Classic duck hunting day. This trip was originally scheduled for our best friends and us to have a layout diver hunt. Something we've never done as we're puddle duckers in farmland. An itch that needed to be scratched. However our friends had a basketball game come up and they couldn't come along. Rye & I were to be the only gunners. The women folk were nervous about the weather and concerned about my judgement.

Arrival at the ramp 5:30am, we found several hundred yards of 1 - 2 inch ice had to be broken through, an adventure in itself for us not Tex & Larry. They set out 5 strings of divers, anchored the layout boat, dropped us off, and my son had a bluebill drake by 6:50am. First duck up the string, one shot and one long awaited bluebill. We could have gone home now happy, but there is always a chance of a Can. At 7:30am, the snow started, for the rest of the morning until 12:15 is was snow, ducks, wind, brants, and waves. At times we couldn't see the Bankes Goliath 200 yards away, but we saw ducks!!! We didn't go 10 minutes without seeing ducks or brant...Thousands of ducks & brant (well, between 1000 and 2000 of each). We fired 150 shots between us, those sea-quail (ruddy ducks) riding the wind must have been going 80mph. The only discouraging part we weren't used to with divers is their ability to disappear after being dropped, hiding behind waves or under water. We ended up with 4 ruddy ducks (1 D), 1 broadbill (D), 1 bluebill (H), 1 bufflehead (D) and 1 brant.

This was the Best Day Ever!!! as Ryan said. I have read and dreamed about big water diver and sea duck since I was 12. He's 12 and has been dreaming or hearing about this for about 4 years. Limit runs a very good show and has the best equipment. While Capt. Larry and Tex did everything they could to make it a safe enjoyable day, they have no control over who they get as hunters, but they were very good with kids, one 48 & one 12 year old in helping us understand layout hunting. Though twice they came over to actually see that we were alright and not snow covered icicles.  It was a real cold miserable day, but you forget all that with all the action. I'm very pround of the way my son handled the whole experience, he's getting to be quite a hunter. The best part is we're going again, this time with our friends