Diver Tactics Q&A Thread

[cutter08]

RRR i would highly recommend hunting Leech someday. We (7 of us) stay at a resort on the lake every year for the opener. And my grandparents had a cabin up there for years. At times later in the season when we get a good push of birds it is nothing to see non stop birds all morning. I have hunted all over the upper mid west and Canada and i would say leech is in the top 5 favorite places to hunt.

[Gordie]

I've hunt alot of lake around leech on opener and always here the bangin go on. RRR we will just have to plann a late season goldeneye hunt up there have got some buddys that just have an absolute blast with those little tanks as they call them.I also got a place to stay in longville

[Basseyes]

Late season golden eyes on one of the big points on Leech lake is as close as you can get to a sea duck hunt in Minnesota. Highly recommend it. Gang rigs or long lines on decoys are a must if you want to hunt out on the main lake for golden eyes. Whistlers are a tough big beautiful bird and a blast to hunt.

[BoxMN]

Hey guys, how many goldeneye dekes do you use on the real big lakes, Leech, Winnie, etc.? We put out at most about 8 or maybe ten, but I can see on the big staging lakes where there could be more.

I love goldeneyes, have two mounted above my new fireplace, and got both on pretty much metro lakes

[RumRiverRat]

I've hunt alot of lake around leech on opener and always here the bangin go on. RRR we will just have to plann a late season goldeneye hunt up there have got some buddys that just have an absolute blast with those little tanks as they call them.I also got a place to stay in longville

Stop talking about it, I am already going crazy waiting for duck opener.

[Gordie]

man i love waterfowling but the suspence is killing me

[slabchaser]

thanks for the advice elwood and RRR. ordered a couple dozen more divers (ring and blue bills) should be a very nice add to the spread. cant wait to get out!

[thedanimalkmk]

I love chasin divers but those late season Goldeneye hunts are what it is all about for me. They decoy so easy if you just have some goldeneye dekes out. The trouble for me is hitting the things. Never hit Leech for the Goldeneyes but have spent a lot of time in the Park Rapids area chasing them. May have to check it out someday.

Dan

[nate larson]

How do Goldeneye's taste? Are they pretty much the same as bluebills?

[RumRiverRat]

How do Goldeneye's taste? Are they pretty much the same as bluebills?

Very similar.

[thedanimalkmk]

This will probably raise some different opinions but to me ducks taste like ducks...its all in the handeling/preping before cooking that makes the different.

Dan

[Gordie]

you are correct sir

thats the best answer you could of given Dan and I'm really glad that they dont taste like chicken

[nate larson]

How do you guys anchor your boat when you are hunting bullrushes on a big lake? Do you just drop a big anchor with the nose into the wind? Or do you use two anchors? It seems like it would be tough shooting without much stability. I have always hunted cattails and either pull my boat into them or have it along side of them. I have one spot in mind where I have seen lots of goldeneyes but I would have to hunt the rushes in 4-5 feet of water.

[RumRiverRat]

Nate,

I am assuming the rushes are not thick enough to stabilize the boat.

Anchors are an options or if the water is 4 to 5 feet deep you can use 10 foot lengths of larger diameter conduit, put one at each corner of the stern and one on each side of the boat towards the bow.

Drive them into the bottom, use U bolts to attach them to the boat.

I have not had to do this but I just got a brilliant idea about it.

Got to go out in the garage and tinker with a few things.

[Gordie]

pretty much what RRR said I use push poles/closet rods on each end or side of the boat and tie wire or clamp to the boat

[nate larson]

Yeah, the rushes are not thick enough to stabalize the boat. I like your conduit idea but you would have to have a way to quickly detach them so you can out after cripples.

[Gordie]

thats why I use tie wire or clamps zip ties would work also but you would have to cut them each time you wanna leave. but you wouldnt have to do that if mans best friend is there.you could also fasten a piece of pipe to the side/end s of your boat then slide the pole thru the pipe and easy in easy out. drill a hole thru the pole near the bottom and when you pull it up shove a bolt thru it and they are ready for travel. ZWhen you get back to your spot pull bolt out and shove pole in the mud. sounds easy so I guess i'll have to try it.

[RumRiverRat]

Yeah, the rushes are not thick enough to stabalize the boat. I like your conduit idea but you would have to have a way to quickly detach them so you can out after cripples.

Use Wing Nuts on the U bolts, loosen them and pull up the conduit.

Or use C-Clamps, they could be loosen quickly.

I would also paint the conduit, so it is not shiny.

[nate larson]

I just realized that this spot has a hard bottom so it would probably be hard to push the poles in the bottom. My best bet would probably be to find a different spot to shoot goldeneyes!

[RumRiverRat]

I just realized that this spot has a hard bottom so it would probably be hard to push the poles in the bottom. My best bet would probably be to find a different spot to shoot goldeneyes!

Use a 4 pound sledge hammer, conduit is hollow and goes in pretty easy even in a hard bottom.

[brmuskie]

If you are in bullrushes on a big lake you have a sand bottom. You can still pound/push conduit or posts into the sand but I think you would need a sledge in some spots.

[HNTNBUX]

I had a guy weld up some pipe slightly larger that my stabilizer poles, to a bracket that is secured to the side of my boat. The pipes also have a bolt welded to the side with a hole that goes through to the pole. A handle is welded to the bolt to allow me to turn it in or out. I have one on each side and it works pretty good for stabilizing the boat. The only problem is having the right size poles for every situation so there is not a shooting obstruction.

[anchor man]

What's the typical time to start for divers on Leech? Mid-late October? Also, is there much competition trying to get on to the larger points on Leech and do the points have enough room for multiple boats. I'm a mallard guy and would love to pull the boat up from the Crosslake area for the day sometime and try divers.

Thanks

[Gordie]

to me the best time to hunt big water such as leech,winni,mille lacs is opening day of deer season not much pressure and lots of birds. most guys cant give up the deer but I did for 9 years and concetrated on divers and all I can say is WHAT A BLAST but now my son is old enough to deer hunt and he wants to hunt deer so thats what I do now. Hopefully we get our deer right away so we can diver hunt the rest odf the season.

[Lunker]

Pretty basic question.

How far do you space your individual decoys apart on a gang line?

Don't hunt a lot of divers, but we get quite a few bluebills and a mix of others on the wisconsin river where we hunt, so I recently invested in some diver dekes.

[cutter08]

I only put them about 5 to 6 feet apart. Otherwise i have had them try and land in the line and not the kill hole

[Gordie]

yep 4-5 foot apart works very well

[RumRiverRat]

If you have a small group of divers come into the decoy and you miss them with your shots, do not take that hail mary third shot.

Had a pair of Cans drop right into the decoys this morning.

I dropped one on with my first shot and my buddy missed with his 2 shots, I told him not to take his third shot as the Can flew out of range.

The Can made a wide circle and came right back down our diver line, he dropped it at 10 yards.

A lot of the time most divers will circle back even after being shot at, seems Cans and Redheads will do it more often.

[RumRiverRat]

Had a Bull Can come down the diver line this morning.

Was not quick enough to get a shot off.

He looked like he was going to land in the kill hole, made a wide circle to the left out past the end of the diver line.

Flew down the line again and I dropped him.

[dan z]

you will shoot at the flock of divers on the lake moe than once, especially cans and reds. we crushed some cans and reds last saturday 10yds every shot.... pics are in the photo album