Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Boat Anchoring Question


Recommended Posts

I know I'm a little early, and probably won't get the boat up there until July from the looks of the ice, but I am looking for some suggestions. I have 150' of anchor rope and am looking for ways to make that length adjustable. I would like to not have to use the entire length if possible. I thought about adding a cleat to the bow to keep the rope centered, but not sure if it will work with my trolling motor. Anyway, just wondering if anyone else has suggestions? I did upgrade to the I-Pilot this year, so hopefully the anchor lock will take care of it, but just in case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have several cleats in my boat for different anchoring positions.

if i want bow to be directly into the waves i will put a caribeaner clip into the loop on the front of your boat- where you hook up your trailer strap, put the anchor rope into the caribeaner, then run the anchor rope to the nearest cleat...

i have a digger anchor, its very light, holds very well, but only with a lot of rope out...often, i dont want much rope out. in this case some people run 10-15' of chain off the anchor, i do something different, but slightly more effective.

i clip on a 15' rope to my digger anchor that has a caribeaner clip on eacj end of the rope. on the other end of the rope i attach a cheap 10# anchor, and then clip on my longer anchor line to the 10# anchor as well. when i drop the digger in the water, i lower it to the bottom, floating away from it as i continue to lower the 10# towards the bottom. once i feel the anchors hook up, ill let out some more line and then tie off to the boat....you will not budge...when im sturgeon fishing and want zero boat movement, ill let out about 100' of line on the front anchor and attach to boat. then drop a 30# anchor off the transom. i dont attach the rear 30# to the boat yet. then i go to the front anchor and pull in some line, usually aboit 30-50' depending ondepth, attach to boat and then attach rear 30# anchor to boat....now im not moving more than 2 or 3 feet at most....when there is big waves or boatwakes to deal with, i attach a bungee to the boat by the rear anchor, and attach the other end of the bungee to the 30# anchor rope. just in case the bungee were to bust, i attach the tag end of the 30# anchor rope to a cleat. now i can take 3'-4' boat wakes and not pull the anchors from the bottom which creates slack in your anchor lines and thus more movement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used my I-pilot in pretty big waves and it held, but there is going to be a time that the prop just wont stay in the water.

Am I correct in thinking you do not have tie off cleats at all on your boat right now?

Also another 100 feet of rope will come in handy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

More rope, digger anchor, and 6 foot chain. I-pilot on anchor really eats up the battery. Put some cleats on, if possible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With the i-pilot, like curt said, the prop will want to come out of the water if your shaft isn't long enough and the waves are medium-sized or more. I have the long shaft so I don't notice it often, but it still happens. Keeping weight in the bow will help. Battery-wise it's not horrible, but it will drain a battery almost as fast as running full thrust depending on the system voltage and battery(s). I have loved my anchor on i-pilot, I don't keep an anchor in the boat any more. But I also haven't tried to use it on a big lake like LOW yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great info guys. Thanks. I've been wondering about the same things for outfitting my new boat. This will help a lot.

So Curt, when you're staying above those bait balls in the fall, are you just running the I-Pilot, or do you try to anchor up at all?

By the sounds of it, you guys would really support 150 feet of anchor rope available for most situations? That seems like a LOT of rope, but I'm really a newbie when it comes to holding a bigger boat where I want it.

I'm thinking, with a 17 ft deep/wide v-hull, with not so many bells and whistles to weigh it down, and wave whackers on the back, I'd pretty much do what TW is recommending as far as anchor size, chain, and I'm really intrigued by the bungee idea!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was on low two summers ago in my 1800 Lund. So windy and wavy my son in law had the sock out and the anchor. It slowed us down great. Caught a lot of walleye. Last summer, was on Leech in my 186 tyee and my i-pilot batteries did not last very long on anchor. If you research it, I think the more wind, the more rope depending upon the bottom features.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use the digger anchor for my 19 foot alumacraft. Anchored in heavy current on the river and on mille lacs in healthy rollers without issue. You do need to use a lot of rope to reduce the angle on the anchor and make sure the flutes stay dug in.

The bungey idea is a good one to reduce the shock on the rope which usually is what causes anchors to lose hold.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You CAN use a whole lot less rope if you add the 10# anchor instead of chain like i do which keeps the rope angle low at all times.

there is also a product out there called an anchor bungee...but i just use cheap bungees

Link to comment
Share on other sites

x3' of rope for every 1' of depth. That means 100' of rope is good for LOW. It helps to have 5' of chain on the anchor. Also, if you anchor alot, check your anchor because it might get bent from hooking and pulling it out. If it does not sit flat on the floor, it will not dig into the bottom of the lake well. I did not realize it with mine until after I struggled with it for a day in the wind. 150' of rope will work but is not necessary if you have a good anchor and a little bit of chain.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most any anchor will pull out if the line is allowed to pull tight. Thus the need for the extra line (or an in-line weight) to give it some sag and gradually bring the boat to a stop.

