Anchoring up on the spot

[Steveo]

I find this the most frustrating thing in fishing..especally in deep water
we normally drop over a float attached to a snapper lead when we find fish, then look at any boats around at anchor to c how the boat will settle, then try to anchor up so the back of the boat is near the float..now its not uncommon for me to have 2 or 3 go's at anchoring..any suggestions on a better way or easier way would be appreciated..

[grant]

there is a thread on this, let me search and find the link...

g./

[Smellyfish]

Steevo, that's the way I'd do it and the float idea is fantastic. It helps pin point where it is the boat needs to come to rest. Much better than just eyeing off the spot and hoping the boat ends up somewhere near there.

[Burv]

Does the float not drift off the spot before you turn aound and come back or is a snapper lead enough to hold it?

[Peter Vermaas]

Always lower your anchor dont throw it in also make sure you have plenty of chain eg 3/4 the length of your boat leave plenty of anchor line out .Dont try to anchor over the fish move up wind/current lower anchor and gently reverse back with the rope in your hand till you feel the anchor grip let out extra line. The biggest fault is always not enough chain as most boats when setup only give you 1 or 2 meters of chain.

[BeeFus]

Good advice Pete
I have 6 meters of chain, it also acts as a shock absorber.
I used to suffer from anchor drag, then looked at what I thought was enough rope out. (Nowhere near it)
Rule of thumb commonly used is 3 X Depth.
cheers

[salmon-head]

I recon the float and lead marking is a little off and does not take in all factors in deep water and fast currents.
Use your gps. Mark the spot, take a few seconds to see what direction and speed your drift is off that mark. Then depending on the depth, motor past your spot 2-4 times depth distance (depending how fast the drift is). Drop anchor and with the right amount out you should be spot on. The more you try this technique the better you get.

Dave/

[bdo]

The biggest fault is always not enough chain as most boats when setup only give you 1 or 2 meters of chain.

Definitely agree there - and the chain they do provide can be too light too... when I took delivery of my boat (5m cuddy), there was 3m of 5mm chain - found it would often drag (even after backing the boat up to get it to dig in a little). Replaced it with 5m of 8mm - never had a drag problem since and the pick stays just where I put it (now I just gotta work on my aim! LOL).

- b.

[Steveo]

Thanks for all the feed back guys
Next break in the weather will try some of yr suggestions

[triman]

I don't want to play the devil's advocate, well, actually I am, but just how accurately do we want to be when positioning the anchor, and not the boat?
Once the anchor is down the boat's position can be adjusted by messing with the anchor line.
Most GPS marks are given to 2 decimal plaes of minutes, or an accuracy of about 1.8 to 2 metres. Then, unless you are using the gee-whiz parts of GPS, such as RTK, the inherent accuracy of GPS is of the order of 3 metres, give or take.
So a GPS position can be up to 5 metres away from the intended place.
So, we identify a spot, work out the anchor position, drop the anchor, wait for the boat to settle, then what?
Surely with modern baitrunners and various other reels we can then cast around for 5 metres?
Sorry, but I just had the feeling that I haven't read the initial post correctly.

[grant]

I have a pretty neat okuma overhead and it wont cast 3 feet (might be the operator) So i always mark and drift, but I mark differently.

I give the motor a blat in reverse and the bubbles exist long enough to mark the spot. (its how we marked spots in the navy) Works a treat in reaso***le weather.

But I like the idea of a float and sinker... but what about the depth and angle created by excess line?

g./

[Peter Vermaas]

this is one mean anchor effort


http://www.boattest.com/Resources/view_news.aspx?NewsID=188

[lampukameister]

I don't want to play the devil's advocate, well, actually I am, but just how accurately do we want to be when positioning the anchor, and not the boat?
Once the anchor is down the boat's position can be adjusted by messing with the anchor line.
Most GPS marks are given to 2 decimal plaes of minutes, or an accuracy of about 1.8 to 2 metres. Then, unless you are using the gee-whiz parts of GPS, such as RTK, the inherent accuracy of GPS is of the order of 3 metres, give or take.
So a GPS position can be up to 5 metres away from the intended place.
So, we identify a spot, work out the anchor position, drop the anchor, wait for the boat to settle, then what?
Surely with modern baitrunners and various other reels we can then cast around for 5 metres?
Sorry, but I just had the feeling that I haven't read the initial post correctly.

I would tend to agree up to a point. in PPB chasing snapper, you would anchor up current (wind) depending on conditions anyway and cast back. so long as you were "in the area" - you should be ok.

In places like WP, I beleive you do need to get the anchor right so that you position better over drop offs etc.

[lampukameister]

this is one mean anchor effort


http://www.boattest.com/Resources/view_news.aspx?NewsID=188

OUCH!:rolleyes::o:D

[Smellyfish]

Yep you can do that Triman but if the tide is strong, the line will jst dfirt away until it's straight out the back and that may not be where you intended on fishing. In a low/no tidal area, sure, just cast to where you want to fish.

