The art of anchoring

I’ve spent the last 6 years on pool 4 fishing for eyes. Basically I’m trolling, drifting, or slipping all the time.

This summer I want to fish wingdams, get into catfishing, and search for the panfish around Red Wing and the lake.
So…
I’ve got some questions about anchoring…..

I have a 17 foot aluminum deep V tiller. For this size boat what style/weight of anchor do you guys recommend or use for most conditions on the mississippi?

Do you often use 2 anchors to keep your position? If so, do you drop them simultaneously, or is there another procedure for dropping the second anchor?

As a general rule, how much rope do you need to let out in relation to depth to allow your anchor to work properly?

Above a wingdam – do you anchor sideways with an anchor off each end of the boat, or do you anchor off the bow?

Anchoring seems so simple, but when the water is moving beneath the boat, I’ve had a heck of a time being very successful positioning my boat where I want it and keeping it there.

Thanks for the help
Scott

Scott, I have a 18″6″ deep v and fish rivers as well I use a standard 30LB river anchor and use the rule 3 to 1 so if river is 12 feet deep I put out 36-40 feet of rope seems to hold most of time if really strong current maybe use 4 to 1 ratio I have 150 ft of rope in boat with anchor available I anchor off of Bow in river situation

good luck

There was a good discussion regarding anchor preferences on this thread River Anchors

I use a 28lb navy anchor which works well for me but it can be heavy for some people.

As to using two anchors to anchor sideways in the current, I see some amount of people doing that, but in fast current or in an area with LARGE wakes doing so could swamp the boat. Tieing a single anchor to the bow is the safest approach.

For anchor rope I’d suggest 100′ of 1/2″ rope. It’s easy on the hands and is long enough that you can drift the boat back if you’re anchored too far above what you want to fish. The long rope is also good for being able to swing the boat from side to side by turning your motor or changing where you tie off (moving from the bow eye to the left cleat, to the right cleat, etc.)

As to how much rope to let out to stay anchored, it really depends on the size of anchor, amount of current, bottom content, wind, waves, etc. It’s better to let out a bit of extra rope when in doubt, though the boat will be more apt to swing back and forth on a windy day – but that’s not always a bad thing either.

Good luck.

Dan

Scott,

Bassndan gave you a darn good safety tip, and I hope you take it to heart! You should NEVER anchor off the stern only, and if you use two anchors make sure the first one you pull up when it’s time to move is the stern anchor (the one on the back of the boat, I’m sure you know). I have seen first hand what anchoring off the stern can do to a boat in fast water…..trust me, it doesn’t make for a fun day. Be safe, anchor the bow first then the stern. When you leave, do just the opposite.

Scott – review the thread under Mississippi – General discussion forum on river anchors. Like everything else in America there are many different opinions. Trust me, there are many GREAT anchors that weigh less then 10 pounds and hold tighter then a N_N. Don’t be afraid to put lots of line out on the river and you should rarely need 2 anchors in current……….