In high wind my i-pilot will demand the power. I found out the hard way that I needed a bigger in-line breaker. It's not fun working below deck with 2-3 foot waves.

Putting out more line than is necessary for the conditions is bound to get you a hook in your anchor line and then in your hand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The lighter anchor in my senario also lifts to absorb wave shock. bungee works best though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I wanted to throw 30# of weight out there I would just use a Richter. I don't use chain with my digger. Works fine. I don't mind using more rope better than carrying all that dang extra weight around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't had any trouble with the I pilot running of juice. One entire day is no problem.

If I am using the anchor and it is pretty windy, I let out ALL of 150 feet of rope with a big sea spike type anchor (the white Lake of the Woods anchor you see at all the bait shops and resorts up there) It holds you good. You watch the boats with too little rope and the wrong anchor dragging by you and resetting over and over again. It can ruin your day and your chances of catching fish by skimping on rope.

I have a digger anchor and I dont use it much, I like that white sea spike real well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Curt: no problem with anchor on I-pilot depending upon wind. Winds and waves eat that battery up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So how many anchors have you guys left on the bottom of LOTW?

I have a friend that went out of Zipple Bay State Park a few years back on a day with a pretty gusty NW wind. He said they got hung up twice, and ended up leaving both anchors out there!?! I can't even figure out what they could've gotten stuck on out of Zipple, but evidently there's enough rock out there for it to happen.

Would this have been completely prevented with a better anchor and 150 feet of rope? Another question...what type of rope do you prefer to use, and how heavy a gauge of chain should someone use as a "leader" to your anchor?

10 feet of chain? 4-6 feet of chain? 10 lbs. of chain?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the info so far guys. Just to answer a few questions, I currently have a few cleats on the boat, but they are all factory, haven't added any. I really don't plan on relying on the i-pilot, but am kind of curious to see how it works on the big water. I run a fluke style anchor, with two 4' lengths of chain. I usually double them up together, but maybe running them as a single 8' length would work better? I use a braided nylon line, 1/2" i believe, it has a decent amount of stretch (shock absorption) but I will look into the bungee a bit more. I don't have any problem hooking up usually, but i also don't tend to need the whole 150', so thats why I'm asking. Thanks again for the info

Link to comment
Share on other sites

An anchor that "releases" is really the best for situations where it could get stuck between rocks, etc.

Lots of options, richter, digger, the navy (fluke) style anchors. Never had to leave an anchor because I couldnt free it. The styles mentioned above if you motor up over top of them, give them a good tug they should pop free, they like to be retrieved vertically.

I honestly dont think chain is necessary on a digger anchor. The richter requires it.

The chain is just there for extra weight if you use the digger anchors though I prefer not to use it. Just heavy nylon rope.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Google it . Some say chain, some don't. Some say 3', some say up to 7' of rope per foot of water. Experiment. More wind and waves, more rope--- changes the angle. Fishing Deer lake at night, I anchor shallow and feed the rope out to the depth I want to fish. If windy and choppy, I mark my wave point and use my I-pilot on anchor or try drifting over wave point with I-pilot. If windy and choppy, almost impossible to anchor on your wave point unless bottom is rocks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So how many anchors have you guys left on the bottom of LOTW?

I've left a few on the bottom of the Minnesota river...Don't anchor there anymore unless i find a clear spot with the SI.

full-26433-31923-s00360.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have 100' and 3 or 4' of coated chain on a Water Spike anchor. In a 1' chop I do not even have to use all 100'. So far I have not been in any conditions that it did not hold with all 100' out. With what I fished in last year, I think it would be to miserable to fish if the anchor didn't hold.

I never throw the anchor onto a rock, that is just asking for trouble. I will throw it in the mud and let rope out until I can get on the edge of the reef. Only problem with this is you can't always fish the edge of the reef you want. This is where the I-Pilot would come in handy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There has to be hundreds out there. Most of the summer drifting/trolling snags that seem odd (they move a bit) are actually anchor ropes, especially on the reefs. It just makes my stomach ache when a guy comes into the cleaning shack and is boasting a bit about his tough day...., having to just cut his anchor rope. MORE SNAGs. In talking with the guides, they prefer that we somehow mark the rope with a float (seat cushion or the like), leave it there and retrieve the next day, or call the guides, and they will arrange to get it pulled out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never had trouble with an anchor in the rocks---- just motor behind it as you would with a snag. Again, length of rope depends upon depth, wind and chop. Chain helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i dam near sunk my boat trying to free an anchor with my boat on the minnrsota, but that was high current related. had about 2s to cut the line. always know where your bait scissors or knife is at in an emergency situation. im glad i knew where mine was!

on low, probably not too hard to free an anchor, but im sure there are places that will eat an anchor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you throw the anchor out where it might get snagged, you can tie another peice of small rope to the head of the anchor, opposite of where your main rope would be and tie a small bouy to it. That rope will float straight up from the anchor. If snagged you can pull on that rope and it will pull out directly opposite of how it went in. Most anchors, even though the rope slides on the shaft, does not pull directly the opposite direction. This works the best on the fluke style where the rope just slides along the shaft. I have seen launches from various resorts doing this when fishing reefs and had to go ask them when they got in what they were doing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

jkb, thats a great idea.