[Steveo]

Grant
But I like the idea of a float and sinker... but what about the depth and angle created by excess line?


the idea is if yr in 20m of water we usally tie the line off at about 30m then put on a snapper lead or 2 or3 depending on tidal conditions..As soon as fish r sounded the lead is dropped..We only use a small ball float about 75mm painted fluro yellow and mono fillimment also fluro..Now we stand off the float watch which way the water flows around it, c which way it sits, this gives us an indication of where to anchor boat to drift back..
We then try to have the back of the boat anchored 5-10m up current from the sinker, taking into consideration tilt in line due to tide..ideally we try to get to the spot at the start of the tide,but thats not allways possable..
Some times we mark 2 or 3 areas like this then pick the best. If we r fishing whiting and they go of the bite we move to the next spot, which is marked by our float..If we r fishing deeper water and the tide starts running hard, then the float will be pulled under normally just under the surface, but u can still c it.
When yr ready to go let out some anchor rope and this will put u over the float then use yr gaff to retrieve it..
Some of the drops we fish r not much bigger than a shopping cart, while they yield big whiting they never hold more than a dozen, so we might move a few times a session.. oh yea in deep fast water dont forget to mark yr floats with gps just in case they get pulled under. Now for those of u thinking berley.. well it attracks to many undeisired fish..
Might seem like a lot of mucking about so heres a couple of pics of the results..sorry about the ugly bloke in the photos

[Steveo]

I don't want to play the devil's advocate, well, actually I am, but just how accurately do we want to be when positioning the anchor, and not the boat?
Once the anchor is down the boat's position can be adjusted by messing with the anchor line.
Most GPS marks are given to 2 decimal plaes of minutes, or an accuracy of about 1.8 to 2 metres. Then, unless you are using the gee-whiz parts of GPS, such as RTK, the inherent accuracy of GPS is of the order of 3 metres, give or take.
So a GPS position can be up to 5 metres away from the intended place.
So, we identify a spot, work out the anchor position, drop the anchor, wait for the boat to settle, then what?
Surely with modern baitrunners and various other reels we can then cast around for 5 metres?
Sorry, but I just had the feeling that I haven't read the initial post correctly.
How do u componsate for strong wind, or gusting wind, in 30m of water u normally have out 90m of rope and chain..the wind can push u all over the place.. hence the need for a visual reference...

[glensim]

it does take some trial and error to learn the best way to anchor and retrieve

[Alan Beddows]

how accurate do you want to be you can use what ever the depth is go past mark same distance up wind drop anchor and dont forget fish swim
Fishing is not science
Relax and enjoy

[hillbilly]

Im with you Allan, it all sounds like a lot of work and confussion to me, I just go to where the fish should be , drop the anchore, drop my line and wait with fingers crossed for any fish to come along and if its a biggun then its a bonus.
cheers
Kaz

[bdo]

Hear hear! No sense getting bent out of shape if the boat doesn't wind up where you want it to be. I get out so infrequently, I'm just glad to be on the water & time spent stuffing around anchoring means less time relaxing while a bait slowly drowns :-)

- b.

[ChewBakka]

so I guess you don't want me to ask about "bridling"?

[bdo]

so I guess you don't want me to ask about "bridling"?

No, no - by all means ask away! There's a lot of people who take it a lot more seriously than I do (and no doubt have the catches to prove it!). I'm not the one to poo-pooh the acquisition or sharing of knowledge! ;-) it's what the site's here for after all...

cheers,

- b.

[Jaydub66]

How do u componsate for strong wind, or gusting wind, in 30m of water u normally have out 90m of rope and chain..the wind can push u all over the place.. hence the need for a visual reference...
Sounds way to stressful guys:p:p

[aok47]

In my opinion if you go to all the effort of launching your baot, gear rigged, fresh bait on board and ready for a fishing session.... you would want the boat anchored on X marks the spot. Why go to all that effort if you are just going to throw the pick overboard and sit 50~100m off the mark you sounded up fish? you may as well just cast out baitless hooks :)

Cheers

AK

[Alan Beddows]

Hi guys I think GPS and fish finders have a lot to answer for remember they are aids not the fishing bible do you think when I was a little tacker we didn't catch any fish sorry to disapoint you we still caught just as many fish we just didn't move around as much. Fishing is a relaxation not a chore in sailing from one gps mark to another,saying that I do believe in sounding around close to those special marks which every fisherman believes is their special mark remember fish swim and hunt for food, your mark today is different tomorrow. Agreed fish like snapper who do spawn in the bay tend to return to the old fertilization spots not gps marks Im sure they have never seen one, no wonder they look confused when I catch them

[grant]

you may as well just cast out baitless hooks :)

Cheers

AK

Damn you mean I need bait!

G./

[shaggycrf]

so I guess you don't want me to ask about "bridling"?

Tell me more about bridling chewbakka, all I can find is to do with horses or kites!

Also, what size/weight is this snapper lead meant to be? Would say a house brick tied to heavy line with loops at say...2 metres to clip a ballon work?

[Duffy]

In some areas it is not important that you anchor exactly on a mark but in some areas it is crucial.The only way to learn is sit & watch someone who is exactly on the mark and catching fish.