Lake Henshaw Duck Hunting Tips

[jlabs]

Hey all,

I am new to this forum, but have found a lot of great info! My friend is a member, so we are planning to go out in the next couple of weeks. I saw some old posts with some great info, but wanted to see if there is any updated intel from this year. I have done a decent amount of duck hunting, but would not say I am very experienced. I have hunted there once back in 2016 right after the rain, so the lake was very high. I hunted on the east side (near Monkey Islands, i think) so we were able to hide in the reeds pretty well. My understanding is that the lake is much lower now, so I assume this will not be an option. They say there are a lot of ducks there this year, but the folks that run it don't know much about duck hunting.

We have some green wing teal decoys and some widgeon. I also plan to buy a teal or widgeon Mojo, as those seem to be productive. Any other decoy tips. How many? What kind?

My buddy does a lot of turkey hunting, so I was thinking we could use one of those pop-up blinds, rather than layout blinds. Any thoughts?

Any recommendations on where to hunt? Ive heard near the dam is good?

I really appreciate it.

 

[ilovesprig]

jlabs,

The lake is very, very low.....Which makes it very difficult to hunt....Hence, the very low kill numbers this year despite good numbers of ducks.

Let's start with your blind.....Pop-ups historically don't work on open shore lines or duck hunting.....Plus, how you going to shoot overhead out of it?.....If that's all you have, then the river mouth or somewhere where the back drop of willows is fairly close.....There are places like this, but getting a blind like that over a mile away really isn't feasible.....Most guys use layouts or build willow blinds.

Decoys.....You're hunting 90% widgeon and a few teal or mallards for the most part around the lake.....Those are the only 3 species you really need....Big water, big spread.....We try to use at least 8 dozen decoys....Again, not really feasible for most.

Unless you're on the X (and there doesn't seem to be one), spinners are almost a must.....The lake is large, even when it's way down.....We use multiple spinners, when we can.

 

[nicapopolis]

Steve,

Are those birds leaving the lake to feed? Or just wait until night or non hunt days to go shallow?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[ilovesprig]

Steve,

Are those birds leaving the lake to feed? Or just wait until night or non hunt days to go shallow?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Nick,

There's plenty of short stemmed bulrush, timothy grass, and water cress at the lake.....The problem is, the shore is very barren and they just go where the hunters aren't.....The back marsh used to be the X, but after the boys had a great shoot there, the birds are avoiding that as well....And it's not just Henshaw.....Wister and San J averages are dismal.....The good waterfowlers are getting birds, but it's tough sledding.....They don't seem to commit.....And to me, that's an indicator we're hunting older birds, that know the routine.

ps....Almost no spoonies at Wister these days and few GW's (I think I've shot 1 of each this season).....Without those two, average numbers will stay in the 1's.

pss….Tons of pintail, and we're allowed 2.....Micro managing at it's finest.

 

[jlabs]

Thanks for the quick response and great info. However, that is really disappointing to hear. In 2016, I went there by myself with on a wimb with no decoys. Ended up meeting a guy with a single Mojo who let me hunt with him and I bagged 5 teal. Sounds like that was as good as it gets!

This may be a dumb question, but assuming they even allow boats anymore, do you think trying to hunt out in the middle of the lake could work? Im guessing the boat would look too unnatural, even if it were covered in camo?

Sounds like San Diego duck hunting is pretty dismal this year!

 

[ilovesprig]

Private boats are allowed, but the lake concession is no longer renting boats to duck hunters because of the low water conditions.....And a boat in the middle of the lake pretty much looks like a boat in the middle of the lake.....lol

ps.....Scull boating back a number of years ago was an effective way of getting them in the middle.....Helped the guys on the shoreline too.