Gang Rigging

Dan VanDeWoestyne

Dan VanDeWoestyne

Member
I normally hunt swallow water areas but am wanting to change up a little bit and hunt some more open water. Also if I hunt the river my lines are too short or anchors wont hold. I would like to make a few gang rigs to attach my decoys to if need, was thinking of making a few gang lines with clips attached to them so I can hook my normal decoy line am weights to them when needed. Will the anchors on my decoys cause too much weight? I would like to keep my decoys rigged like they are but use them in deep water if needed, any other ideas?
 
I don't know Dan?
If you want to try you could put the clips directly on the main line. That way you could leave
your decoy lines as they are, if you don't have too much weight on them. I keep longlines in a small bucket.
put one end into the bucket and just feed the line in. When you get to the end you will feed out first
just clip it to the bucket handle. As long as you pay it out and let the line run you won't have any
problems. I use heavy braided main lines (1/4" minimum) many are heavier.
Don't know if it will work but I'd give it a try! John
 
I don't know how you rig your decoys now ? If you wrap your line around the keel and use strap weights so every thing is below the decoy and won't come unraveled. I did this years ago. I had a long line with loops every six or so feet and sash weights on the ends. I got a hold of heavy copper wire. 12 guage or larger. larger is better. Cut in pieces 12" Take one end and thread though the hole where you attach the decoy string about three inches a MAKE ONE TWIST. Remember this is temporary.

Drop you sash weight in the water up wind and in the first loop above water put the copper wire through the loop and bend back. No need to twist. The decoy will not come off. Put the rest of your decoys on and drop the other sash weight. This was a good way to put out and take in quickly in deep water.

Because the long line is near the surface Not a good rig for hunting with a dog. If you hunt with a dog then you need more decoys and rig them just for long line with two or three foot droppers. You can't have enough decoys, boats, motors, shot guns or dogs. ( : )
 
I have my decoys rigged with 6-10" of tangle free cord and 8oz strap weights.30% of them are rigged in the back hole. I am also hunting with a dog so my main line will need to be deep enough so she wont get caught in it.
 
Dan,

Consider going to an "H" style anchor. hen you can adjust the line length to meet different depth requirements through the season by looping it offf on one of the nubs.
 
Dan, I first want to tell you to check out my post of my first and latest carved bird to show you a differene in what a class under Willy can do for your carving capabilities...


Here is a long line technique the gets away from the lobster clip concept which can take lots of time...This gives you the ability to be very mobile by putting out and picking up decoys at a very fast rate...Doc McCullough and myself can put out 150+ blocks in 20 minutes or less...

Find about 75' to 100' feet of 1/2" to 3/4" (http://www.patrollersupply.com/equipment/item_1364.asp) The website I gave you is a great cord to use...Buy some 1/4" rope not tangle free plastic line...Cut about 6" pieces...Tie a five pound to eight pound dumb bell to to 2 feet of chain with carabeiner...The weights used will depend on the situation you hunt, the heavier the better because it will hold the rig in heavy current or strong winds, believe me we used 3 pounders and have found that a larger weight removes the guess work of hunting in a river or on the lake during heavy chop...Tie a brass 3" oring to each end of the main line...From one end measure out to about 25 to 30' or longer if you plan to hunt deep water...We usually hunt between 9' to 25' of water and it works perfect with 25' of free length per end...Use a small screw driver or marlin spike...Heat this up to be red hot and poke through the cord in roughly 3 to 5 foot increments...Put on between 8 to a dozen blocks...Tie the 6" piece to the decoy and then place through the main line...Tie several large knots after you pass it through the main line...

Keep you dumb bell weights in a five gallon bucket connected to chain...Put your decoys in a tupperware container you get from Walmart or where ever...Cut holes in the bottom to drain water...

When you deploy the dekes, take one of the ends of the line and clip the weight to it...Let the boat drift as you toss the decoys out...When you come to the end place another weight on the end....Repeat the process...As you tupperware containers are emptied put them inside each other and put them inside your tender boat....If you hunt from shore just put them behind the boat to get them out of the way...

In cold weather or even when where gloves those lobster clips just suck having to pull of each individual bird...It is so much easier to pull the free length end remove the weight and start pulling the long line in hand over hand placing the dekes in the containers...Plus the thickness of the main line is damn near tangle free...The method works...It works very well...Like stated before it allows you to be more mobile in case you need to move to get in the flight path...

Best of luck,

Special K
 
Just a thought for you.
I use detachable anchor lines with my gang rigs so that I can customize the anchor lenght to the water depth. I have 10' 20' 30' and 40' lengths of anchor line, 2' of chain with grapple anchor keeps the decoys lines in place.
 
I have never had an issue with the lobster clips... Actually we leave the birds on the longline all the time.
 
One thought is to put clips on the end of your individual decoy lines.
Then put loops of line on your weights.
Depending on where you hunt, clip on your individual weights or clip onto the long-line.

[inline LongLinevsIndivid.JPG ]

View attachment LongLinevsIndivid.JPG
 
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