Layout hunting big rivers

I have layout hunted on the Mississippi.. on the channel.. It works.. the only thing I will say, is if there is strong current.. you will either be looking up stream or down stream... set your decoys accordingly .. . We have even taken white wing scooters out of the MLB on the Mississippi.
 
There isn't any problems with the current and the layout boats? I hunt the Missouri river and we get a lot of goldeneyes but have trouble decoying them with our puddle duck spread and thought a layout out toward the channel with some longlines would work great!
 
I can only tell you that I have set my MLB literally on the edge of the channel... the line between 25' and 8'.... Barges go by with in 50 yards...
 
I guess the most important question is... is your season still open? if so.. We can find out after Saturday.....
 
we get a lot of goldeneyes but have trouble decoying them with our puddle duck spread
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Have you tried putting a group of GE decoys on the edge of the spread?

Or, are they feeding/rafting out in deeper water?
 
No I have not tried the GE decoys yet. I plan on trying to carve my own in the off season. From what I gather the only decoy to there own blocks. They seem like they like to land out in the deeper water also.
 
We dont get many down here, but when we do see them, they do seem to like to decoy to GE dekes.
Otherwise, they seem to skirt the spread and land on the outside edges, if they land at all.
Good luck!
 
I have shot them over other decoys but the finished best over diver blocks. Those fellas are hunting a whole different style river than we do on this side. You might be able to hunt out of a layout but I would have a quick release with floatation on it with as much trash that comes down the Missouri River. I wonder if those are the golden eyes that were sitting on the treatment plant in Excelsior Springs about 2 weeks ago before it froze up.

Here are some golden eye decoys carved an hour by road from you and 30 minutes by air.lol
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Those look pretty good! Might have to look you up when I start carving and get some tips. They might be the same birds but we keep a pretty good population of them around here.
 
I carve some from cork I order from the Duck Blind, I have some cedar but it was expensive to ship so I have a dwindling small pile. Mostly I use basswood which is available in Mo. it is also called linden by some depending on who and where you have to buy it. Someone has a sawmill around you, ask everyone you know. The good thing about finding a small mill is the price I get my bass for $1 to $1.50 a board foot milled to my specs. The bad thing is you have to get it dried or wait a couple years there is a large kiln company in Weston Mo. that will dry wood for you. They charge $.50 bdf with a 500bdf minimum or $250 minimum if you have less than 500bdf. We had around 400bdf dried one year and it still cost us less than $2 a bdf when it was all done, not a bad price for custom cut and dried carving wood. I use some dimensional lumber from the lumber yard also, it is not bad to carve if you are carving just a little detail, if you have a planer it glues up nicely.
 
Did ya get a chance to gun that bill this year? Yours made it out several times and we killed cans, bills, goldeye and buffys over it. I have it on one of my longlines with mine.

Jim
 
Jim I only got it wet once. did not make it to big water at all this year so the last day I hunted the North part of Mo. I hunted my divers. Went through the night before and put short lines on them all. Shot some gaddies that tried to set in right on the inside of the bills. As you can see yours is in the photo he floats great cannot wait to get him out on some big water in the years to come. Thanks

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Thanks for the help guys! One more question when you say dimension lumber is that clear white pine? Also do you use hand tools or power carvers?
 
I have used hemlock, red cedar and even douglas fir to make birds, hollowed and sealed with epoxy they have held up without problem. I use both hand tools and a power grinder. I do use my hand tools a lot more than the power grinder. You are welcome to come by and see what I have and what I use, it is not the only way to carve but it is what works for me.
 
Blake - Current is definitely a deal to contend with. It can wreak havoc if you don't set your lines right with it. Compounded by wind, it can be tough however, it is worth it if you have ducks...
 
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