Anchor ? 2024

Brett's_daddy reply :

Okay, I have a 16.5ft. aluminum Sea Nymph fishing boat. It came with a 10lb. mushroom style anchor and i was just wondering if that is heavy enough to keep the boat in one place generally speaking when we drop anchor or would upgrading in weight to a 15lb. or 20lb. (or heavier) be a better choice? Also, would adding a 2nd anchor so that I had one on the front and one in the rear of the boat be a good idea to keep the boat from slowly spinning around in circles when anchored?

Bluebasser86 reply :

My last boat was a 16' Lowe Roughneck and there was lots of times a 10lb mushroom anchor would not hold it. I upgraded to a 20lb digger anchor.

tstraub reply :

Personally I like to have 2 anchors on a boat to keep it from swinging around on you every time the wind changes. If it were me I would probably add a heavier anchor and keep using the one you have as well. How heavy? it's hard to say, it really depends on the water and the weather.

I have an aluminum semi v just under 14 feet with 2 12 pound river anchors. They look like mushrooms but with deep flutes in them. I have 2 small lakes nearby with 10mph speed limits one anchor is usual plenty on those lakes. If I go to the resivour I tend to need both anchors or the wake from the pressure boaters will bounce my boat around enough that anchor pulls lose. Today I dropped in the river and we got by but I sure could have used heaver anchors in the current. By the time the anchors got a good bite we had floated past a few of our target areas.

I hope this information helps you but in the end your just going to have to use it and see how well it works for you.

slonezp reply :

Might just need a longer anchor line. To keep you from drifting or dragging, I believe the length of the line should equal 3x the depth of the water.

NHBull reply :

Baby box anchor

https://www.iboats.com/shop/slide-anchor-baby-box-anchor-pwc.html?cm_mmc=&gclid=CjwKCAjw-dXaBRAEEiwAbwCi5nLx1b4OGVzOzZqeLiHkhjiz2H3fx_xQfj72wxYPNEaaTmrllY67BhoCuoUQAvD_BwE

A-Jay reply :

On 7/24/2018 at 4:19 AM, NHBull said:

Baby box anchor

https://www.iboats.com/shop/slide-anchor-baby-box-anchor-pwc.html?cm_mmc=&gclid=CjwKCAjw-dXaBRAEEiwAbwCi5nLx1b4OGVzOzZqeLiHkhjiz2H3fx_xQfj72wxYPNEaaTmrllY67BhoCuoUQAvD_BwE

Yup ~

A-Jay

tstraub reply :

On 7/24/2018 at 3:51 AM, slonezp said:

Might just need a longer anchor line. To keep you from drifting or dragging, I believe the length of the line should equal 3x the depth of the water.

I'm not sure if this comment was for the OP out me, but if it was meant for me I was in 3-7 feet of water and more than ones I was at the end of my 30 for anchor lines before they took a bite. Longer line might have helped a little but it's a small boat and I don't really want to have any more anchor line under my feet. What I have is in the way as much as it's in the water. The river we were in is mostly sand and gravel bottom not a whole lot to get a hold of.

Catt reply :

On 7/24/2018 at 3:51 AM, slonezp said:

Might just need a longer anchor line. To keep you from drifting or dragging, I believe the length of the line should equal 3x the depth of the water.

That's per Navy when mooring large ships over night.

I anchor in 15' of water so I would need 45' of rope!

Talk about the ass end swinging ????

lo n slo reply :

minimum of 20 lbs and 50’ of rope works for the jon boat. deepest i anchor in is about 30’. i keep my anchor in a bucket so i dont get mud in the boat. i wrap the rope around a section of 1 1/2” pvc with caps glued to each end of the pipe just in case it goes overboard. i now have pre-tied loops in my rope for the depth of each brush pile or structure site i usually fish. just drop anchor and slip the loop around a cleat and start casting. best pic i have

Fishingmickey reply :

I have a 14" deep vee alum. I use a 15# fluke type Danforth anchor on the bow with 6' of 3/8" chain shackled to the anchor. Depending on the wind and or current will determine how much scope you need. If it is really windy you might need as much as 5/1 scope so 20' of water 100' of anchor line. I also use a ten pound mushroom off the back to prevent the boat from swinging too much. Not nearly as much scope is needed off the back. Hope that helps.

