Lower Columbia Duck report

Jellyhead · 10-21-2002, 12:34 PM

Skein,

An inflatable is a great idea. Those things are very seaworthy. And low profile.

Here's a pic of my "scull boat" It is low profile, and very shallow draft, and works perfect for me.

I built it a year ago for sculling ducks on open water. It is a blast to hunt that way, but also is deadly as a layout boat.

Aaron

skein · 10-21-2002, 12:49 PM

JH,

That's pretty trick. I wouldn't be surprised to see it show up in the next James Bond flick, "Never Die Duckless!" Kidding aside, do you run it with a two-bladed kayak paddle, or can you hang a trolling motor on the back? It's pretty cool. Did you build it yourself?

The reason I bought my inflatable was to fit in my camp trailer. I have a toy hauler that I run my 4-wheelers up in, and when we camped by a lake I would find myself wishing I had a boat. I tried my canoe, but it was hard to wedge in without tearing something up, and pretty unstable with a curious lab in the middle. The inflatable works really well for that, and now I'll see if it will double as a layout boat.

I just ordered a camo tarp from Northern Tool, and with the addition of some grass mat and whatever is at hand I should have a working tool. We'll see.

Skein

Jellyhead · 10-21-2002, 01:51 PM

Skein,

I built the boat last year, I run a little 2.2hp gas motor on it. That works well. When I am sculling I use a single oar out of the transom, and lie on my back to sneak up on ducks in open water. I take the gas motor off for this, so there is no question if I am motoring on birds. Sculling is a really neat way to hunt, Not a better way, just different. There is as much planning that goes into an open water "persuit" style hunt as there is in setting up a decoy hunt.

When I am laying out in the marsh, I remove the motor also, and use a kayak paddle to retrieve birds if the water is too deep to wade.

Here is another pic of the stern, showing the location of the oar hole in the stern. You can see the "boot" which the oar goes through on the overhead shot of the boat above. This keeps water from coming in the boat from the oar hole. The oar is a long single bladed style, much like that used by the gondola. It is tricky to learn the sculling stroke, but is like a figure 8 pattern. You definitly have to have the wind and current in you're favor with this stroke, and even then sometimes the ducks will just keep paced ahead of you out of gun range

Aaron

[ 10-21-2002, 02:56 PM: Message edited by: Jellyhead ]

skein · 10-21-2002, 02:19 PM

Good idea on the sculling. I've done that before, but off the bow of a boat, sweeping the figure eight from side to side. I'll bet I could scull that QS. Maybe I'll have to experiment with that. I could mount a bracket on the transom and build a special oar..... Hmmmmm.

It looks like you did a nice job on that boat. You must be pretty handy.

Skein

Jellyhead · 10-21-2002, 11:13 PM

Well, I managed to get out in the marsh on Saturday. There were lots of birds at first light. I didn't even shoot until 5 min. after legal shooting time because I heard no other shots. The pressure was almost non-existent.

The first hour was fast and furious and I had limited by 8:30. The widgeon were there in full force. Still lots of pinnies, and mallards too.

One hint for anyone hunting this area. It was a low tide at first light, So getting to the spot I wanted to hunt required a boat that will float in 2-3" of water. With a little dragging in the dark, and lots of grass on my layout boat, I was the only one in an area that usually has quite a few people in it. I was limited , and on my way out while others were coming in to hunt. The birds were coming into the marsh with the incoming tide.

Good luck to all, and be safe out there.

Aaron

skein · 10-21-2002, 11:25 PM

Jellyhead,

I'm trying something new this year - a quicksilver inflatable. It's stable (even with my lab in it), floats in inches, drags easily across grass that's barely wet, carries everything I need, and is low profiled enough to lay down in and stay hidden. I'm experimenting with camo, and will probably go with cloth and that woven grass.

I haven't hunted out of it yet so time will tell. Anybody else use an inflatable?

Skein