Diver shooting from a sneak box by yourself

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bob Petritsch

Active member
Bought a Higbee sneak box after last season,, I had a Taylor homemade years ago when I lived in NY. When we shot open water from the Taylor we always towed it with a larger boat and put out a mess of decoys.
Tried to shoot divers from the Higbee and big problem was lack of decoy space. Instead of 90 I am now limited to about 3 dozen. I usually used two long lines of 18 on a line and thought it looked a bit lacking. I used clips for the decoys, 25 feet of line from the anchor to 150 feet of line for the 18 decoys to 25 feet for the aft anchor. Two lines a bit splayed out from the front with a few individuals at the apex. That was for broasbill.
For scoter I settled on three lines of 8 decoys with 4 on each line close at the front then increasing distance as you went back, thought that rig looked good.
The total distance between first and last bird for the scoter rig was 100 feet.
Was wondering who others in the same boat handle the problem of using fewer decoys than you want to. Here in NC the scoter are never in large flocks, compared to Long Island Sound so the fewer decoys may be more natural. I'm thinking for broadbill I might be better off with a small pod and forget about the longer lines?
Any thoughts would be appreciated. I liked keeping the decoys on individual short clips as it made line control and pick up so much easier.





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Bob, with some planning I can get 5 1/2 to 6 dozen decoys in/on my sneakbox. I put 2 12slot bags on the aft deck, and keep the center of the aft deck to sit on, get to the motor and tiller running space. I put 2 6slot bags on the foredeck, I then fit 2 6slot bags on the floor of the cockpit, under the dodger. A 12 slot fits across the top of them and still fits under the dodger. I then put another 8 or 12 slot bag on the port side deck. I enter the boat on the starboard size typically.

If I want more decoys, I pull a Higbee pond box. I can get another 3 dozen decoys in that. I plan to modify the pond box to fit decoys easier, by opening the cockpit another couple feet. I have a plan in my mind, just need to cut some glass! Once the decoys are stowed for the year, I will move the pond box into the shop and give it a go. Mom will have to add to the canvas for it then.
 
Another point, I run the longlines in the slot bags. The birds stay clipped to the motherlines. I use sash weights on the ends which makes positioning and pulling the lines easier. To pick up, I simple come up either down wind or off the tide and grab the end and drift away as I stow the decoys/line, then motor back up to get the next line. Anything in a 6 slot bag for me are individual droppers, and 8 and 12 slot bags are long lines.
 
I have a old boat. Unknown maker. But a traditional sneakbox. I carry a slotted bag on the bow...12 blocks. I added a rail to the top of the decoy rack board. one by one inch strip of oak with posts of the same that are just attached with one bolt allowing the whole rack to be taken off when gunning. Most of the time I don't even remove it as it doesn't get in the way. This allows me to run a double stack of decoys on each side of the boat. I use a combo of cork blocks and herters 72's. I can carry about 80 blocks
Here is a pic:

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I have a huff that I occasionally hunt in open water for broadbill. I have tried several techniques with mixed results. My best success has been using single standard sized decoys and surrounding the huff with the decoys. I leave a lane to get in and out and a small float on my anchor line. My experience has been the boat hides a little better in the 30 or so decoys as opposed to parking up wind from the set. I also leave the dodger down or off when hunting. Just a thought.
 
Bob, I hunt my Higbee on open water quite a bit, my rig normally consist of 4 to 5 dozen Herters 63's and 8 to 10 sets of goose vboards. I haul the vboards on the front deck and duck decoys are under the front and rear decks. I have a canvas bulk head that lets me get a few more in the front without them sliding back into the cockpit. I use an box with an opening in the top that allows for storage for weights and anchor. When I set the rig out I try to set it so the birds are coming in on the right side(left handed shooter) , I never set up wind I set the boat off to the side and set the vboards around the boat. Here is a picture of the boat loaded.
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Ditto what Buck said. Same boat same set up. Might want to consider V-boards. I stuff decoys anywhere there is open space available. I put 18 in a leaf bag and set them in the front of the cockpit.


Mark
 
Bob - At the risk of over simplifying, I'd recommend 2 things...
  • Standard size decoys or smaller. In my sneak boat, I calculate both weight and size. Most decoys are too oversized in my opinion. Divers find and come into live birds all the time and, they are not oversized.
  • Open up the cockpit on your boat. I had a Zack Taylor at one time and ran into the same thing. My new boat, a Four Rivers, has a large open cockpit which affords me lots more storage.

View attachment barkley2a.jpg

Just my two cents. Pat
 
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