anchoring questions

[jmarty10]

I am thinking of doing a fishing trip up to a lake this weekend. I have basically a ski boat bowrider without a trolling motor, so I will need to anchor the boat in certain spots. Its a danforth type anchor and has about 4-5 feet of chain. The anchor works pretty good in the muddy river but I had some problems anchoring last time in this lake. Its a sandy/weedy bottom. Will probably be in about 15 feet of water and will cast in towards the shore. Any suggestions for keeping the boat steady. Use another anchor at stern? Paddle? I know a trolling motor would be optimal but we only go up to this lake a couple times per year. Thanks

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: anchoring questions

not sure why you want to use and anchor and a paddle or motor at the same time.

The anchor goes up-wind or up-current, depending on which is stonger (assuming wind for a lake). The boat will orient downwind. Some boats and conditions you can tie the anchor amidships to get perpendicular to the wind; don't do this in strong current.

For fishing I like to plop in a mushroom anchor--the danforth/chain is a fire alarm to fish.

 

[jmarty10]

Re: anchoring questions

Well no I dont want to use all at the same time I just want to keep the boat steady. I also have a mushroom anchor Is that good enough to hold the boat for fishing?

 

[jkust]

Re: anchoring questions

Are you correctly deploying the anchor with an appropriate amount of rode for the depth? I've a danforth as well and only in the heaviest wind can I not get it to hold. Too short an amount of rode and the anchor can't work properly.

 

[jmarty10]

Re: anchoring questions

I have 50 feet of line with about 5 feet of chain. If I remember correctly you have to let out 3 feet for every foot of water depth? So if i'm in 10 feet of water I need 30 feet of rope?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: anchoring questions

Well no I dont want to use all at the same time I just want to keep the boat steady. I also have a mushroom anchor Is that good enough to hold the boat for fishing?

only you can find that out once you get out there. All depends on conditions and boat. I've used one for my 21' in quiet water. I like to move around, usually drift when fishing, but my lake has tides.

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: anchoring questions

if its windy let it all out. I then drop a mushroom anchor off the stern to keep from swinging around on the long main anchor line.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: anchoring questions

I have 50 feet of line with about 5 feet of chain. If I remember correctly you have to let out 3 feet for every foot of water depth? So if i'm in 10 feet of water I need 30 feet of rope?

7:1 ratio is considered the normal 'safe' where you won't move under normal conditions. So in 10 feet of water, you are talking 70 feet of line.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: anchoring questions

It completely depends on conditions and the style of anchor and the rode length. If fishing shallow with a danforth in weeds/sand, try letting out about 3 to 1 and power the boat in reverse until the anchor sticks in to bottom. Short bursts of reverse will usually get you in. After anchor has grabbed, let out a couple more feet per depth and you should be good.

Problem with danforth anchors in sand/weeds is they can float /skip over the bottom.

By adding some engine power, you are forcing the danforth style anchor to tilt and grab.

Also,I doubt that your mushroom anchor will be any good off the stern to keep the boat from swinging, but you can try it.


I usually when fishing the shoreline, drift and reposition with motor when needed. But I fish rivers more than lakes.

 

[5150abf]

Re: anchoring questions

Anchoring is really situational in that there is no one way to do it, what you have to do depends on the situation you are in and it is one of the harder parts of boat.

I fish a river so I deal with current, throw in wind going the opposite direction of the currant and it can be a real challenge to get the boat to stay where you want it to.

The 3:1 ratio is a good rule of thumb but I have used less and way more again depending on the condition you find yourself in, it is a learning thing so the more you do it the better you will be at know what you need to do, I geuss you will just have to go fishing more until you get this down.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: anchoring questions

7:1 ratio is considered the normal 'safe' where you won't move under normal conditions. So in 10 feet of water, you are talking 70 feet of line.

True if you are anchoring a large boat in heavy weather in deep water unattended overnight. Not true for fishing in 10' of water in a lake. Those "rules" seldom apply in recreational boating.

Also this guy wants to stay put. longer line hinders that. My guess is that he needs to be more mindful of wind direction in setting up. It's one-third of the equation.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: anchoring questions

True if you are anchoring a large boat in heavy weather in deep water unattended overnight. Not true for fishing in 10' of water in a lake. Those "rules" seldom apply in recreational boating.

Also this guy wants to stay put. longer line hinders that. My guess is that he needs to be more mindful of wind direction in setting up. It's one-third of the equation.

yep, never said it was practical or useful, just a FYI for what is considered 'normal'. Personally I'm lucky if I can do a 3:1 also, I've got about 25 feet of bungi cord as an anchor rode. (works quite well actually, it stretches to absorb shock and basically does part of the function of chain. It also makes parking on a sandbar in current really easy, just start walking to stretch the cord out. Once it is deployed, the bungi keeps tension on the boat so it won't move or get sideways in the current.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: anchoring questions

When you have waves, having some form of shock absorber makes anchoring much easier and as you point out allows you to shorten line. The chain acts that way, and some mariners hang a weight along the line (also a good trick for towing and mooring to a piling)