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Old 03-29-12, 10:15 PM   #1
kennethdaysale
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Default Do you guys anchor?

I met some avid fisherman at Academy today and while discussing wind/boat control/presentation I mentioned that I won't hesitate to use an anchor (or two) if needed. They looked at me as if I had said I fish from shore-sitting on a 5 gallon bucket-with 10 cane poles spread out in front of me. Roll-eyes--snide remarks--the works.At that point I don't think I could have regained any credibility if they could have watched me skip cast a football jig into a shot glass 20 ft under a dock from 30 yds away with the Trolling motor on high in a 40mph crosswind! Surely I can't be the only person that feels like quiet and still is sometimes the best way to go? Honest opinions welcome----you can't hurt my feeling any worse than the coon-eyed boys at Academy.
I'd love to hear from anyone (Bryce is the only one that I know of but there must be others) with one of those Minn Kota's with the I-pilot "anchor".
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Old 03-29-12, 10:23 PM   #2
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Don't even carry them in the boat. Actually despise them. Have to use them crappie fishing at stumpy but I can't say I wouldn't if I ran across a hefer on a bed and couldn't stay in position any other way. I'd ease them down and drift in then tie off.
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Old 03-29-12, 10:26 PM   #3
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lol when i am lucky enough, when my catfish buddy want to bass out of his old boat, one ancho and one cender block is all hes got It works. heck somtimes we pull one anchor up and let the boat slowly spin so i use a differant lure on the come around...yea that is a redneck fishing lol
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Old 03-29-12, 10:47 PM   #4
bassboogieman
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What's an anchor?

I've kept one in the boat as a safety device, but in the 17 years I've had a boat - it's still a virgin . . . . yep, never been wet.

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Old 03-29-12, 10:52 PM   #5
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Anchors have fallen by the wayside, as there is less profit in them for MK and MG. Marketing has turned them into a sin to the serious bass fisherman. Despite having a Terrova, I still carry an anchor at all times. And not just for safety. It is a must for serious catfishing from a boat. I assume Cap'n Mike anchors up to catch his big blues near current. Uh oh...I just committed another sin.
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Old 03-29-12, 11:31 PM   #6
kennethdaysale
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Dang..........after posting I googled and youtubed looking for Bass fishing related anchoring type stuff.........practically zilch. A few catfish threads and lot's of saltwater stuff. I must admit I find this amazing. I can't begin to tell yall how many quality fish I've caught while anchored.
Example-there's a 50 acre lake I often fish with a sharp point...drops off from 10' to 30' with big brushpiles on top and bottom. Prime spot-almost always hold some fish. Seems everytime I fish this pond wind is howling. I can sometimes ease past it and catch a fish or two with a crank or spinnerbait or whatever. But If I position the boat just right then anchor and turn everything off, I can carefully pick those brushpiles apart with a senko or jig without constantly being on the TM while fighting the wind and cursing. Not at all uncommon to catch 5-10 even 15 fish (including a couple of 3-4-5 lbers somedays) at this spot (and countless others like it) in just 30-45 minutes of complete concentration and focused presentation. Don't get me wrong I love moving and covering water and power fishing as much as most...and yes I've caught fish 15 feet from a freshly faceplanted water skier, but I am convinced that lots of times fish (especially quality fish) are put off by the tick-tap-tap of the transducer and whir of the TM. Plus some baits like weightless plastics/jigs etc just don't lend themselves very well to being fished from a moving boat....or maybe I'm not as good at this as I've convinced myself that I am. Even from a motionless boat with absolute total concentration on my line and worm I know that I sometimes miss detecting the subtle hits, I can't imagine how you guys can feel them hits while standing in the front of a bucking boat with one foot on the TM constantly compensating for wind drift and casting angles. Tip-o-the hat to ya.
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Old 03-30-12, 08:19 AM   #7
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I have a anchor in my boat and yes I do use it I look at it as a poor mans power pole. Do almost the same as you do Kenneth and some times in shollow water when the are moving up and down the bank.
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Old 03-30-12, 10:15 AM   #8
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Kevin (Pro Reel) and I, fish together quite a bit, and in KS the wind seems to always be blowing. We make use of anchors, and wind socks in our fishing, we will anchor on an area if we are catching fish or if we just want to slow down and work it over real good. We also use a drift sock for when the wind is pushing us down a bank-line faster than we want to fish it.

I carry two anchors and a windsock in my boat, and I know Kevin has the same equipment.
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Old 03-30-12, 12:24 PM   #9
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must have when you're bed fishing! Unless you're lucky enough to have a powerpole
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Old 03-30-12, 05:48 PM   #10
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Heck yes. In the winter I use two. This year the second one was a cement turtle.
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Old 03-30-12, 06:17 PM   #11
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I mostly use mine when I fish the pads. I hate the wind blowing my 14ft. alum. all over the place.
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Old 03-30-12, 06:36 PM   #12
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I own one, yes. Do I use it, not so much.

I keep one stowed away in my portside rod locker.

I can say though, that it does help with keeping my boat balanced when up on plane.


