Herters decoy line storage question.

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Kenmorris

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I have rather a lot of foam Herters #72 decoys that I hunt. My question is, what is the best way to wrap the decoy line and weight when you are picking up?I've attached two pictures of what I?m doing now, but I?m not really happy with either. I usually run 12-15 feet of line as the late season is in the salt here in Connecticut.
Thanks for any advice.


046A3B1A-4BE8-4CD7-95E1-EC56D0930EE5.jpeg72E46FCE-39DB-418B-9CC6-DFAB974CD65A.jpeg
 
I only had 5' of line on the few 63's I owned and never did find a way to keep them wrapped.
I just used thicker line, wrapped the line as best I could, put the strap anchor around the neck and tossed them in the bag.
 
Ken,
I bought 2 dozen 72 divers back in the eighties. The guy I bought them from had 20 feet of line with strap anchors wrapped around the head. It seemed to work for him. I removed the line and anchors and put them on long lines. Have you considered that?

RVZ
 
Ken I like the option you have on the hen. It?s simple and when setting decoys if you hold it by the head and throw the weight directly away from you much of the line will play off very quickly.

Another option to consider would be H weights. I tried them for a bit and didn?t like them but some guys swear by them
 
Rod VanZile said:
Ken,
I bought 2 dozen 72 divers back in the eighties. The guy I bought them from had 20 feet of line with strap anchors wrapped around the head. It seemed to work for him. I removed the line and anchors and put them on long lines. Have you considered that?

RVZ
Click to expand...
I run divers that way but never thought of it for puddlers. Does it work?
 
I put a 6 inch loop at the decoy eye.
I then use a H weight with a long line clip.

This way I keep my anchor is an anchor bag and decoys in a decoy bag.
My boat is kept in the water and when I change out decoys , Example I bring 30 broadbill to the boat I am only bringing decoys not decoys and weights.

I found wrapped decoy lines can sometimes shrink and leave marks on the decoy.
 
I,ve got a rig of #72 herters & restle puddlers that I run 16' of line on. I wrap as your pic of hen with only difference being i,ve dipped 8 oz. strap weights in liquid rubber to save a little wear on paint. Only have a couple places I use them and then only when it freezes . My divers that require long decoy lines i use an h weight and line is wrapped around weight so that when they,re dropped they unwind an anchor themselves. Those are only about a dz. that get scattered at head of long lines to add a bunched up effect. All decoys are slot bagged , puddlers & divers , I prefer the straight wrap around body as its a bit quicker to set and take up in my opinion, at least for me. Figure 8ing decoy line probably keeps lines more secure in storage if not bagged.
 
If I remember correctly Herter's used to advise against using PVC or tangle free types of decoy line with their foam decoys.
 
Long lines will work Ken. I have the same issue, as you probably know. I like the idea of an H weight, or the circle ones that you have, with a clip on them that you can attach to the decoy. Wrap the weight with 15' and a clip, slam it on the decoy when you get out. I'm still working out a good system. Thankfully most of my puddle duck spots are shallower, but that silty salt marsh mud is always present and a real pain to clean out of everything. Even my truck has a film of it inside it in all the nooks and crannies.

I've had a similar issue with the homer geese I made. No clips. I ended up putting screw eyes on the "bow and stern" of them, and use the clip system previously mentioned for them. It's not perfect but it works.

I spent a lot of time last summer making my long line system modular for the decoys that live in the gunnel bags and not the laundry baskets. A bit wonky to explain, but I can show you next time we're at the same spot. Once you see it used it goes nice and quick. I like things to be simple because long lining solo can be frustrating otherwise.

Side note: I used to gun puddlers in the morning, beach at the launch and swap out bags for sea ducks, but now with the special season closed I'm not sure if that will be routine anymore. Andrea will be happy there are fewer "clam ducks" in the freezer.
 
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When I am picking up after a hunt, I generally wrap all the single 72's in the figure eight, around tail and neck, like your picture. Most of my 72's are on long lines of about 12 each. These I carry in single slotted bags. They are a lot easier to handle that way, at least for me. Then after the season is over, I wrap all the singles around the necks to store.herters 72 divers.jpg
 
Ken,
I'm a big fan of the original Tanglefree decoy line. I would use Tanglefree and toss the weigh, then line in a slotted bag, and the decoy on top.
This is the method I use for my geese decoys, makes deployment a quick process.
 
I bought a dozen 72s from a guy he had two 3" stainless screws at each end on the keel with about 3/4 protruding to wrap the line on. 5483C30D-8FCD-4728-A5AA-4971402B9A05.png
 
[size 4]Based on River conditions which fluctuate at different times of the season, I have always poured lead anchors in this shape (simple hardwood routed mold). They will store enough line to pay out for any water depths that I encounter, and can be locked off to limit the amount of line that will spool off with a simple loop around the closest nub. same goes for wrapping the line on pick-up and storing it. I have dipped these in Plasti-Kote. Also use a large snap swivel at the point of attachment.



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I also hunt varied water depths due to tides and pour my own anchors similar to Bobs. I have 6' of line on them. Some days only a few inches on line may be needed on others all 6 feet. This system works very well me and where I hunt
 
I'm not sure they look good when you put them out. I repainted the whole lot because they were shiny. I did think the guy was inventive. Most guys I hunted with didn't notice till we picked up the birds.
 
ken,
this is one of the confounding issues with herters decoys. difficult to get the wrap and anchor to stay put. some brands of the "plastic" cord will stick to the original paint on herters foam decoys this will lift the paint leaving a line. didn't seem to be an issue with the burlap decoys.
adding a stretch cord of some sort to the end of your line then to the anchor will provide some pressure to hold the anchor on the head. figure 8 works best to stretch the anchor over the head. I have cut rubber bands off old car or truck inner tubes, cheap and plentiful, or there are also commercial stretch cords available.
to prevent the anchors from scratching the paint I plastic dipped them. (mine were 8 oz strap anchors bent into a circle after dipping)
good hunting,
frank
 
I like the inner tube idea. I?m currently using thin bungee cord but I can tel that it?ll wear out fast
 
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