# Lake st clair



## scotts98rt (Feb 4, 2012)

It never ceases to amaze me the broke down hand me down junk duck hunters use. We are out there more often than not in potential life threatening conditions. Plan on worst case scenario when it comes to boats and motor selection. This is your SAFETY we are talking about. ... I am not picking on anyone here with this reply. .. just use your head.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

We hunted the managed units heavily this year. A 14' tank of a canoe without a motor was fine, but we did't stray far at Shiawassee. We then added a kayak for the third hunter, which doubled as a place to store our gear. Set up out of the canoe and then hid it upwind; put the gear in the 'yak and pulled it back to the spread.

Please get working nav lights. Seemed to be a lot of blacked out boats around, in particular at Harsen's.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

"It never ceases to amaze me the broke down hand me down junk duck hunters use."

Guys (kids really) at a launch one time, late split, ice forming on the lake. 12' jon boat on a flat bed trailer, no life jackets, abuot a 6000 acre lake that I've had fun with in my 14' deep V before when weather has come up. Starting it out of the water with a can of starting fluid, tell him he's going to fry his impeller, he tells me to f myself. I launch and take off, get the spread out, start banging mergs. They finally take off across the lake, go about 500 yards, motor seizes up and won't turn over. They don't even call for help, just drift slowly across the lake until they hit the ice.

When and only when I limited out did I go out and get them as it wasn't rough and they weren't doing anything stupid. I asked him what his plan was had I left, and he just looked at me. Never a thanks. Well, never seen them back there again, which is good enough for me. Those are the kind of people you plan on beating senseless with a mag lite and roping and dragging to shore as you know they'll pull you out of your boat if they end up in the water.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

scotts98rt said:


> It never ceases to amaze me the broke down hand me down junk duck hunters use. We are out there more often than not in potential life threatening conditions. Plan on worst case scenario when it comes to boats and motor selection. This is your SAFETY we are talking about. ... I am not picking on anyone here with this reply. .. just use your head.


I'm not disagreeing, but it's no different than any other segment of society. All you have to do is look at what is on the highways on any given day. Talk about safety....for them and us!!! Some of the [email protected]# you see on the roads amazes me.


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## jfn (Apr 24, 2011)

Trust me .... Safety is top of my list ! Deer, turkey, duck, no animal is worth loosing all . If you look at my pics that 12 ft is there ..... Might be small , but not junk . The couple 14 Jon's I looked at where 1436 ...... And man ! They looked smaller than that 12ft ! Gotta say I think the 12 might take a little choppy water better than the jon , the 12 lacks the space though! One reason I was looking at jon boats is I did not want to paint the 12 !!!! Boat looks great natural color ! Also ( lol ) I dumped that kayak last year on mullet lake just 2 weeks after the ice was gone ..... And that's not happening !!!! I'll take the small boat LoL to old for that swim !


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## KalvinKlein (Jun 20, 2008)

Where can you hunt the shiawassee at? I may stay off st clair until I get a better feel for waterfowling. Everyone is right, no animal is worth your life. Still plenty of places to hunt where you can use a 12' safely or wade.


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## jfn (Apr 24, 2011)

2014 kuhr cottage 021




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jfn


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Nov 4, 2014











  








108




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jfn


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Jan 28, 2015







. 

My 12 ft 
And the kayak I dumped


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## scotts98rt (Feb 4, 2012)

KalvinKlein said:


> Where can you hunt the shiawassee at? I may stay off st clair until I get a better feel for waterfowling. Everyone is right, no animal is worth your life. Still plenty of places to hunt where you can use a 12' safely or wade.


Hunt harsens managed unit,mostly foot access.


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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

Check out mi hunt (google it). Lots of great options on finding public land that is safer then big water.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

jfn said:


> ....Gotta say I think the 12 might take a little choppy water better than the jon...


a 12' deep V usually can take more chop than a jon....just the nature of the hull design. I used to have a 14' deep V that took a whole lot more chop than my 14' jon can. Now a mod V jon is much better for bigger water.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> " I launch and take off, get the spread out, start banging mergs.


Hahaha, you should have told the kids you'll tow em in if they eat one right there on the spot. Cold.


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## Wildfowl (Jul 3, 2015)

We have a 16 foot jon boat and I am in the process of converting an old fishing boat into a duck boat. I agree safety first. I think a 12 foot boat is a little small for LSC and any bigger water. After all the crappy days are the best and you don't wanna end up stranded or dead. Last year actually some guys next to us where we camp tipped there smaller boat when out on the bay. Stood up to shoot and over they went. Thankfully they were ok and able to limp their boat back. I will stick with longer more stable boats.


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## Lurker (Jan 25, 2009)

your boat will work fine for the marsh on LSC. launch at Deckers Landing State launch at the end of Anchor Bay Drive. head down the canal from the launch as if you were heading out to the North Channel. instead of going left for the channel go right at the cut. it will take you into the marsh. its all wadeable back there. and unless there's a tornado or a tsunami, I don't care how rough it is on the big water, you will have zero issues back there with that boat. PM me if you want more info.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Lurker said:


> your boat will work fine for the marsh on LSC. launch at Deckers Landing State launch at the end of Anchor Bay Drive. head down the canal from the launch as if you were heading out to the North Channel. instead of going left for the channel go right at the cut. it will take you into the marsh. its all wadeable back there. and unless there's a tornado or a tsunami, I don't care how rough it is on the big water, you will have zero issues back there with that boat. PM me if you want more info.