Fishingmickey

p.s. probably doesn't need to be said, type of bottom makes a huge difference too.

Brett's_daddy reply :

On 7/25/2018 at 11:38 PM, Fishingmickey said:

I have a 14" deep vee alum. I use a 15# fluke type Danforth anchor on the bow with 6' of 3/8" chain shackled to the anchor. Depending on the wind and or current will determine how much scope you need. If it is really windy you might need as much as 5/1 scope so 20' of water 100' of anchor line. I also use a ten pound mushroom off the back to prevent the boat from swinging too much. Not nearly as much scope is needed off the back. Hope that helps.

Fishingmickey

p.s. probably doesn't need to be said, type of bottom makes a huge difference too.

Okay, so this is probably a dumb question but why the need for so much extra anchor rope? I mean if I'm fishing in 10ft. of water why do I need like 50ft. of anchor rope, why not just like 15ft. of anchor rope so you don't drift off your mark?

Choporoz reply :

At risk of oversimplifying....the main thing is the concept that an anchor rope that is more vertical than horizontal isn't going to hold well.

Brett's_daddy reply :

On 7/26/2018 at 12:15 AM, Choporoz said:

At risk of oversimplifying....the main thing is the concept that an anchor rope that is more vertical than horizontal isn't going to hold well.

Okay, at the risk of sounding overly simple...why not? If you absolutely need more anchor rope wouldn't double suffice (i.e. for 10ft. of water have 20ft. of anchor line)?

Fishingmickey reply :

On 7/25/2018 at 11:46 PM, Brett's_daddy said:

Okay, so this is probably a dumb question but why the need for so much extra anchor rope? I mean if I'm fishing in 10ft. of water why do I need like 50ft. of anchor rope, why not just like 15ft. of anchor rope so you don't drift off your mark?

Choporoz is pretty much spot on. The reason for the chain and the longer line/scope it to allow the anchor to "bite". Actually it is called setting the anchor. So when you want to anchor on a spot. Your would drive upwind or up current for the length of scope you want out plus the distance you want to have to cast to the spot. Drop your anchor, let line out till you get it to bite/set/hold and then let out some more line for scope and the boat position distance you want. The boat will swing back and forth on the bow anchor line. When you get to the widest portion of the swing you can drop a mushroom anchor tied off of a back corner cleat to prevent the boat from swinging.

The anchor needs to be laying on it's side for it to bite, The chain helps keep it on it's side and adds weight.

Practicing anchoring will really be helpful when the wind is nuking or your trying to fish deeper water or set up in a certain spot. In this day and age it is a somewhat lost art.

Choporoz reply :

On 7/26/2018 at 1:26 AM, Brett's_daddy said:

Okay, at the risk of sounding overly simple...why not? If you absolutely need more anchor rope wouldn't double suffice (i.e. for 10ft. of water have 20ft. of anchor line)?

Will probably suffice perfectly....if there's no wind or current....but, then I suppose you wouldn't really need the anchor

Brett's_daddy reply :

My anchor that i have right now is a mushroom style anchor so i don't know how much bite that would even get no matter how much anchor line you have. That's why I asked originally if stepping up to a 15 - 20lb. mushroom anchor and/or adding a second mushroom anchor in the rear would help keep the boat in place and help with the slow spin you get on moderately windy days. Basically I'd like the ability to pull up to a spot and anchor the boat and have it stay in one place, facing one direction for as long as i wanted to fish that spot.

Catt reply :

I'm currently fishing out of a 1652 Alweld ????

First chunk the mushroom anchor, they don't bite worth a flip!

Get you a 20# tri-fluted river anchor, they dig in a lot faster.

My setup is a 20# anchor, 25' of braided nylon rope, & a shackle between the two.

Do not use twisted or polyurethane rope, it'll eat your hands when pulling up!

I've been doing this for over 50 yrs & have zero issues holding in 15-18' of water.

Brett's_daddy reply :

On 7/26/2018 at 6:48 PM, Catt said:

I'm currently fishing out of a 1652 Alweld ????

First chunk the mushroom anchor, they don't bite worth a flip!

