Roanoke rapids lake

Clark

Ten Pointer
Forgive for the ignorant question but I dont duck hunt so I have no clue.
Why would someone paid a guide to hunt on a public lake?
Because they dont have a boat, decoys?
I've been duck hunting almost 50 years and have all the gear anyone could want. I'm still very ignorant about duck hunting and would love to hunt with a guide (or anyone else) that I can learn from.
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
Why would I pay a fishing guide on a public lake?

Same thing. It could be that they have no boat, no decoys, or unfamiliarity with the lake, etc...

I have no opinion of the guy but especially on an inland lake, his practices effectively privatized a public resource. Really, it ends up being no different than if a Farmer went out and planted a food plot on game land with a crop and expected everyone to respect the fact that he was trying to make a living growing crops (on public land.)


I always used him to my advantage at Harris. I never hunted the creek he hunted in except for the 2 times he invited me to hunt with him and I killed as many or more ducks as anyone else. It was rare that we didn’t leave with our limits of birds. The days he wasn’t on the lake the hunting would never be as good. And when he stopped hunting the lake it was horrible but that was about the same time they started killing the grass. I’m sure the same could be done on RRR although I’ve only been there one time. He definitely didn’t privatize the creek behind the bridge at Harris. There were always 20 boats back there with him. Never could understand the appeal with that. He sure did put his effort in spending the night on his spot all the time and cutting up the grass, putting out a 500 decoy spread 3 times a week.
 

agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
I always used him to my advantage at Harris. I never hunted the creek he hunted in except for the 2 times he invited me to hunt with him and I killed as many or more ducks as anyone else. It was rare that we didn’t leave with our limits of birds. The days he wasn’t on the lake the hunting would never be as good. And when he stopped hunting the lake it was horrible but that was about the same time they started killing the grass. I’m sure the same could be done on RRR although I’ve only been there one time. He definitely didn’t privatize the creek behind the bridge at Harris. There were always 20 boats back there with him. Never could understand the appeal with that. He sure did put his effort in spending the night on his spot all the time and cutting up the grass, putting out a 500 decoy spread 3 times a week.

the spread alone was amazing.

you can still shoot coots out there if you want. also terns and cormorants if you're really hungry.
 

Bryanrr2009

Button Buck
Me and Everyone I know stopped going there years ago. Darrel would leave out decoy spreads and lanterns all over the lake and 75% wouldn’t even be hunted over. If the birds are there, they just raft up in the middle and the guides would get in their boats and run them up chasing them towards the blind where clients sat. If you’re lucky enough to get their first and find a spot between all of Darrel’s spreads, someone will just come in and set up 50yards in front of you and blow a mallard call at canvasbacks and bluebills alll morning. Guide had their blinds and sets out before the 3rd split even came in (pic of one anchored in the flats I saw on FB)

B0147D08-E798-4326-9563-EA1180EF593E.jpeg
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
No coots out there now...


no :eek:

seriously?😞

I was planning a coot blast up there,,, bucket list hunt (species not location) :mosh:,,,,guess I can shred those notes,,,

on to other places,,, and better get off the laziness and get it done,,, gonna have to be a solo job, as anyone else I have been out with gets to embarrassed when I start hankering after the coots we see,,,:sneaky:
 

agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
no :eek:

seriously?😞

I was planning a coot blast up there,,, bucket list hunt (species not location) :mosh:,,,,guess I can shred those notes,,,

on to other places,,, and better get off the laziness and get it done,,, gonna have to be a solo job, as anyone else I have been out with gets to embarrassed when I start hankering after the coots we see,,,:sneaky:

coots taste goooooooood!!
 

Buxndiverdux

Old Mossy Horns
I'm way late to this party, but I specifically remember rules being put in place to stop what Darrell was doing? Permanent blinds, left out decoy spreads, some other shoreline rules?

Did he figure a way around them, or did they not pass the new rules.
 

Clark

Ten Pointer
no :eek:

seriously?😞

I was planning a coot blast up there,,, bucket list hunt (species not location) :mosh:,,,,guess I can shred those notes,,,

on to other places,,, and better get off the laziness and get it done,,, gonna have to be a solo job, as anyone else I have been out with gets to embarrassed when I start hankering after the coots we see,,,:sneaky:

I was talking about Harris not RR.
Have not hunted RR in years, might try again! Last time I was there I hid the boat in the grass, climbed in and went to sleep. Woke up to two mallards hovering over the boat, shot them both. Went to retrieve and the water was gone :rolleyes: . Had to drag the boat to the water.
 

Bailey Boat

Twelve Pointer
Having spent the better part of my life in GA, if he goes down there and pulls the crap like in the video clip they'll find him floating come the spring.
 

todobien

Eight Pointer
He blocked me on FB so I can’t see it. I wonder if the moss backed decoys are extra?

is he going to sell his famous breakfast burrito recipe?
by moss backed decoys you mean the brownish ones? If so that is the coating to make them tougher/textured. Those old Herter style birds are awesome diver decoys. Being styrofoam you can blast the heck out of them. THat being said if you hunt places with lots of hydrilla like Roanoke Rapids you will end up with mossy decoys too.
 
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