-Mark
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Old 03-30-12, 07:01 PM   #13
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On windy days when I'm trying to work a specific area I will definately use one or my 12 foot jonboat will get blown all over the place. Drives me nuts when I'm trying to work over a particular shoreline or piece of structure and I spend more time with boat control than casting.
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Old 03-30-12, 09:40 PM   #14
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Thanks you guys, and after rereading my second post it sounded a little defensive, kinda like I was posting all the things I would have said to the smug run-n-gunners if I'd had the chance. Sorry. My wife has to constantly remind me that sarcasm is just angers ugly cousin

..........Of course it all boils down to whatever works for you. If I were not allowed to own an anchor I wouldn't cry, just adjust.
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Old 05-04-12, 06:06 PM   #15
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Kennethdaysale,
I hate the type of idiots you ran into at the Academy. I have quite a bit of experience and have even owned a bait/tacle/gun shop for 9 years and wouldn't look down at another fisherman for using what they use to get the job done. I own a pretty nice little 16 foot bass boat that doesn't have a power pole on board. I will use one or both of the anchors on board on some occasions, cat, pike, musky fishing are some of those times.
There are times when trolling motor control alone will not work well enough without some help keeping the boat in a still position. I will say that bass fishing isn't one of those situations. They sure can help in high wind conditions.They are handy in swift current as a safety feature. I'll always have them on my boat. If I do get new bass boat, I'll probably add poles. As it looks, I'm very happy with my bass boat with several anchors in a storage area of the boat. Just in case!
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Old 05-05-12, 09:31 AM   #16
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Some states require them by law,you would be surprised many dont know they are required to have one or 50 ft of rope like Ohio,who is also a stickler for a throwable on deck,with no pin holes in it.
No one keeps them out in Tn they put in a storage unit,sometimes same thing with fire ext.
While may not last as long I place mine thru the front deck seat pole,in sight easily removed.Horn yet whistle on key switch lanyard,emergency paddle and a trolling ,motor I can go forward in winds I dont need to be out there in ,tested to 45-50 mph,never again.
So it may not be an oddity may be the law,where you boat.
Two guys last year lost the big motor during the flood,cell ph and relay of several people saved their lives as was about 140,000 cfs and about 1 mile from the dam going over the top.Any method of keeping the boat where its at is a good one.
This reminds me let mine go with the old Ranger I sold must get another.
I also fish super shallow the pro poles are overrated the average guy gets them on a new boat as part of the bells,stops and whistles but seldom uses it.Same with hd electronics seldom does one who owns a used bass boat go buy 3 k of electronics.
Same guy with the new bb with hd and pro poles is the one who would scoff at an anchor,hes making payments was part of the pkg and doubt full that pro pole will stop him in deep water.Yet one and 50-100 ft of rope could save his life.

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Old 05-05-12, 11:33 AM   #17
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One of the local fellows anchors at all times and often wins at the local tournaments. His one tactic is fishing pumpkin green lizards and strategically anchoring near by a channel coming out of a swamp at a point where the weed edge nears a saddle and waiting them out, sometimes waiting over 4 hours before the first bite. Just one of his favorite spots among others, but often produces largest bass....

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Old 05-05-12, 05:16 PM   #18
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I like to fish off the shore a lot. Sometimes it is really hard to fish out of a boat in the elements, even with the boat anchored.
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Old 05-06-12, 06:17 PM   #19
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You said it right, use what works for you. I have a two PowerPole system and while I don't anchor is water that is too deep for the powerpoles, I have thought of anchoring but dont have one. Part of the problem with it in a tourn. guys see you in a spot too long and move in. Again, use what works for you and and the conditions.
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Old 05-06-12, 07:48 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lilmule View Post
Some states require them by law,you would be surprised many dont know they are required to have one or 50 ft of rope like Ohio,who is also a stickler for a throwable on deck,with no pin holes in it.
No one keeps them out in Tn they put in a storage unit,sometimes same thing with fire ext.
While may not last as long I place mine thru the front deck seat pole,in sight easily removed.Horn yet whistle on key switch lanyard,emergency paddle and a trolling ,motor I can go forward in winds I dont need to be out there in ,tested to 45-50 mph,never again.
So it may not be an oddity may be the law,where you boat.
Two guys last year lost the big motor during the flood,cell ph and relay of several people saved their lives as was about 140,000 cfs and about 1 mile from the dam going over the top.Any method of keeping the boat where its at is a good one.
This reminds me let mine go with the old Ranger I sold must get another.
I also fish super shallow the pro poles are overrated the average guy gets them on a new boat as part of the bells,stops and whistles but seldom uses it.Same with hd electronics seldom does one who owns a used bass boat go buy 3 k of electronics.
Same guy with the new bb with hd and pro poles is the one who would scoff at an anchor,hes making payments was part of the pkg and doubt full that pro pole will stop him in deep water.Yet one and 50-100 ft of rope could save his life.
I don't know of anybody who bought Power Poles or Minn Kota Talons to take the place of an anchor. Those are tools to help with fishing shallow water and they will also come in handy in a lot of other scenerios. I know of far more people who have added them to a boat they already owned than I know of people who have them because they came on a boat they bought. An anchor is a safety device, a shallow water anchoring system may do the job if you find yourself in that kind of situation, but that is not why they are there. As a guy who just added a $3,000 graph to my boat I can also say that it is a very useful tool that there is no substitute for when you are fishing deeper water or searching for a certain type of cover or structure below the surface of the water. Again, I know of way more people who have added them to boats they already own than guys who own them simply because they came on the boat. If I ever get my way, Power Poles or Minn Kota Talons will be additions I make to my boat in the future. But I will add them because they are a tool that will make me more effecient while fishing shallow water. An anchor is still a great thing to have stowed away in the boat because you never need to worry about electrical problems keeping your boat from starting and not allowing your Talon or Power Pole to operate.
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Old 05-06-12, 10:53 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by carolina-rig-01 View Post
An anchor is a safety device, a shallow water anchoring system may do the job if you find yourself in that kind of situation, but that is not why they are there. If I ever get my way, Power Poles or Minn Kota Talons will be additions I make to my boat An anchor is still a great thing to have stowed away in the boat because you never need to worry about electrical problems keeping your boat from starting and not allowing your Talon or Power Pole to operate.
I don't fish in salt or tidal water. I don't fish in many power generation resevoirs. I have never eased an anchor over the side to feel safer. I use an anchor to keep me in the proper position to work fish.