Get you a 20# tri-fluted river anchor, they dig in a lot faster.

My setup is a 20# anchor, 25' of braided nylon rope, & a shackle between the two.

Do not use twisted or polyurethane rope, it'll eat your hands when pulling up!

I've been doing this for over 50 yrs & have zero issues holding in 15-18' of water.

Would these be good for soft, mucky bottomed ponds?

Catt reply :

On 7/26/2018 at 7:33 PM, Brett's_daddy said:

Would these be good for soft, mucky bottomed ponds?

I use them on any bottom type, they even grab Hydrilla quite well.

The biggest issue most have with anchoring is the boat swings from side to side.

Think about for a minute, the longer the rope the farther the boat travels. The shorter the rope the shorter the swing.

If the short rope holds just as well why use a longer rope?

Troy85 reply :

I think mushroom anchors were created by fish, to keep your boat out of position. Only time I use a mushroom anchor is if I am fishing out of a kayak. On my 18' xpress I use a 8lbs Slip ring mechanical anchor(Danforth) that I got at Cabelas. It holds my boat most of the time, it is rated for a boat up to 22', but I don't see that being realistic in any kind of moderate wind or current.

Further North reply :

At the risk of stirring the pot...I don't even keep an anchor on the boat, except when I go to Canada.

Spot lock works just fine for the ~~three~~ two times a year I feel like I need to sit in one place.

Why Canada? Anchor for lunch.

A-Jay reply :

On 7/27/2018 at 11:05 AM, Further North said:

At the risk of stirring the pot...I don't even keep an anchor on the boat, except when I go to Canada.

Spot lock works just fine for the ~~three~~ two times a year I feel like I need to sit in one place.

Why Canada? Anchor for lunch.

Dangerous game you're playing.

Think sudden wind / bad weather blows in.

Combined with either engine failure or sudden electrical power loss.

An Anchor can not only prevent you from heading somewhere you don't want to be (shipping lane, rocks, The Beach) but secured correctly off the bow, will position your vessel bow into the weather; important when the waves are higher than your transom.

You may not be in a depth where the anchor will help at the start - but when disabled & adrift, you will be there . . . eventually.

At Least 100 feet of a quality double braided anchor line is a must (I carry 200 ft).

An anchored vessel with an actual position is located quicker & easier than one 'drifting'. Small boats travel a Long way rather quickly in bad conditions. And the closer a 'hazard' is, the faster and more direct route a disabled / adrift boat seems to take. It's a very helpless feeling.

You might not use it once in many years, but the one time you need it, you'll be seriously glad you have it.

I can make a case where it should be required as safety equipment.

Perhaps reconsider.

A-Jay

A-Jay reply :

On 7/23/2018 at 12:08 PM, Brett's_daddy said:

Okay, I have a 16.5ft. aluminum Sea Nymph fishing boat. It came with a 10lb. mushroom style anchor and i was just wondering if that is heavy enough to keep the boat in one place generally speaking when we drop anchor or would upgrading in weight to a 15lb. or 20lb. (or heavier) be a better choice? Also, would adding a 2nd anchor so that I had one on the front and one in the rear of the boat be a good idea to keep the boat from slowly spinning around in circles when anchored?

Two anchors is a solid plan. You'll need to practice - positioning can be tricky and you'll need twice as much anchor line as you think.

Important safety tip - when using two anchors ALWAYS deploy the bow first and then the stern and when recovering them, Always Pull the stern first and then the bow. This is especially important when there is substantial wind, waves or weather; you want your bow facing into it. You NEVER want to be stern to or beam to the wind & or waves, especially when anchored. Great way to swamp / sink a small boat.

A-Jay

Fishing Rhino reply :

One more thing to consider. Your anchor line should be long enough, and strong enough to also serve as a tow line.

Unless, you want to have a line for each.

Brett's_daddy reply :

On 7/27/2018 at 8:01 PM, A-Jay said:

Two anchors is a solid plan. You'll need to practice - positioning can be tricky and you'll need twice as much anchor line as you think.

