Mighty Mississip

[ironman]

Tried my usual spots this past weekend and they were froze up...so I've been thinking about the big river. Not sure where to go. I've looked on the map and it seems that all the good looking spots are also, preserves. So are these preserves like some others and that you can hunt on some. I've hunted one on rice lake near Royalton and the rule there was you could hunt anywere on the lake and up to the high water mark. I wonder if that rule aplies on the mississippi as well. I've been thinking of the Clearwate area or some where around there. Should I even bother? Also...I've put the boat away so I am on foot now. Please help I would like to maximize my last weekend.

[Dean Schellinger]

Well I dont believe the season is over by any means. This is when I gets good. If I were you I would get that boat out of storage and utilize that, hit some big water and throw out as many decoys as you can. Look for some WMA with rivers/creeks on them and go check them out. That is where teh mallards/divers/geese will be.

[ironman]

thanks for the reply. The weather finally looks like it might be just crappy enough for the ducks to move. I may have to break down and use the boat one last time. I wasn't planning on driving that far....the boats at the cabing which is in Pillager, but....if one wants good shooting. OH well we'll see what happens. good luck out there. Do you think my 14 mallard and three wood duck decoys will be enough?

[Dean Schellinger]

Well 17 decoys are better than 16. If I were you I would try to find a frozen up section of river that may get some fly bys by mallards. Clump up your decoys as much as possible and hope the ducks see them. If they see an open pocket of water with a few dekes in it they may just pitch right in. Most of the places I hunt the river are by boat so I dotn have any specific spots but the Sauk River may be an option. Near Rockville or Cold Spring. Or the Mississippi between Rice and Little Falls.

We have had some good luck this past weekend on mallards on the big river. Nothing better than breaking ice and waking up every person along that stretch of the river as you do it. Good Luck this weekend Ironman.

-FLOWAGE TAMER