Lake Erie Guided Duck Hunts

Duck Hunt Lake Erie this fall!

(Details)

Style:                Guided Layout Boat Hunt on Big Water

Ducks:              Greater and Lesser Scaup (AKA Bluebills),

                          Bufflehead, Goldeneye, some Cans, Redheads.

Location:          Maumee Bay, Sandusky Bay, the Islands Area

                           basically Port Clinton, OH

Times:               Hunts are 8 hours dock to dock.

Captain:            Larry Weiss (419) 707-1065

Price:                $200 per person, 1-4 people

Lodge:              Our lodge is available for an additional $150 per

                          night for your whole group if needed.

Lake Erie Duck Hunting

Redheads and a Mallard taken while Layout Hunting.

  Every fall Lake Erie becomes a stopping ground for thousands of migrating ducks, especially diver ducks.  Once they begin to arrive in early to mid October, they will continue to arrive until the big lake freezes up.  Most people never realize the number of ducks that congregate here because they stay 1-10 miles off shore.  Lake Erie's bottom is covered with Zebra Mussels which provides a rich food source for Diver Ducks to gorge them selves on. Layout Boat hunting is the most effective way to experience the fast and exciting action these ducks have to offer.  Layout hunting requires specialized boats and equipment so most people utilize a guide when they want to experience duck hunting on big water.

Ducks

Magnum Fowl Fooler Decoys

   Our daily bag consists mainly of  Scaup and Buffleheads. The Scaup arrive by the thousands and are the primary species you will encounter while open water hunting on Lake Erie.   Later in the season we start to see some Goldeneye and Scoters show up.  Its not uncommon to shoot other species during our season such as Mallards, Redheads, Ringnecks, Canvasbacks, Ruddys, and Long Tails.

Equipment

Bankes Revolution

   Our 21' Starcraft was especially built for Big Water Layout Hunting.  We use it to tow a large Bankes, two man Revolution, layout boat to a different hunt area each morning.  We then proceed to set 100 to 200 Magnum and Super Magnum, Fowl Foolers decoys, especially designed for Big Water Hunting.  The sheer number and size of these decoys is what convinces these ducks to commit.  The tender boat is then anchored a distance away from the layout boat as not to spook approaching waterfowl.

What to bring

Customers will need to bring their own guns and non-toxic shells.  A valid Ohio hunting license, Ohio state Duck Stamp, and a Federal Duck Stamp are required.  Waders are recommended but not necessary.  Camouflage clothing is also recommended but not necessary.  Rain gear is highly recommended.

Call us or Visit us at www.fishandfowl.net for more info.

This is a copy of an article I wrote that appeared in Take'Em! Magazine recently.

Jake Cisman with a game strap of coots

and snipe he killed on a mentored hunt.

A Waterfowl Guide's Perspective on 'Success'

By CAPT LARRY WEISS

  Guys, Food for thought. Something I've learned after guiding on the lake (Lake Erie) for the last 8 years: Often the most enjoyable day out for your friends, family, or customers may not mirror your idea of a good day.

 Example: yesterday, my long time hunting partner Kevin Wilson, and I took my nephew, Jake Cisman on a "Youth Mentored Hunt" which Jake won, online in a lottery. At the young age of 13 Jake was super-excited to say the least. 

 The area we hunted hosts two hunts per day.  Kevin and I knew the afternoon segment was going to be tough.  Being opening day, and the fact that the area had already had a lot of pressure during the AM, the ducks had vacated. 

  Jake could see coots off in the distance swimming closer by the hour.  Eventually two were swimming just outside of our decoys. I instructed Jake to stand up and try his luck when the coots began to fly off.  He picked out one coot and dropped it on his second shot.  Kevin and I couldn’t get over his enthusiasm over his Coot. 

  Eventually some snipe buzzed our spread and I informed him that those, too, were legal waterfowl.  What happened next was amazing.  Jake doubled on those Snipe on their next swing.  By the end of the hunt Jake ended up getting another double on Coots and Kevin and I each shot one also.  We had a blast shooting Snipe & Coot. We had a great time watching Jake getting in some shooting, and having success.

  Needless to say we saw several disappointed boys when we got back to the parking area at the conclusion of the hunt. Of course, everyone wanted to know what we were shooting at. We received a lot of looks of disapproval from other adults upon revealing our quarry. We had a great time and even chuckled a little at his excitement of shooting Coots. Reminded me of when I was younger and how I had a different picture of what success was.  Jake cleaned and ate those birds without a complaint.  With Social Media & TV people seem to have an inflated view of what this sport is all about.  Bottom line is: its what you make of it, and I think we have lost site of that.

Weiss is owner of Fish and Fowl Adventures, which offers layout hunting on big water for divers, and walleye and perch charters.

The Spring Migration for Diver Ducks has begun.

Photos of the Spring Migration can take your breath away!  Redheads tend to look this incredible during the fall on our Guided Diver Duck Hunts.  Most ducks are not as colorful during the Fall as they are during the Spring when it's mating time. This photo courtesy of Weatherman Waterfowl