Anchoring Advice

[neckmoe]

Anchoring correctly has always been a challenge for me and would like some tips or advice anyone is willing to share. I've been getting better about watching wind, current, estimating the distance from the mark and the amount of line I put out but I still seem to miss getting the boat right of the spot i want. I've also seen some folks drag their anchor. What is this technique? I've heard of them gaffing the line and cleating it off to the stern and drag it till their over the mark they want and drop it. Seems kinda like a dangerous maneuver, that is if around structure. Would this be something folks do in more of hard bottom area? Thoughts?

[Parrothead]

DO NOT DO THIS! This is a very dangerous move that could possibly sink your boat by pulling the transome underwater.
Remember those Pro Football players that sank their boat? This is what they did.Drop your anchor from the bow and let out rode
twice the length of your boat. Hold the line untill you feel tension and then tie to a bow cleat.

[Steve Stinson]

I am pretty sure what Landshark mean't to say was "Twice the length of the depth..." not the boat length.

Anyhow, he's right about not pulling it from the rear cleat. Many folks try to dislodge a stuck anchor by doing this. The anchor line stretches like an elastic band, then when they let off the throttle the boat shoots backward causing a large wave to come over the transom.

Anchoring in deeper water is always a guessing game because you have to deal with the direction of the wind, the current, and the anchor catching the bottom at the right time. The only two things I know that help are:

1. Stop the boat exactly on the spot you want to anchor and let it drift. Once you drift far enough to get a good idea on the direction drive back across the spot and pass it. Then drop your anchor and hope that it catches before you drag it through all the fish you were targeting.

2. Buy a slightly oversized anchor for your boat and be sure you put more than enough chain on it. This will help it catch easier.

Even with all this in place, anchoring can still be very frustrating.

Steve Stinson
President
NFGFC

[DEMON]

Anchor setting technique is different for each type of anchor and sometimes for different brands of the same type. Some need more scope and less chain and some the opposite. Make sure you research they proper technique for your particular anchor (from the manufacturer if possible) and then follow Steve's advise.

[neckmoe]

Thanks for the great advice. Yea, I've never anchored from the stern like that but just don't understand folks would try dragging the anchor. I've personally seen a commercial grouper fisherman do it and have recently heard of more than one charter capt. doing it. Seems pretty sketchy to me.

[Ranaman]

More Like LAZY! if you have a GPS with a track it is very easy to view your drift then head above marker at same heading twice the rode is sufficient for most anchors they do often recomend more. VMore Chain is a GREAT recomendation it seems to work for us we have nearly 20 ft of chain. You can always let more line out or take some back. there is a distance scale on most GPS units USE it!

[Harmsway]

Yea, I've never anchored from the stern like that but just don't understand folks would try dragging the anchor. I've personally seen a commercial grouper fisherman do it and have recently heard of more than one charter capt. doing it. Seems pretty sketchy to me.

Just think of the habitat destruction caused by dragging an anchor. It should be illegal (maybe it is).

[EddieJoe]

Thanks for the great advice. Yea, I've never anchored from the stern like that but just don't understand folks would try dragging the anchor. I've personally seen a commercial grouper fisherman do it and have recently heard of more than one charter capt. doing it. Seems pretty sketchy to me.

What you probably saw is not "dragging the anchor", but a technique (used a lot by commercial guys) to move to a nearby spot without completely hauling the anchor in. They can't, and won't try and actually "drag" the anchor through a hard bottom area, where it won't drag even if you wanted it to do so. They pull the anchor partially up from the bottom, re-position at the new spot, and stop the boat. The anchor winds up in position to hold them at the new spot. It is amazing to see an expert do it with hardly any effort and they wind up right on the new spot. But they don't drag the anchor except through the water column. It saves them a lot of time and anchor hauling. I couldn't do it, but most of them can.

EJ

[rocket]

Thanks for the great advice. Yea, I've never anchored from the stern like that but just don't understand folks would try dragging the anchor. I've personally seen a commercial grouper fisherman do it and have recently heard of more than one charter capt. doing it. Seems pretty sketchy to me.

What you probably saw is not "dragging the anchor", but a technique (used a lot by commercial guys) to move to a nearby spot without completely hauling the anchor in. They can't, and won't try and actually "drag" the anchor through a hard bottom area, where it won't drag even if you wanted it to do so. They pull the anchor partially up from the bottom, re-position at the new spot, and stop the boat. The anchor winds up in position to hold them at the new spot. It is amazing to see an expert do it with hardly any effort and they wind up right on the new spot. But they don't drag the anchor except through the water column. It saves them a lot of time and anchor hauling. I couldn't do it, but most of them can.

EJ

I had a friend who witnessed this with a guide out of Apalah...he described it as n art.

[neckmoe]

Thanks for the great advice. Yea, I've never anchored from the stern like that but just don't understand folks would try dragging the anchor. I've personally seen a commercial grouper fisherman do it and have recently heard of more than one charter capt. doing it. Seems pretty sketchy to me.

What you probably saw is not "dragging the anchor", but a technique (used a lot by commercial guys) to move to a nearby spot without completely hauling the anchor in. They can't, and won't try and actually "drag" the anchor through a hard bottom area, where it won't drag even if you wanted it to do so. They pull the anchor partially up from the bottom, re-position at the new spot, and stop the boat. The anchor winds up in position to hold them at the new spot. It is amazing to see an expert do it with hardly any effort and they wind up right on the new spot. But they don't drag the anchor except through the water column. It saves them a lot of time and anchor hauling. I couldn't do it, but most of them can.

EJ

I had a friend who witnessed this with a guide out of Apalah...he described it as n art.

That is exactly what I'm talking about. Everyone Ive seen do it has it down pat. Perhaps dragging was a poor use of terminology. Essentially what i've seen them do is get the anchor off the bottom and up in the water column. Then move to another nearby spot...+ or - 1mile of so. Never long runs. Sure saves alot of back work.