Anchoring, Does Anyone Still Do It? 2024

papajoe222 reply :

I'm not talking about deploying your PowerPole to hold you in position as you fan cast an area. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it's their intended use. I'm talking about, dropping an anchor (two in my case) and sitting on a spot. I revisited doing this after reading Bill Murphy's 'In Pursuit of Giant Bass' which was a complete turn around from the ' stay on the trolling motor until the batteries give out' approach I'd been using for the past two decades. The biggest benefit (for me) was that it got me to not only slow down, but to pick apart an area of the lake top to bottom. Do I still run and gun? Yes, when my time on the water is limited to a couple of hours. Do I pick up anchor(s) and move to a different spot? Yes, but rarely more than three or four times during the course of a day.

Memories of fishing a saddle between two islands on a big lake in Wisconsin (big for Wisconsin at least), anchored so my dad and I could reach the shallows of the island nearest our end of the boat and also the deeper water to either side of the saddle, were dusted off and revisited during my reading. We rarely didn't have a good outing and if the wind was blowing we often limited out. There was no running from spot to spot with my eyes glued to the old Hummingbird only to abandon a spot after a few casts. We'd sit and methodically work the area until we "stumbled" upon the depth the fish were holding and the presentation that got results.

Now, my son-in-law and I will anchor on a breakline of his favorite lake where the depth changes from 8-15ft., or the end of a small point for three or four hours, fishing, telling stories, downing a few beverages and catching fish. Guess I've come full circle.

Now I'm wondering if any of you have either revisited anchoring as a way of boat positioning like I have, have been doing it all along, or are considering it as another option?

A-Jay reply :

Yes I do. Anchoring has always been a huge part of my game plan. Very few if any trips go by where I'm not anchoring at least a couple of times a day (or night).

And like you, after reading Mr. Murphy's book, I adopted the twin anchoring system. Don't always use it for It's not always needed. But fishing from a canoe, the ability to lock down my position is quite valuable.

Plus the arm & shoulder workouts are a most positive fringe benefit.

A-Jay

FloridaFishinFool reply :

All I carry is an anchor. No power poles. Don't care for them. Quite often, rather than tossing out the anchor, down here in Florida I can push into the lily pads and let them hold me in place. Sometimes I'll just tie the boat to one or, anything I can to stay in place- cattails, trees, whatever. I like using an anchor or tie up to something. No need for power poles. They just get in the way and add more stuff to the boat I don't need. I also do not and will not use one of those trolling motors mounted up on the deck. I'm not giving up one inch of space for any of that. I got one of those longer shaft trolling motors that comes up high enough to where when I stand on the front casting deck I can bump it with my knee to steer or by hand without having to bend over. Works for me.I guess I am just an old school simple man when it comes to bass fishin'.

Sam reply :

Yes. I use anchors.

Plus the fact that I will drop a 10 pound anchor overboard to help slow down the boat in a river's heavy current.

BaitMonkey1984 reply :

Yup use anchors on both my boats but thats because I don't have money for a power pole. Maybe I will be able to get one this year with my tax refund.

scaleface reply :

Once a long time ago ,I won a 500 boat tournament and anchored both days. It was windy , I was throwing Texas rigs in 15 to 20 foot of water and I needed to pick that point apart. I would not have won if I didnt anchor. I havent anchored in awhile but am prepared to do so .

Catt reply :

As a teenager I worked on my uncle's charter fishing boats in the Gulf of Mexico, first as a deck hand and later as first mate. Anchoring is second nature; I anchor, tie to a stump, use a brush gripper, or simply let the wind blow me against something.

The only time I do not anchor is pre-spawn

senile1 reply :

I have always used anchors with my bassboat. It is an absolute necessity on the main portion of some of the lakes I fish as the rollers coming in make staying on a spot a lot of work with the trolling motor. The trolling motor actually comes out of the water when the rollers are coming through. On the upper end of such lakes, and in coves, I can sometimes tie off to a tree but the anchors are used often in every trip. It allows greater concentration on what I am actually there to do - fish. Or course, I use the trolling motor to hold me in place sometimes too. It just depends on how rough the water is and whether I am searching or combing every inch of an area.

With my tiny jon boat, I always anchor when there is current or wind on the water.

Brnnoser6983 reply :

I have a small fishing boat and if the wind is to bad I always anchor. If it is calm or slight wind I like to drift and troll.

everythingthatswims reply :

Anyone who has tried throwing a deep diving crankbait from a kayak knows why anchoring is a necessity!

roadwarrior reply :

Most of the time on deep structure.

Team9nine reply :

Always carry one, and do it more than I ever used to. But, being in a smaller boat now days, I'm much more prone to fish using some form of backtrolling (old school Lindner stuff) to hold exact position first, at least until I determine the number and quantity of fish in an area...or unless the wind is too strong.

-T9

mjseverson24 reply :

I dont actually use anchors, but the anchor feature on the I-Pilot is used quite a bit... Also Talons and Power poles are pretty darn useful.

Mitch

Thornback reply :

I fish with shiners 99% of the time and I always anchor next to a veggie mat and I usually use two anchors, one in the bow and one in the stern. When you got two people in the boat you don't want the boat swinging back and forth with just one anchor. Many times I go out and never use my trolling motor. When I was throwing a plastic worm I would run my trolling motor and I never liked to fight the current or wind while trying to concentrate on fishing. The technique I use for anchoring is to drop one anchor, let the anchor line play out with the wind or current, then drop the other anchor straight down and tie it off with no slack in the line. Anyone do this or do you have a better technique?

ward131 reply :

I removed my anchor, to big, didn't stow well. Haven't missed it.