Important safety tip - when using two anchors ALWAYS deploy the bow first and then the stern and when recovering them, Always Pull the stern first and then the bow. This is especially important when there is substantial wind, waves or weather; you want your bow facing into it. You NEVER want to be stern to or beam to the wind & or waves, especially when anchored. Great way to swamp / sink a small boat.

A-Jay

Okay, I'm trying to wrap my mind around the reasoning for needing 100 - 200ft. of anchor line if I don't ever plan on fishing in a pond or lake deeper than 50ft.? I'm not trying to be sarcastic or insulting...I genuinely would like to know! To me if i drop anchor in a certain place it's because I would like to stay in that spot so to me an anchor line just long enough for the anchor to hit bottom and dig in and have a little bit of slack would be the ticket as that would keep right in that spot I want to be. Also, which position should the front anchor (and the rear if I went with a 2nd anchor) be in? Thanks for any info!!!

Further North reply :

On 7/27/2018 at 7:50 PM, A-Jay said:

Dangerous game you're playing.

Think sudden wind / bad weather blows in.

Combined with either engine failure or sudden electrical power loss.

An Anchor can not only prevent you from heading somewhere you don't want to be (shipping lane, rocks, The Beach) but secured correctly off the bow, will position your vessel bow into the weather; important when the waves are higher than your transom.

You may not be in a depth where the anchor will help at the start - but when disabled & adrift, you will be there . . . eventually.

At Least 100 feet of a quality double braided anchor line is a must (I carry 200 ft).

An anchored vessel with an actual position is located quicker & easier than one 'drifting'. Small boats travel a Long way rather quickly in bad conditions. And the closer a 'hazard' is, the faster and more direct route a disabled / adrift boat seems to take. It's a very helpless feeling.

You might not use it once in many years, but the one time you need it, you'll be seriously glad you have it.

I can make a case where it should be required as safety equipment.

Perhaps reconsider.

A-Jay

Thanks for the perspective, I will give it a thought.

All my local fishing is small lakes, and I guess I was considering that the likelihood of two completely different systems failing at the same time is so low that it's not worth the weight and space.

J Francho reply :

On 7/27/2018 at 9:14 PM, Brett's_daddy said:

Okay, I'm trying to wrap my mind around the reasoning for needing 100 - 200ft. of anchor line if I don't ever plan on fishing in a pond or lake deeper than 50ft.?

When you get dragged all over the place because your anchor won't hold, you'll get it.

A-Jay reply :

On 7/27/2018 at 9:14 PM, Brett's_daddy said:

Okay, I'm trying to wrap my mind around the reasoning for needing 100 - 200ft. of anchor line if I don't ever plan on fishing in a pond or lake deeper than 50ft.? I'm not trying to be sarcastic or insulting...I genuinely would like to know! To me if i drop anchor in a certain place it's because I would like to stay in that spot so to me an anchor line just long enough for the anchor to hit bottom and dig in and have a little bit of slack would be the ticket as that would keep right in that spot I want to be. Also, which position should the front anchor (and the rear if I went with a 2nd anchor) be in? Thanks for any info!!!

You're response in neither sarcastic nor insulting.

It does however reek of inexperience.

The advice offered is based on quite a bit of experience.

I've had many, many opportunities to see first hand what happens when a man does what you're proposing - and it can & does often ends badly.

As I mentioned in my first response - you'll have to learn how to pay out & then take in slack in order to be "right on the spot" you want.

Head out on the water - pick a super windy day with really cold water and go for it - oh and have your life jacket at the ready.

A-Jay

NHBull reply :

On 7/27/2018 at 9:14 PM, Brett's_daddy said:

Okay, I'm trying to wrap my mind around the reasoning for needing 100 - 200ft. of anchor line if I don't ever plan on fishing in a pond or lake deeper than 50ft.? I'm not trying to be sarcastic or insulting...I genuinely would like to know! To me if i drop anchor in a certain place it's because I would like to stay in that spot so to me an anchor line just long enough for the anchor to hit bottom and dig in and have a little bit of slack would be the ticket as that would keep right in that spot I want to be. Also, which position should the front anchor (and the rear if I went with a 2nd anchor) be in? Thanks for any info!!!

Thus is why I carry a box anchor. It allows you to carry 1/2 the rope as compared to a traditional anchor and yes, no chain. In fact 3/5 anchor line is preferred. I always keep a larger loop at the chest end to attach an extra length with a carabiner is needed.

