. Um. 0:17:15.080 --> 0:17:17.840 So certain carvers, you know, develop a name or a following, 0:17:17.880 --> 0:17:21.720 and then that really ups the value of those decoys. Yeah. 0:17:21.760 --> 0:17:23.840 We did a news story a while ago that somebody 0:17:23.920 --> 0:17:26.360 unearthed the collection that they had authenticated it. I mean 0:17:26.440 --> 0:17:28.520 they were selling it South of Bees or something like that. 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:30.800 I mean crazy amounts of money for some of the 0:17:31.080 --> 0:17:33.800 really old, unique stuff, right, Yeah. I think that was 0:17:33.840 --> 0:17:36.960 a Peterson decoy if I remember it correctly. Yeah, something 0:17:37.000 --> 0:17:39.840 like that. Carvers that have passed on, and you know, 0:17:39.840 --> 0:17:43.280 though that's a limited supply, decoys are not obviously anymore 0:17:43.359 --> 0:17:46.959 being added out there, and they get pretty valuable. So 0:17:47.000 --> 0:17:49.919 if you go into a tackle shop in Wisconsin or wherever, 0:17:50.000 --> 0:17:53.120 spearing happens. Are there also sort of stock mass produced 0:17:53.119 --> 0:17:55.600 decoys that you would just find next to everything else 0:17:55.640 --> 0:17:59.600 on the shelves in there. Uh, there's some, I mean yeah, 0:17:59.640 --> 0:18:03.679 there's some commercial manufacturers here again here in Wisconsin. Enough 0:18:03.720 --> 0:18:05.240 Pike experience, so you gotta pretty much go up to 0:18:05.280 --> 0:18:07.959 Lake Winnebago and go to any bars or gas stations 0:18:08.000 --> 0:18:10.520 around there, and you'll see him hanan and there, especially 0:18:10.600 --> 0:18:13.280 this time of year with the season just wrapped up yesterday, 0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:15.480 so you'll you'll see guys that make them all around 0:18:15.480 --> 0:18:17.719 the lake. And for sturgeon sparing, they don't care as 0:18:17.800 --> 0:18:21.640 much about the swim, they're just doing. It's generally larger, brighter, 0:18:21.680 --> 0:18:26.480 colorful decoysw I know, um, I know that a lot 0:18:26.480 --> 0:18:29.720 of these decoys, you know, typically run like, you know, 0:18:29.840 --> 0:18:32.639 fifty two hundred and fifty bucks. You know, if if 0:18:32.680 --> 0:18:39.040 you're worker, decoy is like that range. Yeah right, Um, 0:18:39.240 --> 0:18:43.440 I do know an extremely effective decoy that you can 0:18:43.480 --> 0:18:48.080 buy fors and it comes with it comes full of coffee. 0:18:50.600 --> 0:18:56.240 I sent um what Yeah, I sent Chester Floyd Sturgeon 0:18:56.320 --> 0:19:05.320 spearing with a friend of yours, John Murtz, John, Yeah, yeah, 0:19:05.800 --> 0:19:09.639 um he I sent Chester up with a John Murtz 0:19:09.720 --> 0:19:13.840 decoy and he wanted to use it, but the hot 0:19:13.880 --> 0:19:20.639 thing on the lake happened to be styrofoam coffee cups styrofhone, 0:19:20.680 --> 0:19:24.440 it's probably ceramic, Yeah, like a regular coffee mug. Yeah, 0:19:24.440 --> 0:19:28.399 surgeon guys will throw anything down from disco balls, the 0:19:28.440 --> 0:19:31.640 barbie cars. I watched the dude put two duck decoy 0:19:31.960 --> 0:19:35.040 or I think they're kes decoys like back to back 0:19:35.160 --> 0:19:38.000 wrapped around. I mean, they'll just throw anything. A surgeon 0:19:38.040 --> 0:19:41.000 are a big curious dinosaurs, so you're just trying to 0:19:41.000 --> 0:19:43.240 throw stuff at them that they haven't seen before. So 0:19:43.280 --> 0:19:46.600 they're not always swimming traditional decoys on big that's fascinating. 