MrPeanut reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 1:01 PM, papajoe222 said:

Memories of fishing a saddle between two islands on a big lake in Wisconsin (big for Wisconsin at least), anchored so my dad and I could reach the shallows of the island nearest our end of the boat and also the deeper water to either side of the saddle, were dusted off and revisited during my reading. We rarely didn't have a good outing and if the wind was blowing we often limited out.

funny you mentioned that as a first fishing memory, I grew up learning to fish vacationing to smaller lakes in Wisconsin with my family and we would anchor and sit in the same spot for long periods of time too.

I still use anchors a bit, although I do run and gun too, but I more often use the anchor to force myself to slow down and pick the area apart.

slimshad reply :

Nope, never have used an anchor. My fishing partner seems like an anchor sometimes....

RB 77 reply :

Double anchoring is absolutely crucial for me in some situations, particularly high wind, deep water bottom dragging presentations.

geo g reply :

I don't ever anchor, I will target an area and then position the boat so that a wind will blows me through that area and I stay in stealth mode, and not be on the trolling motor. This often helps when fish are easily spooked and the water is unusually clear. I like to be in stealth mode as much as possible. I will often pick a canal that runs east and west because the wind is out of the east. That way I fish all day and seldom on the trolling motor. Just run east and fish back to the west. This definitely helps put fish in the boat.

DRH2O reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 11:57 PM, Thornback said:
The technique I use for anchoring is to drop one anchor, let the anchor line play out with the wind or current, then drop the other anchor straight down and tie it off with no slack in the line. Anyone do this or do you have a better technique?

This is the same technique I use when I deploy dual anchors. I fish out of a kayak and I'm frequently anchored or clipped off to a bush or a tree or something. If I believe I'm on prime structure and working a break-line or a piece of cover I'll anchor up and fish it methodically. Being in a kayak I also have my anchor(s) rigged so that I can break free from them in a heartbeat if I hook up with something sizeable.

If I'm not anchored I'm probably in some form of search mode.

Thornback reply :

Another technique I used to use in a river with a current if I was tossing a plastic worm -- I had a 10' piece of zinc coated heavy chain tied to a rope and the other end of the rope tied to my outboard motor. Dragging the chain on the river bottom would slow my boat down and I would float down the river at half the river current speed. I would have to use my trolling motor from time to time to keep me in the center of the river.

Bankbeater reply :

I never go out without at least one in the boat.

Bluegiller reply :

I double anchor my canoe and stay in that spot for 60 minutes.

RSM789 reply :

In open water with decent winds, I'll use my anchor (especially when using jigs & plastics). I prefer to anchor on the side where the wind is blowing into the target, so the anchor line is behind me.

One time, I was casting into the wind into a sunken brushpile in 10 ft. of water and hung up on my first cast. I put that rod under my leg & let it "anchor" me in place as I grabbed a different setup. Ended up catching 3 fish in 5 casts & then noticed the brushpile I had hung up on seemed to be moving left. I grabbed that rod, set the hook and reeled in a 2lb fish that had sucked my jig off its snag.

phototex reply :

I used to, all the time. Then I got into tournament fishing, and mostly 'burned the bank' with my TM. Now, after reading Murphy's book, and fishing out of a pond boat in Texas, I find that I often HAVE TO anchor in these ferocious winds. (By the way - "Stitching" works.)

Bluebasser86 reply :

I do occasionally, seems to be no surer way to shut down a hot bite than dropping an anchor though.

bassindon reply :

I do at times.

Long Mike reply :

I often "anchor," but I use the Spot Lock function on my Minn Kota Terrova. The motor keeps me in the same position, without me having to use a real anchor; although I do have one on board.

hookset on 3 reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 1:29 PM, A-Jay said:

Yes I do. Anchoring has always been a huge part of my game plan. Very few if any trips go by where I'm not anchoring at least a couple of times a day (or night).

And like you, after reading Mr. Murphy's book, I adopted the twin anchoring system. Don't always use it for It's not always needed. But fishing from a canoe, the ability to lock down my position is quite valuable.

Plus the arm & shoulder workouts are a most positive fringe benefit.

A-Jay

This is exactly how I roll. I have the same canoe as Goose52.

TorqueConverter reply :

Where I fish 20+ mph wind is common. I have no choice but to anchor If I want to stay on that main lake structure and fish it rather than fighting the wind with the trolling motor.

Ratherbfishing reply :

In reasonably shallow water (no more than 7 or 8 feet) and/or when there is a soft bottom, I'll often anchor. But only if it is windy or when i really want to pick an area apart. I seldom anchor if I'm looking for active fish.

Depending upon the wind direction, a friend and I will often anchor in an expanse of flooded cattails, then drift down a ways, reanchor, and repeat the process. We can fish those flats really thoroughly and I can't tell you HOW many bass we've caught in this fashion.

MikeinFresno reply :

I do it to fish large rock piles or rock faces in lakes when the wind blows hard enuf to constantly push you off your spot. Too much TM work and battery used to hold it otherwise.

mnbassman23 reply :

I tried anchoring for the first time late last fall on a windy day. Caught the biggest 5 fish limit my boat has ever seen. I'll be doing a lot more anchoring this year.

bassindon reply :

Wish I had two power polls on back but the cost of that is just to hard to justify to my wife lol

blongfishing reply :

My trolling motor went out this summer for about 2 weeks so I would just use the wind and drive to spots and anchor and fish a circle all around me. That was not something I would do again haha! I have an anchor in my boat because I striper fish too and it comes in handy.

FrogFreak reply :

I don't like to use an anchor but I will if I need to. Two years ago I used my anchor to fish a main lake point on a windy day. Worked OK but I made the mistake of anchoring in the prime fishing spot so I think I scared em away for a bit.

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Anchoring, Does Anyone Still Do It? 2024

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