Concrete Decoy Weights

[Capt. Frank Miller]

Anyone pour concrete decoy weights? Do they last? Couple of people have told me they pour them in cans then put in a copper loop and the can protects the mortar?

 

[Andy Grant]

I have a bunch I made up for long lines. Work pretty good. I used plastic cups and put galvanized wire loops in. The disposable cups came off when they were dry. You need more weight with concrete to have the same holding power as you would with lead. The concrete is less dense so is more buoyant than the lead. You really can notice the difference.

 

[rob_g]

yeah i have seen guys that do it that way with the concrete coffee cans. Whatever works i guess. I demo'd an old house a couple years ago and scored like 30 sash weights out of it for longlines. Whatever is cheap and easy to replace is what is best though.

 

[Wispete]

I do it all the time. The weights range in size from boat holding to decoy long lines. The boat holding ones, the concrete is poured in plastic pots that trees are planted in, about three gal. The decoy long lines are held by one quart milk bottles with the top cut off. I also used one gal milk bottles cut in half. I leave the plastic on. I buy eye bolts at the hardware store with a nut and washer. You cut the tops off from the top of the bottle and juggle the eye bolt in. The eye bolts are about three inches long.

I have used round bottles but square ones store better. You can use ready mix but I would add more cement and sand. Makes a smoother anchor if the plastic comes off. I don't use them on individual decoys but my partner Mark does on a few. They have a wire loop that slips over the decoys head.

You can make a lot of anchors for very little cost. I prefer plastic over metal cans no rust and plastic doesn't scratch paint.

 

[Chuck J]

You need more weight with concrete to have the same holding power as you would with lead. The concrete is less dense so is more buoyant than the lead. You really can notice the difference.

Definately true.

I made up a bunch for my skinny water rig out of yogurt containers, with an insulated copper wire loop. The yogurt container is tapered opposite of a cup, so it doesn't come off (unless you wanted to cut an peal it) but I like the plastic outside, and plastic coated wire, so if (when) the anchors get piled on the deeks, there is far less abrasion than the bare concrete would have against my paint. I don't know what they weigh, but have plenty of holding power when dropped into soft mud or a weedy bottom.

Chuck

 

[Derek Z]

Anybody that has hunted with me could/can attest to my concrete anchor collection. I have used them for years and have coated those i use in the boat with plasti-dip. Concrete dixie cup anchors are the cheapest- easiest route to go if you are putting out a huge club spread and dont want to worry about loosing deeks over a season of wind. I have a handful of cool-wip cncrete weights i use in deep water that stack in a bucket perfect.

Now can we talk about the merits of milk jugs vs. bleach bottles!