# layout hunt guides - Saginaw Bay area



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

A hunting friend is interested in layout hunting the bay this fall, and he's looking for guides. Interested in Layout hunting only. I've been out with Doug at Fish Pt. Lodge. Wondering if you guys have any names/info that I can pass along. So as not to start a thread advertising any particular service, PLEASE PM ME.


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## SafetyMan (Apr 13, 2001)

I don't run a guide service, but I hit the bay a couple times each year... and I usually have room for one or two guys....


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

SafetyMan said:


> I usually have room for one or two guys....


Prolly more if you would leave that friggin monster blind bag at home...
:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

lwingwatcher said:


> Prolly more if you would leave that friggin monster blind bag at home...
> :lol: :lol: :lol:



Looks like Safty and I would get along great. My hunting partner is always one me for my bag... but hey I never need to borrow shells and always have new dry warm gloves. :lol:


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## bvd7 (Oct 22, 2004)

I am a puddle hunter, have been for ten years, but I saw a guy hunt out of a layout boat in front of my spread. (it was a safe 400-500 yrds) I saw the light. Every bird that swung the shoreline wide to stay away from the decoy spreads setup off the shoreline dropped right into his spread. In this guys case he used the layout system to drop puddlers. But it opened my eyes to how fun it might be to try it. Looks like a riot. I will have to carry a sign....."will work for layout oppurtunity" on the ramps this fall....:lol:


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

bvd7 said:


> I saw the light.



Sssssssh.......

Layout boats are expensive....scary.....uncomfortable....NO, NO, NO..... 

But, since you are in SE Michigan, you have lots of opportunities. If you are anywhere near Down River, consider joining the GDHA....some of those guys can maybe hook ya up.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

bvd7 said:


> I am a puddle hunter, have been for ten years, but I saw a guy hunt out of a layout boat in front of my spread. (it was a safe 400-500 yrds) I saw the light. Every bird that swung the shoreline wide to stay away from the decoy spreads setup off the shoreline dropped right into his spread. In this guys case he used the layout system to drop puddlers. But it opened my eyes to how fun it might be to try it. Looks like a riot. I will have to carry a sign....."will work for layout oppurtunity" on the ramps this fall....:lol:


Even though I've hunted ducks for over 25 years, I've only done layout hunting two or three times. From my little bit of experience, it's not really physically any harder compared to other duck hunting, but it does require a lot of gear that the average puddle hunter doesn't have. Plus, it's not real comfortable laying in a layout boat for extended periods in cold weather....those things aren't big. And you haven't lived until you've tried to step....or should I say slide :lol: ....into a layout boat that is rocking in 2 or 3 footers, and is covered in a thin sheet of ice. Quite a thrill let me tell you. But divers fly completely different than puddlers....right down on the deck where you can't see 'em real well. They're on you before you know what hit you. The good thing (again my opinion from my limited experience) is divers either come right in, or they don't....none of this hesitation crap that puddle ducks give you with the "fly by" 3, 4, or 5 times. It's real different, and addictive :evilsmile


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

just ducky said:


> It's real different, and addictive :evilsmile



Rock n Roll baby...ain't nuttin like it!

With a little practice, transfers can happen quite rapidly but the tric is getting on your butt as quick as ya can....and somebody handing you your gun before the tender is gone...

But about that ice....geez, the last few years that would have to be in January...


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

The one time we did it about two years ago when we had some ice.....well okay it was more like thick rain :lol: was on November 11th on Saginaw Bay. I remember the date because I had a family member die the same day. I wouldn't say the boat was covered, but the spray was definitely making it slick. We learned to kind of jump in the cockpit area, but it was kind of a cluster for inexperienced puddle boys like us :yikes:


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## eyecatcher (Feb 2, 2004)

not aware of any layout guides on the Bay. Tim Winiecki at fin and feather in Bayport would know if there are any. We hunted layout on the Bay years ago but the divers tend to raft on the outside of the Islands and its just a lot easier to ue a floating blinds on the inner bays or hunt the marsh. I think you could do well outside of North island or Defoe. I would rather try to trick the mallards. besides I tend to fall asleep in the layout rig. a twoman boat might cure that. but man are they costly.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

We've hunted the outside of Middle Grounds and Defoe quite a bit, but it's tough to get to with the rigs we have. Like you said, much easier to hunt the inside of the islands, and fight the crowds :lol: There are some good rafts out there though, as there are on the west side of the bay that are easier to get at shhh: ). You've all probably seen my posts every year of seeing huge rafts over around Greens Pt, and encouraging you layout boys to go get 'em. But we're off track again. I've heard of several layout guides up on the bay, just never got the specifics. Hopefully one of you has some.


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## grizzly (Dec 11, 2000)

http://guidedduckhunts.tripod.com/

Try this link, i know there are several of them on the west side as we have seen them setup putting the smack on the open water birds. Hope this helps you out. 

Grizzly.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

grizzly said:


> http://guidedduckhunts.tripod.com/
> 
> Try this link, i know there are several of them on the west side as we have seen them setup putting the smack on the open water birds. Hope this helps you out.
> 
> Grizzly.


Thanks. That looks like one to try.


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## singleshot (Nov 5, 2003)

I would watch any guide on the west side of the bay. I have watched a guide in Standish set layout boats up with clients and run a separate boat to run birds all day. That was not peaceful day watching this boat do 5-mile lap's all day. Does your friend have a date planned or just want any time he can get? I make a bunch of trips during the week when the time is right. I have a hard time giving 24-hour notice on hunts, all weather and wind dependent.


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

singleshot said:


> I would watch any guide on the west side of the bay. I have watched a guide in Standish set layout boats up with clients and run a separate boat to run birds all day.


Great....  Doesn't that just push those birds out further or do they keep working the shore?


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## singleshot (Nov 5, 2003)

The birds only move once or maybe twice and they are gone out to the shipping channel. I just watch them move off shore and never return. I have heard some bad stories about that guide service and chasing birds is nothing.


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

I betcha that their paying customers and everybody else in that particular bay is real happy when the birds get tired of being pushed around and head out for a little rest....

Happens all the time....more than a couple pushes by anybody and they are long gone.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Several years ago we watched a guy in a kayak out in Wigwam Bay area just doing circles and laps....he was an older guy in traditional old canvas hunting clothing, and for a while I thought he was hunting, but we never saw him raise a gun, and several times he came into small rafts of birds that he could have shot at. Then I realized what he was doing was pushing birds around for some other guys who were in a boat blind a mile or so over. I guess this guy probably figured rallying birds around by hand paddling wouldn't raise any hackles from other people. I'm not even sure if a CO would consider what he was doing illegal


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## singleshot (Nov 5, 2003)

My favorite is watching the guys from the hunt club driving deer out of the marsh with the Argo. Their Argo got stuck and it was a pretty funny payback.


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

singleshot said:


> I would watch any guide on the west side of the bay. I have watched a guide in Standish set layout boats up with clients and run a separate boat to run birds all day. That was not peaceful day watching this boat do 5-mile lap's all day. Does your friend have a date planned or just want any time he can get? I make a bunch of trips during the week when the time is right. I have a hard time giving 24-hour notice on hunts, all weather and wind dependent.



If you know this "guide" was doing this as in you have seen it with your own eyes. Post up the name nothing wrong with outing the bad guys..


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