I've been duck hunting for years, but I've never gotten into diver hunting until this year. I've got 4 50' long lines with 48 decoys attached and it was a mess trying to get them out of the boat without becoming a tangled mess. I was alone and admittedly it probably would have gone a lot smoother with another person, but I would much rather hunt alone so that I don't have my buddies trying to claim everything I shoot - I'm sure you can relate. Anyways, what's the easiest way to go about it? I went on a guided diver hunt and the guide used single 25' cords on all six dozen of his decoys and he swears up and down that it's the only way to go. Is there a special type of line that would keep the decoys tangle free with that much cord on them? I was considering rubber coated steel cable, but it's pretty damn expensive for 1500' worth just to put on 4-5 dozen diver decoys, not including anchors and any cable clamps. Not to mention I'd be out until midnight picking up decoys on an evening hunt.

What's the best way to go about it?

Individual clips and take them off the mainline. It's a little more spendy, but WAY easier. Plus no frozen, tangled mess late in the season.

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Are you using the long line clips to hook the decoys to you long line? All I run is the tarred line and don't have any issues with tangles. Every decoy goes into a slotted bag as they come over the gunnel of the boat and wrap the tarred line on a big spool. We run on average130-160 blocks but we have been doing this for many years and have the system down.

Oh yeah and the best place to buy the clips is Memphis net.

These guys have it covered. We do the same as described here. We reel in the main line onto an extension line reel and drop decoys into slotted bags as they come in.

^^^^^ agreed... I have been trying to get away from the lines and set them out in singles and make my line that way.. It's more work but iam trying to see what way works best.. As in birds working the spread.. It's been working good so far but not many divers showed up yet time will tell..

Both methods listed above are tried and true.

I use the first method and remove the decoys while "flaking" the motherline into a milk crate. My sons and I can easily put out and take up 200 dekes without a snag. I've done it by myself too, but then I have to alternate between pulling the mother line and bagging the dekes.

Be sure that you use the wind to deploy your long lines. Set the upwind anchor and let the motherline pay out as you tend the decoys. When picking up, pull yourself up the motherline as you stow decoys. That keeps everything from getting bunched up and tangled.

If you use a retriever, be sure the decoy drops are at least 24 inches. Also, if you use individually rigged decoys with your gang rigs to complete your hook or pocket, be sure to set it up so the dog cannot drag an individually rigged decoy into the motherline. It can create a dangerous entanglement.

Lastly, find yourself some decent hunting buddies. I've got nothing against hunting puddle ducks alone, but it is a special kind of amusement watching guys blast away at divers zipping by at 40 knots 2' off of the water. Don't deprive yourself of that entertainment!