Fuzzy Duck!

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Oscar The Grouch

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Im currently fishing a shallow park lake which has many different varieties of birdlife present.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to get away from the diving little b@**ards! I only fish during darkness (after work for 4-5 hours) and they seem to find the bait and start diving on it wherever I put it. I've tried loads of different methods from stringers, pva bags, single hookbaits, small dark baits, pre-baiting etc. and they still find the bait!

Nothing seems to deter the little blighters which seem hell-bent on sabotaging my evenings fishing!

Does anyone know much about aquatic birdlife? Are they able to see underwater in the dark? Someone told me they can actually smell underwater? (dont laugh! im considering anything at this stage!) I really can't understand how they are able to locate the bait?

If anyone else has got any methods that they think might be worth a shot, im open to suggestions (and no, I dont own a gun!) - Either that or any good duck recipes?
 
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Dave Rothery

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rub duck breasts with salt. place in a container with 2 spring onions, 4 star anise, thumb sized bit of ginger, 6 sezchuan peppercorns, 2 clover of garlic, 20ml chinese wine/sweet sherry, splash of sessame seed oil and two peices of cinnamon stick. marinade over night. transfer container to a steamer and steam for 3+ hours, the loner the better. allow to cool.
remove duck from liquid and stir fry until skin crispy. serve with pancakes, plum sauce and shredded spring onion. lovely.

only thing i'd suggest is to bait an area way away from where youre fishing with a load of groats, should keep them occupied for half an hour. and check the area for carp afterwards!
 
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Oscar The Grouch

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Thats a good idea! Cheers Dave!
Thanks for the recipe aswell! I've actually caught more ducks than Carp this year! If it carries on, I will try your recipe! after all, they are getting quite plump with all my bait they are eating!!
 
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Sascha Welsch

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Oscar,
How they do it I really don't know but I hooked a tufted duck in the pitch black in 9ft of water on maggots while tenching last summer. Gave me a fair old bite as well!! Didn't end up in the pan though and after a simple unhooking was straight back over my feed!
 
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Dave Silvers

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Wish the carp latched onto the feed as quickly as the our feathered friends.
 
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Steve Shaw

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Unfortunatly these little buggers are becoming a real pest on a lot of waters. I think the only answer is a cull.

Dave, That recipe sounds good
 
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Mat Spinks

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if fishing in the margines try a marker float dangling 3ft above your bait
 
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Mat Spinks

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shit that came out wrong 3ft above the surface of the water
 
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The Dog

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Waving your landing net high in the air is effective with tufties.

Otherwise a large polly ball threaded on a line with large lead cat near the ducks an flip the polly ball about on the surface tends to scare them.

Failing that take a lot of crust with you and introduce it away from your baits.
 
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Ozz

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Get a laser pen, the little blighters hate em' and run a mile when ones aimed at em.
 
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Bonyman

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Yeah listen to uncle Ozz,get your como gear on so they can't see you!!!The laser pen works pretty much everywhere once light levels drop but they aint any good in the day.Feeding the tuftyf#*ks with floating pellet or mixers can fill em up so they'll be less likely to go down on you (oooooohhh...).
They are a pain i know but sometimes you can use birds to your advantage.Firstly if they're picking up your baits on weedy waters at least you know ya bait is visible and not choked up with silkweed,etc.Also,if they start diving on your baits the morning after a night session you know that the carp haven't been in and cleaned you out thru the dark hours.If the ducks aint continually diving come first light,chances are you may be fishing a single hookbait cos the freebies have been scoffed...so time to rethink the rig eh!!!!
 
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Ozz

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If the ducks are over your bait having a good old feed nd suddenly do a bunk off there's a pretty good chance that the fish have moved onto your bait as well. Could be fun time! I've seen this happen on various waters, where within 5mins of em scarperin the alarms have screamed and mr carp has said hello to the net.
 
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