Catt reply :

If I'm anchoring because of a disabled boat with inclement weather approaching then yeah I would more rope.

Under my front deck is 3 lengths of 25' of 1/2" braided nylon rope with a loop spliced in.

For anchoring 15-18' of water to fish structure 25' of rope is all that's needed.

Brett's_daddy reply :

Wouldn't checking the weather report for that day at the particular place you'd like to fish help in determining how much anchor line you'd need (i.e. - if it's too windy or there's a good potential for a storm to come in just don't go out fishing that day...wait for a calmer day with less storm potential)?

J Francho reply :

Seriously? Just get a rope and be done with it. Who is really going to bring different ropes for different days? You're over complicating it. Get a 100' rope, and be done. You asked for advice, and a USCG veteran answered, but nah, you know better. It's a little silly, and it's a pattern you often repeat here. Ask a question, get reliable advice that you reject.

Choporoz reply :

...

J Francho reply :

Also, here is how to rig it: https://www.saltwatersportsman.com/how-to-rig-an-anchor-release

Brett's_daddy reply :

On 7/28/2018 at 1:29 AM, J Francho said:

Seriously? Just get a rope and be done with it. Who is really going to bring different ropes for different days? You're over complicating it. Get a 100' rope, and be done. You asked for advice, and a USCG veteran answered, but nah, you know better. It's a little silly, and it's a pattern you often repeat here. Ask a question, get reliable advice that you reject.

You seriously need to calm down! You want me to apologize for asking lots of questions...that ain't gonna' happen, that's how you learn by asking questions. I also like to get advice from multiple people and not just take one person's word as gospel, not trying to devalue or reject anyone's advice, merely seeing what other people think as well as many people have different ways of doing things and while one person's way may work great for most people maybe another person's way might work better for me but until I ask more questions I may not get that advice/information. I appreciate A-Jay's advice ( I appreciate everybody's advice) but by me asking more questions he shouldn't (and I don't think he did as evidence he's not the one overreacting here) feel his advice isn't being devalued or ignored I'm just trying to work out in my mind how this all works so I am more educated on the nuances of proper boating...sort of like in school when you had a math problem and somebody gave you the correct answer, that was all well and good but you want to know how they arrived at that answer and not just the end result regardless if it's right and that's what I'm trying to do!

J Francho reply :

On 7/28/2018 at 2:10 AM, Brett's_daddy said:

You seriously need to calm down!

Sorry, totally calm here. Sounds like you're projecting, but I digress. There's two pages here about rope length. You've been offered some very good advice, and why, but nope. You are coming up with all sorts of scenarios where you won't need to follow that advice. Plan for the worst, and hope for the best. Be safe out there. It can turn ugly in a second.

A-Jay reply :

On 7/28/2018 at 2:10 AM, Brett's_daddy said:

You seriously need to calm down! You want me to apologize for asking lots of questions...that ain't gonna' happen, that's how you learn by asking questions. I also like to get advice from multiple people and not just take one person's word as gospel, not trying to devalue or reject anyone's advice, merely seeing what other people think as well as many people have different ways of doing things and while one person's way may work great for most people maybe another person's way might work better for me but until I ask more questions I may not get that advice/information. I appreciate A-Jay's advice ( I appreciate everybody's advice) but by me asking more questions he shouldn't (and I don't think he did as evidence he's not the one overreacting here) feel his advice isn't being devalued or ignored I'm just trying to work out in my mind how this all works so I am more educated on the nuances of proper boating...sort of like in school when you had a math problem and somebody gave you the correct answer, that was all well and good but you want to know how they arrived at that answer and not just the end result regardless if it's right and that's what I'm trying to do!

The trouble with good advice is that it usually interferes with our plans.

A-Jay

Brett's_daddy reply :

On 7/28/2018 at 2:24 AM, J Francho said:

Sorry, totally calm here. Sounds like you're projecting, but I digress. There's two pages here about rope length. You've been offered some very good advice, and why, but nope. You are coming up with all sorts of scenarios where you won't need to follow that advice. Plan for the worst, and hope for the best. Be safe out there. It can turn ugly in a second.

