Marsh Stake for Staking out Boat during Tide Change

[greg setter]

I just use an 8 foot push pole and I give about 8 to 10 foot of slack on the rope bridle. As the tide recedes the boat usually follows the tide line as long as there is ample water underneath.

This is what I do also, keep it simple. As far as I'm concerned the less stuff in the boat the better, just have what you need and nothing more in those marshes. I have a push pole and a boat hook, both wooden dowels of varying size so they float, one or the other will always work and they are really all you need. I also carry an anchor but almost never use it.

 

[Steve Sanford]

I also carry an anchor but almost never use it.

Greg~
Me, too. I carry a 10-pound Navy with about 40 feet of line. The anchor and line are lashed in place - so ready when needed. But, I will go whole seasons without using it.



My single staub (marsh stake) keeps the boat where I want it whilst gunning.

All the best,

SJS

 

[Chris Hughes]

Likewise I always have a anchor, the day I take it out of the boat is the day I will need it.

 

[Josh Schwenger]

I anchor the boat in good water and clove hitch a line in the rear. This allows me to pull the boat back to me. I only do this if the bottom is shallow and don't want the boat high and dry.

 

[Noah Shaver]

I anchor the boat in good water and clove hitch a line in the rear. This allows me to pull the boat back to me. I only do this if the bottom is shallow and don't want the boat high and dry.

I really like that, thanks for the visual!

 

[Neal Haarberg]

I use 2 mushroom anchors on the Columbia river and Oregon coast where we can see 10' tides. One off the bow and one off the stern to keep it from swinging or the wind from pushing it around. Before I had my Marsh Rat with me all the time one anchor line was extra long and would be placed on shore about at the high tide mark to be able to pull the boat in with like Josh does. I used to hunt out of my boat more regularly so the double anchor to keep the boat where it needed to be was standard practice. I keep each anchor in a milk crate with a lid that doubles as seats.

 

[Lou Ureneck]

Good morning gentlemen,

As a few of you know I'm sort of in the middle of a TDB restoration that has snowballed into quite the undertaking. Other priorities have gotten in the way and the boat won't be ready for this season.

My idea for this season is to bring my jon boat up to hunt the salt marsh. The areas I travel to in NJ have some pretty short spartina/salt hay and the jon boat with any sort of blind has much too tall of a profile to hide for puddle ducks. My plan is to throw my Ascend H10 kayak with a cabelas blind on it in the boat.

I will motor the jon boat relatively close to the hunting area, toss the kayak over the side with decoys, and paddle into the hunting spot so that I can hunt out of the kayak. The kayak with the cabelas blind on it is basically a paddle-able floating layout blind, it will hide great in the salt marsh.

The issue with this system is that I'll be by myself, and I plan to sit through some tide changes on my hunts. I will leave the larger jon boat in bigger ditches that still have water at low tide so that I can escape if needed. I need a way to stake the boat out and be sure that as the water rises or falls the boat has the freedom to stay in the water and not be high and dry when I paddle back to it.

What are some reliable staking/tie out methods in the salt marsh that you have used?

I use 10 foot long 1x2s that I buy at HD. I sharpen the ends and put them through loops I tie on to my TDB grassing rails. These allow me to stay out in the current, facing the decoys, with use of an anchor. I hunt in New England so I can usually push the wood into the mud. I bring an extra one in case on breaks.

 

[Lou Ureneck]

I use 10 foot long 1x2s that I buy at HD. I sharpen the ends and put them through loops I tie on to my TDB grassing rails. These allow me to stay out in the current, facing the decoys, with use of an anchor. I hunt in New England so I can usually push the wood into the mud. I bring an extra one in case on breaks.

I m as not to say without use of an anchor.

 

[Paul Castelli]

Good morning gentlemen,

As a few of you know I'm sort of in the middle of a TDB restoration that has snowballed into quite the undertaking. Other priorities have gotten in the way and the boat won't be ready for this season.

My idea for this season is to bring my jon boat up to hunt the salt marsh. The areas I travel to in NJ have some pretty short spartina/salt hay and the jon boat with any sort of blind has much too tall of a profile to hide for puddle ducks. My plan is to throw my Ascend H10 kayak with a cabelas blind on it in the boat.

I will motor the jon boat relatively close to the hunting area, toss the kayak over the side with decoys, and paddle into the hunting spot so that I can hunt out of the kayak. The kayak with the cabelas blind on it is basically a paddle-able floating layout blind, it will hide great in the salt marsh.
The issue with this system is that I'll be by myself, and I plan to sit through some tide changes on my hunts. I will leave the larger jon boat in bigger ditches that still have water at low tide so that I can escape if needed. I need a way to stake the boat out and be sure that as the water rises or falls the boat has the freedom to stay in the water and not be high and dry when I paddle back to it.

What are some reliable staking/tie out methods in the salt marsh that you have used?

For the Jon boat I would use an aluminum “stick pin” with a handle on top. I find they hold well, but even in thick viscous mud they come out pretty easily if you rotate the aluminum rod to break the suction. The aluminum rod is about 1/2” diameter . You can find them online.

 

[MIKE-SID]

Noah, get a jet sled. I hunt Delaware bay and the mud will eat you. With a sled to lean on and displace your weight, you can move around even in soupy mud if need be. Sometimes ya even gotta retrieve the retriever!

Good idea Jode, but that looks like hard work for sure! I hate the mud.