So its time to head back up to Rainy for the sturgeon!! Can’t wait. The issue I have every year is holding a spot with my anchors (I have a richtor anchor and a navy anchor-both with 5-6′ of chain). I don’t spend much time on rivers, so any advice from those who do would be helpful and appreciated. Thanks, and see you up there next week!!
How much rope are you letting out?
What is the approximate angle of the rope?
How much current are you in?
14lb WaterSpike and proper usage…I tried everything else and would not recommend any of them. I have a 1750 C-liner w a 115 Yammy.
I try putting out alot of line, but up there sometimes the boats get pretty packed in. I suppose the angle is around 45 degress…
Should I be putting them off each side, or one off each end of the boat?
Depends.
If you are trying to set the angle of the boat to facilitate more lines or fisherman, then probable both ends.
But if you then are getting washed off your spot by current or waves, you will need to set the angle of the boat to reduce the amount of facing to wash by having both at the bow or one having more rope out.
If it is wave action, you can try adding one of those bungie cord type devices on the ropes to absorb the shock of the waves.
35lb navy anchor has held my 2025 prov in every situation since 2005. that would include mille lacs in heavy wind, rainy and Mississippi rivers in fast current. the amount of anchor rope let out is a factor in holding on the spot in most situations with the right anchor. I like either the water spike or a heavy navy anchor. I have, and use both for different applications.
Three years ago I was introduced to the Cat River Anchor made in Sioux City, Iowa. It was designed by hardcore catfishermen to deal with any type of river. I have tried two of their anchors (10 and 20 pound) in the Red River and the Rainy and can hold my 19′ G3 with a 10# Cat River in most situations. It is also a very affordable anchor.
One of these anchors with a 100 foot rope (just in case) and your anchor problems will be over.
Just google them for more info.
Sometimes it just doesn’t matter. One day last year a gust of wind came up and just about everyone scrambled to get the anchors up and repositioned where they were. Just so happened when I caught 2 nice sturgeon within 10 minutes of each other.
I told my nephew I didn’t care, I’d rather have less action and not have to deal with it, so we headed up river.
An anchor shock has worked well for us, anchorshock.com. You can also try folding your chain so more weight is near the anchor or double over a heavier chain and attach that to the anchor to help keep it down.
Two times rope to depth is a good starting point.
The discontinued Drop and Stay bungies are awesome for holding a boat in waves or trafficed areas.
There was a fella selling another brand that was much smaller (and easier IMO) then the Drop and Stays in the booth next to us at the Sports Show.
But first your anchor needs to hold. I use a River Spike with a 4 foot rubber coated chain.
The only time it won’t hold is on a shale type bottom.
Perfect for the Rainy River…speaking from experience. 
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Two times rope to depth is a good starting point.
That would be a bare minimum as far as acceptable holding power.
This is where I think we freshwater, small lake / river guys can learn a lot from our saltwater / bluewater cousins.
Chapman’s Seamanship manual found that maximum holding power of most anchor styles was achieved at an average of between 4 and 5 to 1 ratio. That is correct! 4 or 5 feet of line for every foot of depth.
Keep in mind, this stuff REALLY matters when the weight and size of the boats goes way up and the weight of the anchor itself is of no significance compared to the size of the boat. My 22 foot Wellcraft needs at least a 3 to 1 scope in any wind above 10 MPH. Often people comment on how much anchor line I keep in the compartment, but if ever the need arises to anchor in 30 or 50 feet of water…
With a 4 or 5 to 1 scope, the effective angle of pull almost eliminates “bouncing the anchor” from wave action. Both the bow in the line and the low angle mean that the bow moving up and down even a couple of feet translates into very little vertical movement down at the anchor.
Now this isn’t always necessary of feasible, but it does show the benefits of using significantly more line than most guys are used to using.
You can play with anchor designs, but keep in mind that at best you are digging in to the bottom a few inches with even the best-designed anchors. Far and away the most significant factor is scope (amount of line out)because that’s what controls the angle that the anchor digs in at.
Grouse
Anchor Shock was the folks next to us.
Lots of good info up there.
I like to keep the boat motionless in wicked weather and high traffic. Big anchor out the front. Bungee between anchor and boat cleat. Big anchor out the back. Bungee between anchor and boat cleat.
With everything snugged up and set properly, a tuna boat can fly by throwing a 3′ wake and all my boat will do is bounce up and down a little.
It takes some effort to set your anchors like this, but you don’t F with them again until you move. 40mph wind, tuna boat waves…when i need tight lines, that’s how i anchor. 99% of people pack up when the wind kicks up, i’ll be the guy that stays on the water.
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Two times rope to depth is a good starting point.
Not what I ment to type.Should have said 3 x rope to depth is a good starting point.
I.E. 10ft of water = 30 ft of rope.
I would go with the bigger Rictor or Water spike.
Sometimes you need to let out more rope to get the anchor set, dug intot he bottom properly. Once set then pull a little in. With those boat waves up there a nice angle on the rope is needed or you risk lifting the anchor in the waves.