Yes there are two pages of advice and I appreciate all of it (yes, that includes yours too), I'm not trying to come up with scenarios of when not to use the advice given here I'm trying to come up with scenarios of which of the advice or a combination of advices would make the most sense for me and the particular lakes/ponds that I fish! As far as projecting...whatever you have to tell yourself John. I am an inexperienced boater and want to be properly prepared for the lakes and ponds that I fish so that myself and anybody who is on my boat with me be it family or friends is safe and has an enjoyable fishing experience. Google is a useful tool but a lot of it's advice is generic and I would rather hear advice from my fellow anglers on this fantastic forum, ask a lot of questions and glean from the answers what best suits my particular needs. In the end I just want to be safe, follow the rules and have a good time fishing!!!

TOXIC reply :

You can eliminate any opinion and go to the Federal Law.....

Anchoring Anchoring is done for two principal reasons: 1) to stop for fishing, swimming, lunch, or an overnight stay, and 2) to keep the boat from running aground in bad weather or as a result of engine failure . Anchoring can be a simple task if you follow these guidelines: • Make sure you have the proper type of anchor (Danforth/Plow/ Mushroom) . • Attach a 3-6 foot length of galvanized chain to the anchor . A chain will withstand abrasion by sand, rock, or mud on the bottom much better than a fiber line . • Attach a length of nylon anchor line to the end of the chain using an anchor swivel, a combination called the “Rode .” The nylon will stretch under the impact of heavy waves or wind, cushioning the strain on the boat and the anchor . • Select an area that offers maximum protection from wind, current, and boat traffic . • Determine the water depth and type of bottom (preferably sand or mud) . • Calculate the amount of anchor line you will need to let out . The general rule is five to seven times as much line as the depth of water plus the distance from the surface of the water to where the anchor will attach to the bow . For example, if the water is eight feet deep and it is two feet from the surface of the water to your bow cleat, you would multiply 10 feet by 5 or 7 to get the amount of anchor line to put out . • Secure the anchor line to the bow cleat at the point you want it to stop . • Bring the bow of the vessel into the wind or current . • When you get to the spot you want to anchor, place the engine in neutral . • When the boat comes to a stop, slowly lower the anchor . Do not throw the anchor over, as throwing tends to foul the anchor line . • When all of the line has been let out, back down on the anchor with the engine in idle reverse to help set the anchor firmly on the bottom . • When the anchor is set, take note of reference points (landmarks) in relation to the boat . Check these points frequently to make sure you are not drifting . Do not anchor from the stern!! Anchoring by the stern has caused many boats – small boats especially – to capsize and sink . The reason is that the transom is usually squared off and has less freeboard than the bow . In addition, the stern may be carrying the added weight of a motor, fuel tank, or gear brought on board . In a strong current, the force of the water can pull the stern under . Anchoring at the stern also makes the boat vulnerable to swamping by wave action.

I took out the reference to a diagram but you can look at the fed regs to see it. Personally, unless required as safety equipment, I have only used an anchor on my 2 man pvc boat with a trolling motor in a rocky river with lots of current. Because of the possibility that the anchor was going to get hung in the rocks, I used a coffee can filled with cement and an eye hook with nylon line. My biggest fear was not having enough line to keep the bow from catching in the current and going underwater. For that reason I used a longer line and tied it off at the length I needed.

WRB reply :

When you are double anchoring having 2x more rope then you think is needed is a good plan. I grew up trout fishing from a double anchor boat, long bow rope into the wind and nearly verticle stren rope. We used navy type 20 lb with 5' of chain and 150' 3/4" hemp rope and 15 lb navy anchor with 75' 3/4" hemp rope.

We would let out 3 to 1 or more rope to depth, drop the stern anchor with about 5' of slack, tie it off, then pull in bow line until it was snug with at least 2 to 1 scope angle. This set up held our old wooden 16' boat in wind with white caps without moving in 30' to 50' of water.

I still have the old navy anchors and ropes in a large plastic milk crate and use the 20 lb whenever I go night fishing in my bass boat for emergency use.

Tom

Catt reply :

Just a random thought ????

