Spearing not Sewing

This is one of the things I do when I'm not in my sewing room.

Spearfishing in Minnesota

Edit: I realized this isn't much information to go on...just a terrible cellphone photo so I'll explain.  I live in Minnesota and go fishing in the summer and in the winter.  Usually, for ice fishing, I drill a hole with an auger and drop in a line with a bobber and wait for a bite.  This is different, this is spear fishing.  Basically, you cut a television-sized hole in the ice and cover it with a windowless room (called a darkhouse but sometimes it's just a tent.)  Then you sit, leaning over the hole a little, holding a multi-pronged spear attached to a rope and waiting for a northern pike to be interested enough in your decoy to come visit.  Then, if you see a fish and you want to eat that fish, you stab it.


Here is a short video I made, showing a northern pike interested in my decoy:

And here is a northern pike afterward:

And last, here are some darkhouses:

That's my loving spouse, his high water bibs, and the ice from the hole.

I realize that this has nothing to do with what I usually blog about here and that it might not be your cup of tea but it's pretty interesting and I wanted to share.  That's my grandfather's spear and those are my dad's darkhouses. I grew up hunting and fishing and we eat everything we take.  I used to be less interested but the older I get (and certainly after the stress of war) I really enjoy spending the time outside, the quiet, and being attentive.   For me, it's akin to what I get out of sewing.  Not only is the process both stimulating and relaxing but the outcomes are so delightful!