jerk cord

[southend]

whats your guys homemade jerk rig set up consist of ?  or is it easyer to just buy the rig'em right from cabelas?

[TheHunt]

YOu can build them rather easily.  Weight at the end or a stake in the mud.  I like a weight...  I use one of these old window counter weights you use to find in houses built in the 50's. 

Tie one end of the string to the weight.  I forgot to add a bunge cord between the weight and the string.
Run about 20 feet then tie three loops about 8 or 9 feet between each other and attached large snap swivels to those loops.

I will either put a 4 decoys spreader on two of those snap swivels or a single decoy on the other two or I will put the four decoy spread on one and single decoy the other two.  What ever floats your boat. 

string runs about 4 bucks and three snap swivels run about $1.20.  Weight is free...

[h2ofowlr]

I have a piece of stainless steel rod that I have an eye on, shove that into the ground.  I have started using the leaded line off my old sturgeon line as it has no give.  I run it through the eye to a duck but or standard decoy and use that as a jerk cord it makes the decoy dip and bob.  Gives good action.  If I am running a few extra decoys, I use a 3/4" piece of conduit with an eye that can also be pushed into the bottom of the pond. I then tie on 2' of black surgical cord and will hook a single decoy, then a following pair several feet down the line.  I spreader can be made from heavy gauge wire or rod.  I clip those on the decoys.  I found they would clank the metal and keel at first so, I put some heat shrink over the ends to eliminate that.  Surgical tubing can also work.  Soap the inside and slide it over the spreader.

[Professor Chaos]

I run mine off a stake.  often the same stake as my spinner.  6ft bungee cord.  30 yards of decoy line with either a couple big swivles or I just wrap the line around the keels a couple times.  cheap and it works for me.

[AceInTheWild]

my father took a standard jerk system store bought and diddnt like it fully. the ducks diddnt swim near as far as he would like. so he bought a retractable cloths line and bolted it to the steak that is shoved into the ground. the line provides good tension when pulling towards you and a steady constant swim back towards the steak.  it doesnt jerk and immediatly go back to its normal position like the bungee cords do. we got some pretty funny looks at ace hardware when they asked y were buying the clothesline. this set up works well for us. gives about 30 yards to swim.

[Gobble Gobble]

I have a mess bag that I just fill with rocks from the shore line as my weight, Ties to the bag a couple feet of bungee cord I picked up at the craft store, tied to the bungee a couple feet of decoy line that is attached to my decoy. from there I just run the line up to my blind. I get a couple yards of swimming but when pulled taut and lightly jerked I can get a diving and splashing effect as if my decoy is bathing itself.

[RBwaterfowler 2]

retractable cloths line and bolted it to the steak that is shoved into the ground. the line provides good tension when pulling towards you and a steady constant swim back towards the steak. .... gives about 30 yards to swim.

I like this idea! It also gives the grandkids something to operate in between action. 

Questions:

1. I see Ace has a unit for 40 ft. - where did you find a 30 yrd. model?
2. Did you replace the white cord with darker one or dye it somehow?
3. What size decoy(s) did you use for realistic resistance for proper speed in the water?

[h2ofowlr]

If you go to a fishing store you can buy spools of braided green line 80# - 400#+  They come in spools of 100 yards to over 480 yards.  Fisherman's Marine Supply carries the spools, Joe's used to.  LFS and Holiday Sports as well.

[ICEMAN]

Small anchor, tie  20 feet of dark green bungee cord to the anchor. (Bungee cargo net dismantled for duck season.. from Harbor Freight for 8bucks). Then tie dark rope or cord with loops to attach your dekes too. The long bungee is great. I stand on the rope in my blind and let out a little bit at a time as shy ducks circle long....  The long bungee can be let out for three or four times when a single group of ducks circle.