Since we've following USN, USGG, & now Federal regulations where do Power Poles & Talons fall under these regulations?

They don't have rope 3-7 times the depth of water & they do not have chains.

Do these regulations make them illegal?

How about my Cajun Anchor, are these illegal?

How do these even work?

kenmitch reply :

On 7/28/2018 at 6:57 AM, Catt said:

Just a random thought ????

Since we've following USN, USGG, & now Federal regulations where do Power Poles & Talons fall under these regulations?

They don't have rope 3-7 times the depth of water & they do not have chains.

Do these regulations make them illegal?

How about my Cajun Anchor, are these illegal?

How do these even work?

There a shallow water anchoring system. Chains and safety ropes are optional.

Don't mess with the cajun's. Ever here of the term gator bait?

WRB reply :

The box anchor looks great, folds into a compact size package for easy storage, expensive but worth it with SST metal.

We used 3/4" rope because the smaller dia are hard to handle using your hands without gloves. I have 1/2" high strength rope today because don't anchor very often and use gloves now.

Tom

Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :

I might not be such a helpful here but I will second or third on box anchor. We do a lot of anchor on our 20' pontoon boat, I read a lot about anchor option and end up with box anchor. This is money well spent expensive up front but worry free and less storage room. We usually anchor in 15-20' of water but I ordered 100' 3/8 rope, just in case. I follow instructions that been given to leave at least 2-3 time rope per depth. The only instruction that I did not follow is bow and stern anchor (there are a whole bunch of discussion about one versus two anchor). I use only one anchor on bow side, of course my pontoon would swing according to wind but never move from spot I set anchor.

On my 14' Jon boat I have 15lbs three fluted river anchor. It hold my Jonboat good. I anchored at inlet @ DVL lake while they let water in full stream and my anchor still stay put. The only down fall of mushroom type anchor is when sink in mud bottom, it super hard to pull out.

NHBull reply :

Can't believe there are 2 pages on this ????

lo n slo reply :

On 7/28/2018 at 4:55 PM, NHBull said:

Can't believe there are 2 pages on this ????

one would think it’s the dead of winter

rboat reply :

Call it physics or geometry, but a longer rope now is pulling at a 45 degree angle, so when it pulls, the anchor digs in. If you use just enough rope to get to the bottom, your anchor is just resting straight up and sliding along the bottom allowing the boat to drift. I hope that makes sense. All I know is it works really well. Try it both ways on a windy day and you should notice a difference.

Catt reply :

If I have 25' foot of rope & anchor in 15' foot of water the angle is more than enough to dig in & hold. I've been doing it this way for 50 yrs & everyone down here does it this way.

Y'all do what y'all want ????

LionHeart reply :

On 7/26/2018 at 6:48 PM, Catt said:

I'm currently fishing out of a 1652 Alweld ????

First chunk the mushroom anchor, they don't bite worth a flip!

Get you a 20# tri-fluted river anchor, they dig in a lot faster.

My setup is a 20# anchor, 25' of braided nylon rope, & a shackle between the two.

Do not use twisted or polyurethane rope, it'll eat your hands when pulling up!

I've been doing this for over 50 yrs & have zero issues holding in 15-18' of water.

+1 on all of this. Check Craigslist and you can usually save $. It don't need to be anything fancy, but a mushroom is really not the best design.

OkobojiEagle reply :

OP, you're looking for more opinions, so I'll add mine... heed A-Jay's advice.

I've owned my 16' aluminum boat for +30 years and nearly everyday of those 30 years there has been a plastic milk crate containing a 25lb. fluke anchor with 4' of the heaviest log chain I could find in my community and 100' of 3/4" diameter nylon rope -- bright yellow. Total weight of that filled milk crate -- 40lbs. I've weighed it. There's plenty of blood stains from my hands on that rope, but the milk crate stays in my boat. I've added a Terrova with spot-lock to my old boat, but the milk crate is still there. Its harder jumping in and out of my boat than 30 years ago, but I've never left the dock without that milk crate aboard. Don't heed A-Jay's advice on my account... heed it on Brett's account!

By the way; I also carry 3 well used wind socks of various sizes and an extra coat, sweat shirt and pair of jeans on board.

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Anchor ? 2024

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