# Water Decoy lines and weights.



## WARDEN247 (Sep 7, 2004)

What style of lines do you most use and why. What kind of anchors do you use and why. Do you put 6-8 feet of line on each decoy, Longer, shorter????? Trying to figure out what to put on my new spread this year.
I hunt both shallow water 3-4 feet deep and deeper water 8-10 feet deep.
Thanks


----------



## Lance Pardee (Oct 28, 2004)

I use tangle free line. I use this so that I don't have to wrap the line up every time I use the decoys. It works wonders I got stuff a couple of dozen decoys into the bags and put them out quicker than any thing. I myself use the mushroom style anchors mostlt, but do use others, such as home made. As far as the line length I just went to the depth adjusters by Avery Outdoors. They work wonders. I also hunt in varying depths from 1-8'. I usually have the lines cut at 10', and then use the depth adjusters to set the length of the line. I use to try and put slip knots into the lines, but they never worked the way I wanted them too.


----------



## BigDaddy (Mar 4, 2002)

I use 6 to 8 feet of standard line with the flat, band-type weights. I wrap the band weights around the keel or gently around the decoy neck. The problem with the neck is that you can scratch the paint there.

In most shallow sloughs, I have too much line. Therefore, I plan on taking a couple of feet of line off each decoy before next fall. For divers, you often need 6 or 8 feet of line, but for dabblers, it can be a hindrance.

The best weights on the market are the horseshoe ones from G&H. I received a free one or two when I bought my last decoys, and I wish I had them on all of them. They simply slide onto the decoy keel and stay there.


----------



## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

> The best weights on the market are the horseshoe ones from G&H.


BigD, ever tried the Ace decoy weights with the surgical tubing between cord and weight and hook shaped weight that ensures a tight, tangle free fit around the keel. It's one of those " Wow, I wish I would have thought of that" things.[/quote]


----------



## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

Like Dan, I've switched all my weights over to Ace. Once you go Ace you'll never use anything else. Ace decoys with tanglefree....can't do wrong.


----------



## BigDaddy (Mar 4, 2002)

I've never tried the Ace, but it looks like this might be a good time. Thanks for the tip.


----------



## slough (Oct 12, 2003)

The ace ones are definitely the best i've seen, the G&H ones work pretty well but are too big for ducks i think. I never knew about ace until this year, wish I had known all along!!


----------



## WARDEN247 (Sep 7, 2004)

Is there any place I can look to find a mold so I can make my own?


----------



## Lance Pardee (Oct 28, 2004)

We use to use a foam, or paper cup, the bath room sized ones and then load them with concrete. Other wise I know that there is a company that makes molds for making lead weights, I just can't remember where it is. You might want to try Hunter Specialties at hunterspec.com they might have them, but if they don't they should be able to point you in the correct direction. Or try Herters.


----------



## bigmaroon (Feb 18, 2005)

I use several types but my newest addition is my favorite. Those are retractable. They are glued onto the bottom of the decoy. The cord is ssteel and works like a window shade. Great for adjusting the depth.


----------



## Duff (Feb 19, 2005)

I like the tarred line. I can buy it in large spools and use it for other stuff as well. It has a good life span with the tar which also helps keeping it from getting tangled to an extent. Places I use them I mostly wade so long cords are a negative. deepest I have is probably 6 ft. usually don't go much over wader height. We hunt a swift river also and gang line those with a railroad tie plate for the main anchor with about 10-12 foot line so that the first deke doesn't nosedive. In the ponds and lakes we just use the flat anchors.


----------



## STINGER (Apr 2, 2005)

I use 30 feet of tanglefree on 1 lb. H style anchors ............. they hold in all the tidal waters here in the Atlantic Flyway and I rarely hunt in water deeper than 20 feet ............... when I do it's usually diver hunting and then I use 3 lb. muffin pan style weights and long lines with 40 foot anchor lines


----------



## purepower (Sep 11, 2004)

i usually use the 6oz bendable weights. and i usually stand on the tip of my GHG decoy thread pull it up to my shoulders and cut it at my shoulders cuz i dont hunt water deeper than my chest waiters.


----------



## Drew Willemsen (Sep 29, 2003)

I hunted with Joneser and his decoys with Ace, I don't think that I would use any other weights anymore my .02


----------



## dlip (May 16, 2004)

I use 8 oz. mushroom anchors from H.S. waterfowl. They are fantastic, bendable to fit around keels or the neck, the lead does not crack or harden. And absolutely no drift. I use 4' of avery quick fix anchor line, and I plan on switching to tangle free. I plan on buying 6-12 herters ultimate mallards along with the 6 or 12 slot decoy bag, so I am not for sure on if I will switch or not.


----------