Well I'll agree to disagree...kind of. Having "issues with the boat" is just one of the things that can go wrong. If for some reason you get wet, and it's freezing temps, and you have to wade a long way back, hypothermia can kill you. Case in point...about 15 or 20 years ago several hunters died in the shallows on Saginaw Bay off Geiger Road within sight of the boat launch. It was so windy and bad that the people on shore could do nothing but watch in horror. Couldn't launch a boat to get them. Couldn't walk against the wind and rain/snow. And the hunters had boat trouble, tried to make it to shore, got wet, and died. 

If you dump that boat today out there, in 80 degree temps and 65 degree water temps, no problem. But in freezing temps, different story altogether. So not trying to scare anyone, but be very careful when it's freezing temps.


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## Lurker (Jan 25, 2009)

If you get wet and have boat problems in freezing temps it don't matter what size boat you have if your walking back. 
I'm talking specifically about the marsh behind Deckers. You only need the boat to cross the canal.
It's knee deep in the marsh and protected by frags and cattails. With houses all along the land side. It's nothing like Gieger Road.
And I have yet to have been out there and not had other hunters there who could help out if a situation arose
And if you're hunting by yourself that opens you up to all kinds of "what if" situations anyways.
So you are correct. We will agree to disagree.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Lurker said:


> If you get wet and have boat problems in freezing temps it don't matter what size boat you have if your walking back.
> I'm talking specifically about the marsh behind Deckers. You only need the boat to cross the canal.
> It's knee deep in the marsh and protected by frags and cattails. With houses all along the land side. It's nothing like Gieger Road.
> And I have yet to have been out there and not had other hunters there who could help out if a situation arose
> ...


This is the statement you made in your original post, and is why I felt I needed to reply....

"its all wadeable back there. and unless there's a tornado or a tsunami, I don't care how rough it is on the big water, you will have zero issues back there with that boat."

Please don't EVER give a newbie a false sense of security by saying he'll have ZERO problems. I've hunted/fished all over northern Lake St. Clair/Anchor Bay as well, and I know exactly the area you're talking about. Just because there are houses in sight, or people for that matter, doesn't mean you are any safer...seriously. It's a deceiving sense of security. Talk to any EMT or other rescue personnel...cold water and cold temps can kill very quickly...fact. One time back in the late 90's we were hunting the marsh on the south end of Harsens in November when a storm kicked up. Went from about 50 degrees at noon, to 35 degrees, howling wind, and snow by 4pm. Even though the marsh is shallow, we had two small boats, and had about a mile to go to get out. It was so rough we were bottoming out the outboards and couldn't run them. We were very wet, cold and icy by the time we got to the trucks, and I'll tell you we were damn happy to get there safely.


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## Lurker (Jan 25, 2009)

Please don't EVER give a newbie a false sense of security by saying he'll have ZERO problems?????

ok.... you might have a heart attack wading the marsh. or you might fall off the dock at the launch and drown because its over your head. 
I was giving KK some credit for common sense since he is according to his profile:
1: a hunter
2: a fisherman
3: an EMT
so he's not a newbie to the effects of the elements. 

and as to your mishap, could you have made the ****, left the boats and gear, and walked out? (the walk would have warmed you up) or maybe left earlier when the weather started getting really ducky? (yes, I've made the mistake of not leaving when I should have because the shooting got really good) we all have our stories of close calls if we've been at it for awhile.

as to KK's original question, are there wadeable places on LSC.
yes, and if you stay off the Big Water the 12 foot boat he has is a safe option.
again, giving him some credit for intelligence and not over loading the boat.
as would be a canoe or kayak as others have suggested.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Lurker said:


> Please don't EVER give a newbie a false sense of security by saying he'll have ZERO problems?????
> 
> ok.... you might have a heart attack wading the marsh. or you might fall off the dock at the launch and drown because its over your head.
> I was giving KK some credit for common sense since he is according to his profile:
> ...


Well I'm not calling anyone out here, but someone who by his own admission has not used a boat, let alone a SMALL boat, to duck hunt, needs to understand the hazards. And your original advice could be taken the wrong way. That's all I'm saying. Best advice I would give a newbie is to find an experienced mentor to tag along with a few times, or a few seasons. Especially before you venture out on any part of the great lakes, including Lake St. Clair, and especially before you do it in an undersized boat.


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## KalvinKlein (Jun 20, 2008)

Ill go out with who ever want to take a newbie like me. I have a shotgun and waders lol


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

KalvinKlein said:


> Ill go out with who ever want to take a newbie like me. I have a shotgun and waders lol


If you keep active on this site, and keep seeking thoughts and assistance, I'm betting you'll have more than one offer to tag along this fall. Probably won't be the first week, but as the season progresses I'm betting you'll get offers. I don't hunt that area anymore or else I'd take you.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

KalvinKlein said:


> Ill go out with who ever want to take a newbie like me. I have a shotgun and waders lol


I'll piggy back off of what JD said and add that this is sort of a bad time to find people to tag along with. During the season that request will likely be responded to positively on this forum. There are guys on here that hunt alone that wouldn't mind somebody tagging along, and there are also plenty that end up having a group with extra room to put in the draw at the bingo hunts (Harsens, Fish Point, Shiawassee, etc). I'm actually hoping to pair up with some guys this fall just to learn more, as I don't have any close friends who know any more about duck hunting than I do. 

This duck hunting thing takes time to figure out, but you'll never figure it out unless you get out there. Circle back with all of us this fall and I'm sure you'll find some guys to tag along with. Until then, try to get some scouting done. If you can offer a guy with a boat and a set up a spot that you've found yourself, you'll be bringing something to the table, and people like that.


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## Lurker (Jan 25, 2009)

pm sent


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