I agree with beefier gear to better control the fish might be the best strategy on this.
I’m on the Mississippi. A lot of current, especially these days. I don’t use two anchors. I’d like to though.
What do I consider big? I consider a 40 lb flat to be “big” – at least applicable to what I’m talking about in my original post. My largest flat is 50 lbs. About the same for Sturgeon.
This past weekend I caught a 50″ sturgeon and he did tangle me in the anchor but luckily I was able to untangle and not lose him. After that I did put the screws to him more and toward the end I turned him when he tried to do it again. But he was tired too.
My main gear for Sturgeon is a Shimano 8000, tiger-lite rod, and 40# mono suffix elite. For flats and Sturgeon I use Abu 7000’s with tiger-lites and 30# mono Stren.
Maybe the only answer is to be more aggressive with them. But in my mind, even then there are no guarantees. I lost a flat last year that got tangled up in the anchor line and when I first saw him I swear he was half the length of my 16′ boat.