Water movement

I'm trying to take a poll. If there is no wind or very little wind. Does everyone one use some type of jerk string, hidgon or some other mechanical gizmo to move water /decoys? Or do you just let your spread set still and count on duck decoying in? I don't have to many seasons under my belt but I beleave water movement is crucial to get ducks to comment. Am I over thinking things?

My 2 cents;

First, nothing is 100% correct 100% of the time.

On dead flat days, the odds are already against you.
Movement (splashing / flashing decoys) in the spread does two things:
1 Provides visibility of your spread to birds that are far away.
2 Gives confidence to decoying birds that your spread is the real deal.

You don't have to have movement but your success rate will more than double generally if you do.

I use a couple water pump butts on pulse timers and a jerk string.

A couple more points:
Just like calling, there is some skill to using a jerk string properly.
You need to learn when to yank on the cord and when to let them sit.
To get more effective flash from deeks on your jerk string, paint the bottom of the decoy white.
When you jerk the string, JERK IT. Stand the decoys up on their beaks.
Three deeks on the string seems to be the best for me.
There are some days when it's better to turn the Robo off and let the jerk string do the work.
I use about 3 feet or surgical tubing for the jerk string "spring".
Use the giant saltwater fishing swivel clips on the jerk string for attaching to the deeks.

You are not over thinking it. Movement is good, your spread sitting on glass is not good. If there is enough wind to give a little ripple on the water and little decoy movement, that's good enough for me. Otherwise I use a pulsator, or a jerk string. I hate messing with a jerk string and pulsator. Jerk string is a real pain.

No wind days, go with a smaller spread and a jerk rig or two if ya got a buddy. I throw out a couple of quivers, too. A big stagnate spread seems to make them flare unless you are REALLY on the X.

Yes Guy, jerk rigs can be a pain but well worth it. The only problem I have is when I'm hunting solo and trying to run it, the call, and hold a shotgun. Sometimes the string gets wrapped around my hand and makes for an interesting shot.

I need one hand for coffee.

I would prefer a jerk rig above all other products. I don't know why a jerk string would be a PIA. Pull it tight and let out a little bit at a time as the ducks come in. The cheap ones at academy are 14 bucks and can fit in a blind bag without taking up hardly any room at all. I have two in my blind, two in the airboat, two in ductoon and one in my blind bag. I have a few mojos but hardly ever fool with them.

It doesn't take long to realize that your spread looks 100x better on a windy day. Unless I'm on a small tank I can pretty much count on 0 ducks finishing on flat day. We always have a jerk rig out and it seems to help but nothing beats a good 15mph wind to get ducks to finish.

FIFY...

You can get away with no wind on a clear day as long as you've got good motion. On a cloudy day and no wind, you'd better be dead center of the X... on cloudy days the ripples on the water are very hard to see from the air, even if there's live ducks feeding very aggressive. Blue bird days and wind is textbook.... you can kill them on cloudy days, every person on this forum will agree to that. It's just really hard to mimic live ducks on those days. I'll have at least 4-6 wonder ducks, 2-5 mojos, 2 jerk strings, 4-6 pumpers and 3 swimmers in the boat no matter what. You can always subtract but you can't add if you don't have it.

Thanks. That is exactly what I have been thinking. This question and a few other have came to me as I have been with a few guides now in the last 5 yrs. Out of 14 different guides 2 have used something that moves the water. And two used a wing spinner (and one of them used a wonder duck to) 11 out 14 did nothing. It seems I as most of you put more effort into getting duck to comment than guides. Most trips sounded the same duck fly past check out the spead and keep going. Do many guides care about doing the things needed to finish ducks on hard days? They all seem to count on be on the x and if not the just tell you well that duck hunting the ducks are just to smart. The public areas I hunt don't ever seem to be on the x but I swear I finish a higher percentage of the few that come in. But I think that has something to do with jerk strings,mallard machine,hidgon and hiding better. Any guides you know of go through enough effort to put out a jerk string? I'm just checking to see if I was seeing something wrong. Thank again for y'alls input.

You know LC beer is not just for breakfast anymore.

I am very aware!

1-2 pulsators if the forecast calls for wind in single digits- my spread NEVER looks traditional. Match the ducks, number and species- add geese to spread. Wind socks and decoys. I rarely have issues with ducks finishing. I believe it's the geese. I only saw 8 ducks Friday- shot 3 and should have been 4. Easy limit Saturday.

I have a mallard machine as well and several jerk rigs. I tend to use jerk rig when I have less than 2 dozen decoys out.

Mojo ducks IMO suck. They typically flare ducks- except for teal and spoonies

Go pick up some of the mojo flashing dekes, whatever they are called. Come in 6 pack and add some flash without spooking ducks. They are awesome. I use only 2-3 in spread up to 4 dozen decoys and more from there.

I also rarely set up blind upwind. With stale or wary birds, they tend to not finish. Cross wind 80% of time, and even downwind with decoys 40-50 yards away works great. They rarely focus on we're you are at.

lol. Brandy and coffee is better than shiner for breakfast.

Just like with everything else, it all depends on what works in your area. I have never had success on jerk rigs because I am usually hunting shallow mud flats with vegetation. Maybe if I was hunting a big lake in N TX it would be more effective. I don't like using mojo's because they seem to flare the grey ducks. Any hunt where I put one out, I ALWAYS end up pulling it at some point.

Ive been on 2 guided hunts. They didn't work hard...kept decoys out all year, didn't pick up the hulls etc... It's pretty easy to get on or as close to the X. Just put in your time scouting and watching the birds and everything else will fall in place... just use the trial and error method. what works one day, might work for the next 3 weeks or it might only work that one day.. but once you find a motion spread that has proven results, stick with it... like I said, you can always subtract but you cant add if you don't bring it.

We use pulsators, swimmers, or jerk strings on calm days. Most of our holes when we hunt them have been holding birds for at least a few days so when we hunt it they're pretty much going to show up regardless. There's a lot of different variables to public/private, and especially guiding. I don't know who y'all hunted with but even those guides that seem not to work very hard are probably doing a lot more than you think.

I hunted a hole last weekend with 0 wind. Put out 5 decoys. 3 on one jerk rig and 2 on another. I had my buddy there helping.