This morning from 6a til 9a I was catching fish on by slowly working back and forth along windblown banks fishing Torpedos and buzzbaits over grassbeds in 4-8' of water. After 9 the fish were still in the area and catchable, but wanted a senko-trick-wacky worm presented slowly. I caught another 15 fish by anchoring the boat in the best position to present effectively. If I had Power Poles on my boat I would have used them. However the best approach today was anchoring in 12-15' and casting up to 6' and slowly working back to the boat, in that scenario the Power Poles would have been useless. It's not rocket science and I'm not ashamed or embarrassed to admit that keeping my boat still and concentrating on catching fish rather than constantly fighting the wind for boat control works for me.

Crig...Of course I'm not saying that you were trying to embarrass(sp) me, I just noticed you defined anchor as a safety devise and a Power Pole as an efficient boat control/presentation devise. When someone deploys a Power Pole......they are anchored........and can FOCUS on the task at hand.
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Old 05-06-12, 11:27 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kennethdaysale View Post
I don't fish in salt or tidal water. I don't fish in many power generation resevoirs. I have never eased an anchor over the side to feel safer. I use an anchor to keep me in the proper position to work fish.

This morning from 6a til 9a I was catching fish on by slowly working back and forth along windblown banks fishing Torpedos and buzzbaits over grassbeds in 4-8' of water. After 9 the fish were still in the area and catchable, but wanted a senko-trick-wacky worm presented slowly. I caught another 15 fish by anchoring the boat in the best position to present effectively. If I had Power Poles on my boat I would have used them. However the best approach today was anchoring in 12-15' and casting up to 6' and slowly working back to the boat, in that scenario the Power Poles would have been useless. It's not rocket science and I'm not ashamed or embarrassed to admit that keeping my boat still and concentrating on catching fish rather than constantly fighting the wind for boat control works for me.

Crig...Of course I'm not saying that you were trying to embarrass(sp) me, I just noticed you defined anchor as a safety devise and a Power Pole as an efficient boat control/presentation devise. When someone deploys a Power Pole......they are anchored........and can FOCUS on the task at hand.
Kenneth I didn't mean to suggest that the only use for an anchor is a means of safety, the direction the post took seemed to be about anchors being carried for safety. Ever since someone figured out that a heavy object tied to a rope could hold a boat in position, people have been using them to make fishing more simple for them in certain situations and there is not a single thing wrong with that. I don't know if a Power Pole or Talon would even take the place of an anchor being onboard in the eyes of the law, but even if it would there are still situations that someone could make good use of an anchor just like you did today. Lets say for a minute that you did have two Power Poles on your boat. If the fish you were catching today were in 2 feet of water and your boat was in 6 feet of water then you would have been able to do just as good today with less effort, or possibly done even better by being able to hold the boat still in a more stealthy manner. However if we still assume that you have the Power Poles on your boat, they would have been totally useless to you today so the anchor would have made your day a success. There is absolutley nothing wrong with using an anchor when it helps you catch fish like it did today. I was just trying to make a point that Power Poles are much more than a fashion accessory like I felt an earlier post was suggesting.
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Old 05-07-12, 05:57 PM   #23
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Once you have a Power Pole you will use it more than you ever thought you would. I have a neet little trick I use mine for when unloading by myself.
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Old 05-09-12, 01:26 AM   #24
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You are saying dude..... Same thinking me....
Quote:
Originally Posted by A-style View Post
Don't even carry them in the boat. Actually despise them. Have to use them crappie fishing at stumpy but I can't say I wouldn't if I ran across a hefer on a bed and couldn't stay in position any other way. I'd ease them down and drift in then tie off.
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Old 05-10-12, 09:49 PM   #25
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I would use an anchor.....if I had a boat you spoiled lucky bastids
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