Deploying dekes in the muck question....
- Thread starter Ed L.
- Start date
Thanks for all the input. I have a plan.
I have several spools of heavy braided decoy line. I am going to place stakes on both sides of the pond each with an eye bolt to make a smooth surface to pull a line against. I will tie loops in the braided line at varying distances for attaching swivels that will be on short leads from the decoys. This will give me a trolley system so to speak so I can clip my decoys to the lines and pull the decoys into the pond to deploy. Then at the end of the day I can reverse the proccess to retrieve my decoys. I can hide the stakes in the grass and someone else coming into the area will see nothing obvious.
I'm going to construct another treble hooked dowel rod for retieving purposes. I have a king size blow-up mattress and a recharable air pump that I'll throw in the boat in a box just incase I need to retrieve something. The king size should float high enough with little draft. I should be able to manuver fine with my push pole although maybe a kayak paddle would make things easier. I have a 100ft anchor rope I'll use to tie around me for additional safety.
Bob,
I love the pickleweeds but I can't carve my name. I did order some decoy heads that I'm going to attach to closet rod or banister rail and paint up. Not going to be near as cool as yours but hopefully the ducks won't mind.
I have several spools of heavy braided decoy line. I am going to place stakes on both sides of the pond each with an eye bolt to make a smooth surface to pull a line against. I will tie loops in the braided line at varying distances for attaching swivels that will be on short leads from the decoys. This will give me a trolley system so to speak so I can clip my decoys to the lines and pull the decoys into the pond to deploy. Then at the end of the day I can reverse the proccess to retrieve my decoys. I can hide the stakes in the grass and someone else coming into the area will see nothing obvious.
I'm going to construct another treble hooked dowel rod for retieving purposes. I have a king size blow-up mattress and a recharable air pump that I'll throw in the boat in a box just incase I need to retrieve something. The king size should float high enough with little draft. I should be able to manuver fine with my push pole although maybe a kayak paddle would make things easier. I have a 100ft anchor rope I'll use to tie around me for additional safety.
Bob,
I love the pickleweeds but I can't carve my name. I did order some decoy heads that I'm going to attach to closet rod or banister rail and paint up. Not going to be near as cool as yours but hopefully the ducks won't mind.
Mark W
Well-known member
I can't believe no one thought of this earlier. This is an easy fix. A couple of cans of camo spray paint and maybe throw some raffia over the extension and you are good to go.
View attachment firetruck.jpg
Mark
View attachment firetruck.jpg
Mark
I fish some bog fringed trout ponds with similar issues. The best solution there is a really big, flat bottomed canoe, with a pole that has some kind of marsh foot on it.
"Best" is still not very good. There is a tradeoff here between a larger boat for shallower draft and a smaller one for more maneuverability in tight channels that may have a few more inches of water.
I've been dreaming of one of these: https://www.alpackaraft.com/index.cfm/store.catalog?CategoryID=53&ProductID=66
They're pricey, but are durable enough that folks use them to pack out by floating downriver on fly-in moose or caribou hunts.
Under 5 pounds and packs up to a roll the size of a small tent.
"Best" is still not very good. There is a tradeoff here between a larger boat for shallower draft and a smaller one for more maneuverability in tight channels that may have a few more inches of water.
I've been dreaming of one of these: https://www.alpackaraft.com/index.cfm/store.catalog?CategoryID=53&ProductID=66
They're pricey, but are durable enough that folks use them to pack out by floating downriver on fly-in moose or caribou hunts.
Under 5 pounds and packs up to a roll the size of a small tent.
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Ed`
Is this within your budget?
Setting, picking up rig and downed birds....painted the right colors it could double as a robo-duck....
All the best,
SJS
Is this within your budget?
Setting, picking up rig and downed birds....painted the right colors it could double as a robo-duck....
All the best,
SJS
Nelson Graves
Active member
Another vote for a mud boat. If you can sink in it, a mud motor can run in it. Any slick bottom, light weight marsh layout boat, like a Momarsh with a featherweight long tail could probably run all over that bog.
I know you said it wasn't boat accessible, but I'd re-visit that if the spot is that good. I can drag my Momarsh a good distance with a light hunting load. When you get to the muck, just lay on it and push.
I know you said it wasn't boat accessible, but I'd re-visit that if the spot is that good. I can drag my Momarsh a good distance with a light hunting load. When you get to the muck, just lay on it and push.
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Steve,
Now that's pretty cool. One year, not in this place but a similar situation I borrowed my son's r/c boat and hollowed out an old flambobo decoy and placed it on the boat. I attached a couple of decoys to it and ran it around the pond. Although kind of fun the battery ran down in the middle of the pond and I had to wait for the wind to blow the boat to shore. It was a very still, long, duckless day that day but I wasn't going home without his boat.
Nelson Graves
Active member
I don't blame you. I make a 1/2 mile run across a protected section of the river here, and do so very cautiously. If I were going to cross the Mighty Miss., I'd definitely carry my little boat in a nice big tender boat for the crossing. Be Safe....Best of Luck!
Well I've been brain storming this some more. I have one of these that I can hide in
I have one of these that I can transport decoys in.
and I ordered one of these. I'm going to assemble the blind to the pontoon. The center seat portion disconnects from the pontoons for transport in the boat to get where I can walk in. It might be a bust or it could be the cats meow. I have access to pallets so my thought is I'll put down a few pallets where I can get the pontoon to the water where I can have it floating before I get in it. At any rate I have some small waters and back waters in the area I've thought about fishing and this will give me some mobility rather than just bank fishing. I ordered the optional trolling motor bracket as well. I wonder if it will float with a mud motor clamped on..;-)
I have one of these that I can transport decoys in.
and I ordered one of these. I'm going to assemble the blind to the pontoon. The center seat portion disconnects from the pontoons for transport in the boat to get where I can walk in. It might be a bust or it could be the cats meow. I have access to pallets so my thought is I'll put down a few pallets where I can get the pontoon to the water where I can have it floating before I get in it. At any rate I have some small waters and back waters in the area I've thought about fishing and this will give me some mobility rather than just bank fishing. I ordered the optional trolling motor bracket as well. I wonder if it will float with a mud motor clamped on..;-)
noweil Mike
Well-known member
Ed, Start building your board walk out of pallets now so it is done by September 1. Or get a flat bottom mud boat. No rocker bottom displacement hull with a big keel. A flat slick bottomed mud boat. The clothes line rig for decoys will get the decoys in and out.