0:19:47.000 --> 0:19:49.679 But the but the pike, because it's more of a 0:19:49.680 --> 0:19:52.840 predatory response. You want those decoys to swim in a 0:19:52.960 --> 0:19:56.320 very particular way, and you want them to be representative 0:19:56.359 --> 0:19:59.639 of something a pike might have, I don't know, like 0:19:59.680 --> 0:20:02.119 a pretty tory reaction to. Yeah. Yeah, generally you want 0:20:02.160 --> 0:20:03.679 them to swim better. But even though if you you 0:20:03.680 --> 0:20:06.040 want to mix it swim styles ones that are fast 0:20:06.160 --> 0:20:08.560 or slow, it makes something that are called like wiggle 0:20:08.640 --> 0:20:10.679 decoys that are finless and they kind of act like 0:20:10.720 --> 0:20:14.040 they're dying. They the islets on the bottom of the belly, 0:20:14.119 --> 0:20:15.399 so when you dig it, it it kind of does like 0:20:15.440 --> 0:20:19.439 a belly flip like a yeah, kind of like a 0:20:19.480 --> 0:20:23.320 big old like flutterspoon. Yeah yeah, yeah, especially on a 0:20:23.359 --> 0:20:25.399 slower day, you're just kind of throwing different stuff at 0:20:25.440 --> 0:20:28.280 him until you see what really gets them going. So 0:20:28.400 --> 0:20:31.120 perhaps a dumb question, right, because I certainly do understand 0:20:31.119 --> 0:20:34.320 the culture behind this fact dumb questions on the Bent podcast. 0:20:34.520 --> 0:20:36.760 H I I've always wanted to try pike spearing, right, 0:20:36.800 --> 0:20:38.600 I've I've never gotten a chance to do that. You 0:20:38.640 --> 0:20:43.720 guys got to open Yeah I should. Yeah, well I've 0:20:43.720 --> 0:20:45.399 been I've been wanting to do that for a while. 0:20:46.280 --> 0:20:48.879 But anyway, does anybody ever I don't know, use like 0:20:48.880 --> 0:20:50.879 a live sucker is a decoy with a couple of 0:20:50.880 --> 0:20:53.280 treble hooks in it, or maybe put some treble hooks 0:20:53.320 --> 0:20:57.000 on their decoy just in case. Every state has different 0:20:57.080 --> 0:20:59.960 obviously regulations. Um, so you can put what's called yeah 0:21:00.080 --> 0:21:03.800 cheater hook on a traditional decoy. Um. And there are guys, 0:21:03.880 --> 0:21:06.840 especially in Minnesota, they like to run a live sucker 0:21:06.960 --> 0:21:11.080 and usually a regular decoy. They'll run two down. Um. Yeah, again, 0:21:11.119 --> 0:21:13.040 anything just to see what's getting them go in that 0:21:13.119 --> 0:21:17.240 particular day. For Sturgeon spiring, you can't run anything with 0:21:17.280 --> 0:21:20.360 a hook and I don't think you can use live 0:21:20.400 --> 0:21:24.240 bait at all. Right, right, right, right, Well we have 0:21:25.160 --> 0:21:27.080 we have a couple of questions. I think we're we're 0:21:27.080 --> 0:21:29.800 aiming to sort of do this for all of our 0:21:29.880 --> 0:21:33.879 our makers segments because I think they I think they work. Um. 0:21:33.920 --> 0:21:38.199 But the first one would be who was your inspiration? Like, 0:21:38.359 --> 0:21:41.280 who did you learn from? Who was the biggest inspiration 0:21:41.320 --> 0:21:44.320 for your work? Yeah? S my buddies Dad that got 0:21:44.359 --> 0:21:47.119 me into it. Um, he's a retired warden. Now he 0:21:47.160 --> 0:21:49.439 definitely got me into the whole Pike sperience and I 0:21:49.520 --> 0:21:52.320 picked his brain starting out, you know, on making decoys 0:21:52.440 --> 0:21:55.479 and Um, Like I said, there's shows that I go 0:21:55.600 --> 0:21:57.879 to and I've met other carvers and just you know, 0:21:57.920 --> 0:22:01.240 gotten tips from everybody, and everybody's got such unique styles. 0:22:01.320 --> 0:22:05.560