subject: Decoy Rigging Tips and Secrets [print this page] Decoy Rigging Tips and Secrets Decoy Rigging Tips and Secrets
To most duck hunters the use of duck decoys is a given for almost every hunt of the season. As duck season approaches most duck hunters spend time repairing and rigging their decoys in preparation for opening day. This is just the first step in the countless hours spent hauling decoys to a hunting location likely to hold ducks and the effort put forth to carefully set them into a pattern that mimics live ducks on the water.
Setting decoys in the early morning darkness can either be a simple or a frustrating task. It just depends upon the attention given to the rigging and transporting process. The most frustrating thing that can happen to a duck hunter is tangled up decoy anchor lines when trying to set out a decoy spread.
There are many different styles of decoy anchors available on the market today for duck hunters. The keys to choosing the best anchor are the anchors ability to effectively hold the decoy in strong winds and currents of a river, will not mar the paint of decoys when in storage such as a decoy bag, and most importantly stay attached to the decoy so string can't unwind from the keel and become tangled. One of the better decoy anchors available is the J style decoy anchor available from Greenhead Gear or the Ace decoy anchor as it hooks on the decoys keel versus being wrapped on the head and thus possibly marring the paint.
The type of string or cord to use comes next in the rigging process. The old standby for many hunters has always been tarred decoy cord. While this type of cord is not 100 percent tangle-proof it doesn't break easily in cold weather like plastic based cord will. If extreme cold weather is not a factor plastic based cord is virtually tangle proof and is a viable option. When rigging with anchors that remain secured to the keel such as the Ace Decoy Anchor my preference remains with tarred cord. A heavier tarred cord is recommended as this cord is less limp, this being less prone to tangles.
Another rigging option that deserves mention is most often referred to as Texas Decoy Rigging. With this rigging system a plastic cord such as the Tangle Free brand or 100 lb. test monofilament fishing line is used. With a loop made on one end of the line, the line is passed through a hole in the decoy's keel. Next the line is passed through the eye of anchor so it will slide, and then another loop is made. To transport the decoys a hunter simply puts his finger through the loop furthest from the decoy. Now the anchor will slide down the string to the decoy and a dozen or two dozen decoys can simply be carried without the need of a bag.
Several options exist for transportation of duck decoys, with a boat of course being the simplest. But in many cases a boat is simply not an option because of budget concerns or type of terrain. While the standard mesh style decoy bag is most commonly used in these situations there a couple of other options that require much less physical work. When walking out in a marsh setting a plastic decoy sled or coffin box blind that floats works very well. And for walking on land a two wheeled cart can also be a life saver.
