How often do you still use an anchor?

[gimruis]

Since I bought my bass boat in 2015, I think the total number of times I've used a manual anchor is maybe 3.  Obviously I still keep an anchor on board, but I don't think I've used it in at least 5 years now.  With the amount of boats you see with modern bow mounts and/or shallow water anchors like talons and power poles, I guess there probably isn't much of a need anymore other than in an emergency situation.

 

How often do you still use a manual anchor?

[Functional]

Only if my wife wants to swim off the boat and when I beach it to control my rear from washing around. 

 

Other than that its spot-lock. 

[A-Jay]

When it comes to my Bass rig set up with the twin Talons & trolling motor,

an actual anchor becomes more like emergency equipment than something that gets routine use.

IMO, there's still definitely a need for it. 

Part of my gear purchased at the same time as my rig (2016)

included a small box anchor (made by slideanchor.com)

and 150 ft of 3/8" DOUBLE BRAID NYLON ANCHOR LINE.

I've deployed it once, during my first or second shake down cruise. 

Needed to ensure it would hold when needed.

It certainly does. 

Stowed it under my bench seat, ready to go. 

Fortunately I haven't needed it.

Sort of hope I never do. 

Because if I'm breaking that thing out, something bad already happened.

Stay Safe.

A-Jay

 

[Team9nine]

The Original Spot-Lock…DON’T accept imitations!

 

 

Don’t use it near as much as I should, but still use it from time to time. I’m more likely to still use an ‘old school’ buoy marker - just tossed one two days ago. I’m set up for backtrolling, so between a buoy and FFS, the anchor has been used a lot less. Pre-FFS, say 4, 5, 10 years ago, it got a lot more use.

[Bankc]

I use mine all of the time.  But I fish out of a kayak without spot lock.  For bass fishing, the way most people do it from a power boat, it's probably not that useful, but still a good idea to have for emergencies.  I could see it being better for something like the crappie fishing I used to do with my grandfather, where we'd be anchored sometimes 6-10 hours on a day on maybe 1-3 spots.  That would really tax your trolling motor battery, and not really provide any benefit over a drop anchor.  But I don't see most bass anglers spending a whole lot of time in one spot, so it's probably rare to be worth the time to mess with it, as it is a hassle to deal with that rope.  And a spot lock or power pole is so much easier and quicker.  

[MN Fisher]

Whas dis 'Spot-Lock' y'all talkin 'bout?

 

15# Mushroom anchor or an 8' manual pole...or I'm 'hovering' with my Edge, speed set at 1 and working the foot pedal to keep me as close to stationary as possible.

[Catt]

34 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Whas dis 'Spot-Lock' y'all talkin 'bout?

 

15# Mushroom anchor or an 8' manual pole...or I'm 'hovering' with my Edge, speed set at 1 and working the foot pedal to keep me as close to stationary as possible.

 

I use a 20# tri-fluted river anchor for Toledo Bend, I also have a shallow water marsh anchor.

 

While I've seen Talons on Jon Boats I would rather have Spot Lock. On Toledo Bend I generally around 15' +/- 3'.

[TnRiver46]

Depends on wind and current, maybe a few times a month. I fished a majority of 2022 without a trolling motor so I used it a lot then 

[flyfisher]

I river fish primarily out of a kayak so I use my anchor dozens of time each trip.

[GreenPig]

Zero times since getting SpotLock. Did it for years on a windy deep lake and used to come home beatdown from hauling anchor. When I fish current I have one on board, JIC.

[airshot]

All depends on what your doing or fishing for....I bought a boat last summer with the spot lock feature and let me tell you..it is awesome !!  Went out for fourth Juky fireworks and still used the anchor, water was shallow and no wind or current to speak of, so just a drop over the side and we were good.  On the big lake, especially in some wind and chop, this 73 yr old body is done wrestling an anchor in those conditions.  Pushing a couple buttons on the bow mount is so much easier.  Did have a battery conection go bad during a fishing trip earlier in the season, so had to use the anchor, glad I had it or would have to ended my day early !!  Went home and cleaned and tightened all connections so the anchor can stay put in its locker !!  Gotta have them so know how to use one in case of an emergency !!

[DaubsNU1]

With the old boat, I would tie off on branches and timber often. Did use the anchor when launching the boat @ ramp. Handy. Rarely used the anchor when fishing.

 

With the new boat, it's all about spot-lock. I do like it very much. Although it tends to hunt in light winds, and almost tossed me out of the boat more than once.