I do like the water spike but it is not perfect in every situation. It can take some rope to get it set in higher current and deep water. Not alway great with a lot of boats around. The gap up there is also one of two places where we have had issues with not getting it to set. Not enough weight on the anchor to drive the flukes into the hard packed mud. Granted we where fighting a good current and high winds that day to. I would still take a water spike over a rictor. Just dont care to lug that weight in every time.
Bring a second anchor and rope with. Might not need to be as big as the 1st but its good to have a back up with.
Bring a water sock with. This can help a lot dealing with cross winds and holding the boat in position. You get on a spot where a lot of rope is needed to hold bottom the wind can start blowing that boat side to side pretty well. Drift sock or second anchor comes in handy here.
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14lb WaterSpike and proper usage…I tried everything else and would not recommend any of them. I have a 1750 C-liner w a 115 Yammy.
10′ of rope and just tie off to Gursky’s boat. 
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So its time to head back up to Rainy for the sturgeon!! Can’t wait. The issue I have every year is holding a spot with my anchors (I have a richtor anchor and a navy anchor-both with 5-6′ of chain). I don’t spend much time on rivers, so any advice from those who do would be helpful and appreciated. Thanks, and see you up there next week!!
Surprised to hear the Rictor is not holding for you. They are good anchors. Granted mine is still holding bottom on pool 2 right now. Got a water spike still holding a spot on 4 also. Like said above make sure anchor is big enough and plenty enough rope is let out to set.
I need to get another water spike before heading up.
I used an oversized waterspike “The mille lacs anchor”. From the waterspike i run 15′ of line to a 10-15# anchor, and then from that anchor to the boat.
WOrks better than a chain IMO allowing you to hold very well but not need as much rope. Big wave surges will lift the 10-15# anchor, but keep the waterspike firmly planted in the ground.
As stated in my previous post, i’ll put a bungee between the anchor rope and cleat for extreme conditions.
The anchor that i throw out the back of the boat is 30#. I keep that at about a 30 degree angle and that anchor always gets a bungee which allows the boat to bounce up and down with waves but never jerk or jolt the anchor from it’s position.
I buy the cheap thick black bungees at FF. Put a carabeaner on each end…Might cost me $5. Can’t imagine it works any different than the name brand bungees for “Anchoring”
I first drop the front anchor, reverse the boat until the anchor locks up tighter than a knat’s a$$. Then i let out a bunch more slack rope till all 100′ is out. Then i drop the rear anchor, let out some slack, attach the bungee. Then tighten up the front anchor rope. I PULL HARD, stretching the rear anchor bungee and then put the bungee on the front anchor rope and attach to boat…
In the end, the rear anchor bungee is at medium stretch and the rope is approx 30 degree away from boat. Front anchor is generally less than 70′ of rope even when in 40 fow.
Good info on the bungees Andy.
If you ever have the time take a couple snapshots of your set up. 
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Good info on the bungees Andy.
If you ever have the time take a couple snapshots of your set up.
Ditto. I’d like to see it too
I’ll see if i can put some pics together over the next two weeks. I’ll start a thread or something for it.
I use a 30 river anchor for my 17′ lund tyee. Never have problems holding even in heavy current with little rope out. If I absolutely have to I use these bungys. They have held me in massive rollers with one anchor out. I hate boat swing but I can get away with swing most if the time for sturge fishing because I keep my rod in my hand 95% of the time to feel the bite.
The one on the right can be attached to 2 cleats then tie the anchor off on the fiberglass white thing. And the one on the left is for 1 cleat.
I usually just use the one that attached to one cleat
^^^ The discontinued Drop and Stay.
I have one!
On the rainy, I just throw 2 anchors off the starboard side and hold the boat perpendicular to the current. Easy to adjust and stays perfectly stable up there.
On top of that, the bow of the boat is always pointed to the middle of the river so wakes will go under the bow rather than rolling the boat if you’re anchored with the current.
You can see in this photo it’s perpendicular to the bank. It does not work well in the wind. The waves will roll the boat constantly and you’ll never see a bite.
Waterspike hands down and look up GPAS the have bungie system for anchoring works great. “Global Positioning Anchoring Stabilizer” reasonable price.
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^^^ The discontinued Drop and Stay.
I have one!
I had my drop-n-stay permanently borrowed out of my boat 
and then they no longer made the system, so I made my own, and it works 
but it took me a few tries to get it right. It’s awesome…I use 1/2 the rope length to hold that I used to….they used a heavy nylon for their bracket, which looked exactly like one of my FW’s cutting boards… 
which was big enough to make two 
Will you post a picture?
I have the drop and stay and use it a lot, there is something similar called the GPAS.
http://g-p-a-s.com/
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Will you post a picture?
Sorry for the blurry picture. Hope this gives you an idea.
It’s nearly 5″ x 3″….I then bought a very heavy duty 30″ bungee and rigged one end with a carabineer, and loop on the other. Loop end goes on the boat cleat, carabineer through the small hole, your tied off anchor rope goes through the larger lower hole as a loop and up over the slots that kinda look like a cleat….
Hope you understand all that… 
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