Truth, you dont want to anchor where you pic was taken, there are no fish there. LOL

Looks like a dang jungle down there!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • leech~~
      Jeez, John Parker Romo never played in the NFL or with the Vikings and he walks on and saves the day!  I thinking he's a full time employee now!  
    • leech~~
      Losing to a 2-7 team at the half!!  
    • JerkinLips
      41.6°F in Stuntz Bay Thursday morning.  Left my boat in the water to hopefully fish more before the lake freezes.  Caught four 9-11" walleyes in 2½ hours before I gave up due to the strong west wind.  Water level has not gone up more than a couple of inches at the most.  May be a good winter to jack my boathouse out of the water on the deep end.
    • Troy Smutka
      The calendar migrators from the Dakotas have been passing through central MN in trickles the past few weeks, and the recent cooler weather has some Canada ducks starting to show up. We have been harvesting mallards, pintails, gadwalls, wigeon, shovelers, greenwing teal, canvasbacks, redheads, bluebills, and ringnecks in decent numbers.
    • SkunkedAgain
      It doesn't look like the lake level has gone up at all. I was up a week ago and struggled to get my boat in and out of the public landing on the west end of Head O Lakes. I used my paddle to push the boat further out to deeper water. I could hear the hull moving over the sandy/muddy bottom near the launch.
    • JerkinLips
      Pretty tough.  Was catching about 2 walleyes per hour and the biggest was only 13".  Back up Thursday so I hope I have better success.
    • smurfy
      the kid and I always check our stands prior.......i'll go back to check the conditions of said stands before he gets there to see what we need. while i'm at it if i can i shoot at grouse with shells that appear to not have bb,s in them!!!!🙄
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  With unseasonably warm weather, there are still some anglers hitting the water and most have been rewarded.  Limits of walleyes and saugers being caught, and the forecast looking ahead is favorable. The best bite on the south end of LOW has been in 22-28 feet of water. Water temperatures are dropping and as the temps cool further, the bite has been excellent.     Vertical jigging with frozen emerald shiners has been the program for most anglers.  Bring plenty of bait, as you’ll need to sort through some smaller fish and short biters.  Plenty of eater fish to be had, just have to do a bit of sorting.  Anglers are also reporting very good numbers of jumbo perch and occasional pike mixed in with the walleyes.     For those fishing structure, if you slide up on top of a rock pile, don't be surprised to catch a big smallmouth bass, there are plenty around.   This week’s hot colors have been gold, gold/glow white, gold/chartreuse, gold/orange, and gold/glow white/pink.     One tip, a stinger hook on your jig will catch you more fish if you start missing too many fish. On the Rainy River...  Bait dealers are reporting good numbers of shiners in the river this past week.  Interesting, each night is different.  Some areas have the small shiners called pinheads.  Other areas have the larger minnows.     The river is producing some nice walleyes in various spots from Four Mile Bay to Wheeler's Point, to Baudette all the way to Birchdale.  There are 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale with plenty of public boat ramps along the way.     Walleyes are being caught in various depths, but 15-25 feet of water has been good.   Jigging with live or frozen emerald shiners has been highly effective. Some anglers are also trolling crankbaits to cover more ground and find fish. Both methods are producing solid results. Sturgeon fishing has been strong.  The catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is open into the spring when it changes to the "keep season" on April 24th. Up at the NW Angle...  Fall fishing continues to be excellent. Points, neck-down areas with current, shoreline breaks, and transition zones from rock to mud are all productive locations for walleye right now.   It is traditionally a mixed bag up around the many islands in this part of the lake and this fall is no different.  In addition to walleyes, pike, jumbo perch, and crappies are in the mix.  A jig and minnow has been the most effective presentation. Good muskie fishing is the norm during the fall of the year and area reports have been good.  In addition to casting, trolling shorelines, points and neckdown areas has been effective.  Muskies are often targeting schooling tullibees this time of year. The weather forecast for the next couple of weeks is conducive for fall fishing.  If you don't deer hunt, or if you have harvested your deer, consider some bonus walleye action before the ice forms.  The bite continues to be excellent.    
    • leech~~
    • gimruis
      I'm not one to leave that to chance the day I need it.  I always check on my stands prior to the season.  Just like I always shoot my rifle before the season and I always run my outboard motor before fishing opener.  Too many things to go wrong without confirming it ahead of time.   I guess it could have been beavers but the house itself didn't appear nearly big enough along one ditch.  It was about the size of chair.  I've seen beavers houses many times before and they appear much bigger than that.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.