[Scott F]

In my lake boat, I almost never use an anchor. In my river boat, it got used all the time. I’d drift down stream and instead of flying by a good eddie or past a good spot, I’d drop the anchor. Being able to hold in place even in fast water was so important, I spent a lot of money on the best custom anchor system I could find. 
 

[Skunkmaster-k]

This time of year I use it quite a bit. When I find a herd of fish stacked up around bait, I’ll sit on them until they go nanners. 

[Tennessee Boy]

I last used one in the early 1990s.

[Susky River Rat]

If I want to catfish I would. I never do that unless it’s in my buddies boat. Other than that it’s emergency only 

[Carolina Pines]

I have an electric anchor winch on my 12' V-hull, I use it a few times almost every trip.  My boat is small and light enough that it doesn't take much wind to push me around.

 

I'll usually keep moving until I start catching them and find a good spot, then I'll anchor for a little while until the fish move.  The winch makes it effortless so I take advantage of it whenever I feel like it.  Just push and hold a button for a few seconds.   

 

It cost me around $100 on amazon, it would be nice to have spot lock but I can't justify it for my small tin boat.  Talons / power poles would be awesome in shallow water, but the anchor works in any depth I'll ever be fishing in.  

 

 

[WRB]

I like to anchor at night on off shore spots, especially in the wind. Anchoring when trout fishing with bait is another time I anchored. When I had a boat a 20 lb navy anchor with 75’ of 3/4” rope. Stored both rope and anchor in a plastic milk create, still have but no boat, should give it away!

Tom

[LonnieP]

Never, don’t even have one on my boat

[Glenn]

Prior to getting Power-Poles, I blew up my trolling motor during a tournament.  I had to push-pole my way around and drop an anchor...fish...and then repeat.

 

I think I took 5th.

 

[Swamp Girl]

I don't use one because I'd have to carry it and they're heavy. I paddle atop lily pads when I want to stay put and that works most of the time.

 

I even quit taking my tackle box halfway through this season and just carry one utility box to reduce my load, which I tweak before each trip.

[txchaser]

Nearly every time I fish. It's really quiet on a rope, and I can quietly pull up on a high probability spot and give it time to calm down. Helps me slow down too. I catch many more 'get the net!' fish with the anchor down.

 

18lb anchor, with an additional 10lbs for when it gets gusty, which is most of the year. 

 

There are definitely times when I'm on the move and catch a fish where I'd like to just spot lock down right there and can't, and that's a drag. 

[Way2slow]

When bass fishing, never.  I never even kept an anchor in the boat.  I let the trolling motor do that when I did want to hold a spot.  

Now days, every time I go.  If/when I do go fishing it's with the family on the pontoon boat, and they are usually wanting to sit in some cove and fish for catfish.

[padlin]

I use one any time there is much of a breeze, tough to fish from a canoe in the weeds without. Sometimes the weeds are thick enough to keep me in place but that’s the exception. Numerous times this year I’ve lost good fish cause I was NOT anchored. The canoe moves easier than a fish in weeds, so I end up losing them when I can’t keep enough pressure on them. I’ve had an injured right hand this season, can’t set a hook for beans.

 

I’m glad there’s no one else on the pond when this happens, I don’t swear a lot, but I do at those times.

[Bankc]

An anchor saved my bacon once.  I went fishing when a huge storm popped up out of nowhere, which happens from time to time here.  No lightning, but heavy winds and light rains.  I was stuck in my kayak about a half mile from the ramp with 40+mph headwinds between me and the ramp.  Every wave was crashing over my bow and flooding my kayak, and the only way I could make progress with to paddle at a dead sprint, which I couldn't keep up for more than a minute without running out of breath.  I alternated between that and throwing my anchor out in front of me to allow myself a moment to catch my breath and the repeat the process over and over again.  It took a couple of hours to make it back, and I was completely worn out by the time I did, but it worked. 

 

I had contemplated going with the wind and current, banking my kayak and just walking back to the car, but that was a something I hoped to avoid.  It would have been about a 5 mile walk back to the car through thick, poorly managed, forest and brush, and then, eventually, another 5 mile trip back through it to retrieve my kayak once the weather calmed down, if someone else hadn't found it and run off with it before then. 

 

On the plus side, I used this experience to convince myself that a trolling motor on my kayak was a safety issue, and not just me wanting to be lazy and avoid exercise.