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One of my favorite ways to fish offshore is drifting. On several trips the current or wind would be to strong to drift so a larger weight or slow the boat down with gas motors was the only way to fish. So has anybody used a drift anchor? What size would a 25' boat need? I seen them for sale up to 52", but was considering a 48". Thanks, SF.

I use mine on every trip out that I'm drift fishing. Have for many years. My boat does not drift straight. I deploy it on the bow most of the time to correct my drift. It greatly depends on the style of the drift anchor for size, of which there are many. I have a Driftmaster. They recommend at least 60" for boats over 19 foot.

Its a must have, helps check spots without the anchor, you can make the boat drift any direction depending how many lines you want to try and have in the water. I reccommend at least the minimum size for your boat if not 1 size bigger. Works great inshore too... Frank

Are they good for when you loose power and need to keep the bow into the waves?

Somethin' tells me I need to take a boating class. I took one with my son years before I got a boat, of all things. But it sure is different when you've got one and a little experience under the belt....

Since we seem to have some folks who have first hand experience with these things... let me pose a couple of questions from someone who knows absolutely zip about the subject.

1. How deep do these things run? Is there some sort of bouy, etc?

2. Do they have a tendency to pick up grass when the grass is heavy?

3. How close do you generally have them to the boat? Do they ever get in the way when landing a fish, or a free lined pinfish heads for them?

4. With respect to "inshore" what would be the minimun depth you would need to use one?

5. What materials are they generally made of? Anybody had any experience with a home made one?

6. Storage... in a bucket or??? How much room do they take up?

Can't think of any more right now but some will probably come to me

I use the 24".



http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... tId=146956

It's constructed of a heavy vinyl material wity nylon webbing. I use a 1/4" line and put it 15' +/- out the side of the boat. It works well in 2' or more of water. Never had a problem picking up grass. It is another object in the water when landing a fish. However, the drogue is on the opposite side of the boat from where I'm fishing, and has never been a problem. It rolls up to the size of a rain jacket, and takes very little storage space. It really slows the boat down on a windy day.

Thanks TC... it's a never end'n task aint'it!

Sir reel wrote:Since we seem to have some folks who have first hand experience with these things... let me pose a couple of questions from someone who knows absolutely zip about the subject.

1. How deep do these things run? Is there some sort of bouy, etc?

Depends on the wind and tide. Usually a foot or two below the surface. Some models come with a small buoy on the line, mine do not.

2. Do they have a tendency to pick up grass when the grass is heavy?
Very little.

3. How close do you generally have them to the boat? Do they ever get in the way when landing a fish, or a free lined pinfish heads for them?
10-15' from the boat. Some times they do get in the way, but you can pull them in fairly easily.

4. With respect to "inshore" what would be the minimun depth you would need to use one?
Anytime you need to slow the drift. No minimum depth.

5. What materials are they generally made of? Anybody had any experience with a home made one?
Plastic. Not me.

6. Storage... in a bucket or??? How much room do they take up?
Not much. Fold up pretty small, depending on the size. I have two, and they fold up smaller than a raincoat.
Can't think of any more right now but some will probably come to me

EJ

I fish inshore most of the time. Normally two people in an 18 foot CC. The wind is the major factor in determing how you deploy a drift sock (sea anchor). I want my boat to drift sideways as straight as possible. If I don't put one out, the bow wants to point down wind, causing every line in the boat to head in the same direction, bunching up. The drift sock helps correct that.
My first sea anchor was a plastic 2gal. mop bucket tied on a rope. It floated and worked fine, but a pain to retrieve. The next few socks, I made from a round piece of wire ran thru the top of a cloth laundry bag. Good for about one season. I finally graduated to store bought. All I've ever bought were made of heavy nylon with 1 inch web pull cords. Inshore, I want mine to deploy fast and float shallow, so mine also had floatation sewn into one side of the opening and lead sewn into the other side. Works great.
How close to the boat? Most of the time, mine is tied only 3' or 4' from the boat. The further from the boat, the more drag it has. You just have to adjust the length for conditions.
Inshore with live bait out, you fish on the same side as the sock is floating. I have lost fish tangled in the drift sock. Just have to watch it.
Another advantage, if you've ever hooked a large fish in a small flats boat, you'll get dragged. Just throw the drift sock out behind the motor and watch the fish slow down.
One disadvantage to most socks. When you retrieve it, you need to pull the small end of the sock in first. Otherwise you'll be pulling five gallons of water with it. Pull it from the small end and it just dumps the water as you pull it. Most socks I've had, I tie a small pull cord to the end of the sock, and tie the other end of the cord up the lines to where your rope is tied.
Make sure you have a float somewhere above the sock on the rope in case it comes untied from the boat. (voice of experience here)
They come in handy when it's real windy.

I use mine for inshore fishing. If the winds up it's the only way to fly. Keeps the boat sideways and really slows you down and they are easy to retrieve with the extra line on the back side of the sock.
I keep mine in a small waterproof bag I picked up at BPS for $10.00. Takes up very little room in the bottom of my anchor locker.

The point of a loss power sistiuation is a good enough reason to have one on board and if it helps you catch a fish now and then. Thats OK too.

I just got mine, its a 52" and cost 39.00 on Ebay. I cant wait to try it out.

Overtons also has them ...
http://www.overtons.com/cgi-bin/overtons/setcat.cgi?2

I looked at a ton of drift anchors and the money they wanted for one. I really didn't see how something so simple could cost so much. I decided to build my own and it has held up great for almost a year now.
If anyone wants to make there own just let me know I have big role of heavy, bright yellow material. I believe its the stuff they use on the sides of the road to control the sand from washing away. So if anyone would like to make they own custom drift anchor just let me know.