Inadequate anchors

[Kent]

I find it puzzling how many boat owners buy inadequate anchors. Right now, I'm fishing on The Snake River and a boat anchored upriver, from us maybe 75 yards. Forty five minutes later they are about 200 yards below us, because their anchor is slowly being pulled down river. 

Yesterday, a boat arrived that was at least 5 feet longer than my boat. I watched them drop an anchor that was substantially smaller than mine. It didn't hold and they spent approximately 45 minutes raising and dropping the anchor, and moving the boat, until they found a place where the anchor would hold. 

On a side note, while I was typing this post I heard a loud noise and quickly discovered a sturgeon had yanked my rod into the river. Thankfully, my tether saved my rod and the sturgeon.

[SkunkedAgain]

Do you have to get your boat decontaminated each trip after you fish that section of the river? I haven't ever anchored up in a river that flows as strong as the snake, how big of an anchor does it take? How does it compare with holding a boat in the wind with an anchor? I've seen some days I can't hold my boat with two anchors in the wind... If you have any tips I'd listen for sure... Sometimes my anchor digs in so tight I can hardly pull it off the bottom, wondering what the trade off is between enough to hold and too heavy to lift... Later Jeff

[doggonefishin]

I find it puzzling how many boat owners buy inadequate anchors. Right now, I'm fishing on The Snake River and a boat anchored upriver, from us maybe 75 yards. Forty five minutes later they are about 200 yards below us, because their anchor is slowly being pulled down river. 

Yesterday, a boat arrived that was at least 5 feet longer than my boat. I watched them drop an anchor that was substantially smaller than mine. It didn't hold and they spent approximately 45 minutes raising and dropping the anchor, and moving the boat, until they found a place where the anchor would hold. 

On a side note, while I was typing this post I heard a loud noise and quickly discovered a sturgeon had yanked my rod into the river. Thankfully, my tether saved my rod and the sturgeon.

Why are you worrying about some dufus with a substandard anchor instead of watching your rod?   


On a place like the Snake, it is probably more important than on some small lake.  Ya just hope they figure it out.

[Gone Forever]

Do you have to get your boat decontaminated each trip after you fish that section of the river? I haven't ever anchored up in a river that flows as strong as the snake, how big of an anchor does it take?  How does it compare with holding a boat in the wind with an anchor?  I've seen some days I can't hold my boat with two anchors in the wind... If you have any tips I'd listen for sure... Sometimes my anchor digs in so tight I can hardly pull it off the bottom, wondering what the trade off is between enough to hold and too heavy to lift... Later Jeff

Anchoring can be an art. So many variables like bottom type, is it rocky, sand or mud.  This will determine which type of anchor will work best. Is there current of wind is another factor.
I've found most anchoring's that don't hold are due to the wrong angle of pull on the line and that lifts the anchor allowing the boat to drift.  That is why a chain is so important, it keeps the angle of pull low.
If I am having trouble I add a second anchor as a plain weight at the top of the chain, to keep the pull angle close to the bottom and if the top anchor is lifted it most often pulls the primary anchor deeper.

[SkunkedAgain]

Interesting on the chain, I haven't tried that before, but think I will, that makes sense... Thanks for the insight... jeff

[Kent]

Do you have to get your boat decontaminated each trip after you fish that section of the river? I haven't ever anchored up in a river that flows as strong as the snake, how big of an anchor does it take?  How does it compare with holding a boat in the wind with an anchor?  I've seen some days I can't hold my boat with two anchors in the wind... If you have any tips I'd listen for sure... Sometimes my anchor digs in so tight I can hardly pull it off the bottom, wondering what the trade off is between enough to hold and too heavy to lift... Later Jeff

I fish many miles upriver from where the quagga mussels have been detected, so I don't need to get my boat contaminated.

Over the years, I have owned many different types of anchors.  I have found that a fluke anchor works the best, for me, and will hold better than many other types of anchors that are even significantly heavier.  I own a small and also a large fluke anchor.  I use the larger one almost exclusively, because it is a pain to disconnect one anchor and connect the other anchor to the anchor rope.  Also, I use my Minnkota, on spot lock, at the times that the smaller anchor would hold.  The larger fluke anchor weighs 16 pounds.  I also have a heavy chain attached to my anchor and when fishing in heavy wind or while anchoring up in fast current I will let out approximately 100' of rope. 

For the boats that I have owned, holding the boat in a heavy current is comparable to holding a boat in a fairly stiff breeze. 

---

On a place like the Snake, it is probably more important than on some small lake.  Ya just hope they figure it out.

Because that "dufus" finally got his anchor to hold so close to my boat that when I pulled my anchor, hours after that boat had left, I discovered two approximately 9/0 hooks broken off in my anchor rope.  I am grateful that I didn't get one of them stuck into my hands.  It is also a safety issue.  Folks spend multiple thousands of dollars on their boat and then too often rig it with an inadequate anchor.  When the outboard or the engine won't start, and the wind is blowing you into the rocks, an adequate anchor can make the difference between being safe or doing major damage to one’s boat or worse.

[liketrolling]

you picked a good day to go it is starting to get hot again

my spot lock on my elect. trolling motor is all I use anymore it keeps me in one spot even in  wind but it is 36 v

I have not been this year to many thing s going on, need to wait for it to cool down. but seeing you post I start think hard about it