Duck Master I

[Chief Grey Bear]

CD and I have been talking about doing some river duck hunting the last couple of year. I have read quite a few stories and seen photos from the early part of the last century and it just looked a sounded like a lot of fun. Of course I always like doing things like they did many, many years ago and try to keep it somewhat alive for my son to pass on. But I have been know to make a few modifcations. Much like the Duck Master 1.

It is not exactly like the early jon boats they used but close. Well, somewhat close. This one is plasctic and has a trolling motor. Compfy seats or at least more comfortable then a wooden bench. It ain't anything like Ducky has, which I have got to get down there and see! We took it out today to do some test as see what we need to change. And there are a couple of things that I need modify. I need to lower it just few inches and it needs a little bit of bracing. Other than that though, I think it is going to work really good.

I didn't think any ducks would be on the rivers yet and I was right. It is too early for them but sometimes you never know. We brought our rods for back up pleasure. Bad thing was I left my jig box at the truck. CD brought his spinning rod and a Roadrunner that he tied his self and and he put a hammered willow leaf blade on it. It worked. He scored a nice fat brownie.

[duckydoty]

Looking good Chief. Were gonna have to get together and take CD out on the Lake duck hunting. That will work perfect on lower Taney or upper Bull Shoals in a couple of spots I know. It should be another week or two and the ducks will be thick down here.

[Buzz]

That looks really good.

[BilletHead]

Neat rig. If we get a big freeze I may try a float somewhere. One time many moons ago when things were froze I fished some holes on the Sac below Stockton, ducks everywhere!

Marty

[fishinSWMO]

That should do the job. Nice fish CD!

[Mitch f]

Looks good! I had a jon boat set up with a blind all thru the 1990's finally went to the layout boats. Those layout boats are unbelievable for close shots. After the flood of '93, many of the acorn producing trees were gone, the mississippi flyway was a mere shadow of what it once was. Ted Shanks used to be so full of ducks that you could hear a constant roar of ducks, an absolute wall of sound... would have made Phil Spector jealous. Then the central flyway took over (Grand Pass). Kind of got out of it then.

Our favorite river tactic was to buzz up the Mississippi and position ourselves on a sand bar island next to whatever private club was hot that day, based on the wind and weather. Wasn't as easy as the club hunts but a LOT cheaper and killed as many birds. Now all they do at the clubs is turn on the robo ducks and watch em head for the corn, no calling necessary.

Actually if you and your son are out together in a boat and you can catch smallmouth at the same time, who needs to kill greenheads!

if you get a duck that's just icing on the cake!

[jdmidwest]

The best of both worlds. My 14' jon is setup with a drop down blind. Many times we sit and hunt teal in the morning, drop the blind and bass fish the rest of the morning.

Of course, while fishing, you are posing as a fisherman and an unsuspecting duck may pass by.

[Feathers and Fins]

Heck that will work on the big lakes on a calm day... grab some goldeneye decoys and get at them...

[Bird Watcher]

Chief, my buddy and I have shot a lot of them off Shoal when it freezes in a rig sort of like that. We rig a screen of brush to the front of the canoe and take turns shooting out of the front. You can scull right into shooting range of ducks if you stay low profile and don't move until you are ready to shoot.

It looks like you are setting up for a stationary blind though. If you plan to hunt them while floating, I would offer two pieces of advice, 1. check the legality of the trolling motor. I don't think you can have your craft under power of a motor while shooting. 2. lower the profile like you mentioned. The overhanging trees will rip it right off before you even get started- at least it did for us. We had to go with something abount 1.5' above the bow and hunker down behind it in order to get through the wooly chutes.

Hunting Shoal Creek is a lot of fun when the conditions are right. You never know what species you will see. I haven't done it in about 5 years, but the buddy I used to do it with still says it's his favorite way to hunt.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Shoal Creek and Spring River will be my haunts when the conditions are right. And you are right, I can not be under power when shooting. I will mainly just go with the flow of the current but, will use it to get through the long pools if nothing is there.

I was going to lower it mainly because I can't sit and see over it while moving along. I want to lower it just enough to see over while seated. I had to stand and operate while we were testing. Shoal and Spring are generally pretty open so I should be ok. I am also thinking of doing this to my canoe. Maybe not this year though. When Corndawg and I were out there this weekend, I sure was wishing were were in the canoe floating.

And I agree Shoal will be a lot of fun when ponds and lakes get frozen. This wasn't Shoal but last year CD and I were over on Capp's one day in Janurary and rounded a bend and about 25-30 Green heads exploded into the sky. CD about jumped out of waders! I have always seen a lot of ducks on Spring and Shoal in the winter and can't wait to give it a whirl!

Thanks for the info!