Michigan  Darkhouse  Angling  Association

The Michigan Darkhouse Angling Association was formed in 2002 by a number of sportsman wanting to protect the rights of Michigan residents to harvest legal species by spearing from darkhouses.

     There are an estimated 20,000 Darkhouse fishermen in Michigan who practice their sport today, down from the estimated 100,000 of the 40’s and 50’s.  Even though their numbers are small, they are passionate about their historic sport and willing to fight to maintain their style of angling. 

     The term “Darkhouse” is the name used by winter, spear fishermen to describe their ice shack.  Unlike the conventional hook and line ice fishing shack, which has windows, the Darkhouse is windowless.  Spear fishermen require a dark environment so they can see into the water.  Briefly, darkhouse spearing involves selecting a suitable location on the ice, cutting a hole in the ice, and placing a Darkhouse over the hole.  A wooden fish decoy, which has been weighted to sink in the water through the open hole, is used  to attract a fish.   The fisherman then uses a spear to harvest the fish, which swim in to investigate the decoy.

     Historically, the earliest  accounts  of spearfishing through the ice are from Michigan.  In 1763 Alexander Henry, a fur trader, reported in detail the technique of spearing through the ice by Chippewa Indians in the Fort Mackinac area.  He described their use of  lead-filled decoys while laying on their bellies in huts covered with skins.  A spear head of iron was attached to a short stick to spear trout.

      Darkhouse spearing equipment is simple, yet it must be functional.  Unlike the open water fishing gear, spearing equipment has changed very little over the years.  Decoys are made of wood or plastic, the stoves are much better, and the Darkhouses are of lighter material. Yet nothing as high-tech as electronic reels, graphic fish locators, or downriggers has found it’s way into the Darkhouse spearer’s gear.

     Spearers face a much bigger challenge cutting holes than do other wintertime anglers who can simply auger a 6” or 8” hole through the ice.  Spearing holes can be cut with an ice saw, chain saw, power auger, or ice chisel, but are much larger in size.  The spear is, of course, the rod-and-reel of the Darkhouse fishermen.  Next to decoys, spears are the most collectable of the paraphernalia used in the Darkhouse.  A Darkhouse anglers spear ranks right up there with  the  sportsmen’s favorite shirt or his pickup truck.

     Next comes one of the most important articles the Darkhouse angler has on his list, the fish decoy.  While some types of Darkhouse spearing, such as for sturgeon, rely almost purely on chance, it takes something interesting to lure a northern pike into the hole.  Spearing decoys have received more attention than any other piece of Darkhouse equipment.  This item of American folk art has become very much a collector’s item.  One characteristic that is universal among fish decoys is that they do not have fish hooks attached to them.  Hooks are considered  “unsporting”  to the Darkhouse anglers.

     Carving fish decoys goes hand in hand with Darkhouse angling.  Like the open water anglers, spearfishermen have an assortment of lures they use.  These lures are hand-made fish decoys.  The resurgence in interest for this American folk art form has brought the fish decoy into a new light.  Several national and world championships are held each year in the United States that feature fish decoy competitions.

     Last, but very important, is the misconception that winter spearfishermen hurt northern pike populations.  Countless DNR studies from many states show that, at worst, Darkhouse spearing, has no major impact on northern pike populations.  The most recent research is from the Minnesota DNR  and published in 2000.  The research concluded, in part:  “Spearing is selective for the largest northern pike in a population.  It removes (on average) a small proportion of fish with increasing size.  Recreational angling, by comparison, removes an even greater proportion of the larger-sized fish in a population.”

     And yes, if the term “catch and release” comes up, Darkhouse anglers “look and release” without tearing the mouth out of the fish by using  large treble hooks  and subjecting the fish to temperature damaging, below freezing conditions.  “Catch and release” is an option,  provided all fishermen.  If they “choose” to keep a fish and not “release” it, that is their “option” under Michigan  natural resource law.  Darkhouse anglers do the same, only they “look and release.”  Should they choose to harvest the fish, they do so with their spear, enjoying the moment the same as the hook and line angler does when reducing the legally taken fish to his possession.

     In conclusion, every fish biologist will tell you that “length of growing season” and “availability of food”,  dictates sizes and numbers of fish, not genetics.