draging anchor?

[cully]

I went out to drift today on the Alsea. Great day and great water and only saw only two other boats on the run. Both were pulling plugs while draging their anchors. They said that it was to slow them down while fishing. Is this a common practice while pulling plugs solo? I seem to remember awhile back a thread in regards to draging anchor and it not being good on spawning beds or the river bottom. Would someone clue me in to this method being ok or down right stupid?

[ 01-28-2003, 07:32 PM: Message edited by: cully ]

[fishing is life]

never heard of that one. sounds like they need to lift some weights or work on their rowing technique.

[Jennie@ifish]

Bad idea... I learned this the hard way!
I was being taught to row, and they taught me that trick.
I posted it here, years ago.
OH BOY!

I learned then, by an official "pile on Jennie", that dragging your anchor digs up and disturbs spawning redds.

See, even Jennie gets piled on, but you sure learn your lessons! :smile:

DON'T DO IT!!!

Jen

[ 01-28-2003, 07:44 PM: Message edited by: Jennie@ifish ]

[Miss B Haven]

It's also a really good way to get your anchor hung up and have to cut it off (dragging it into a root wad or a rock). Worse yet, if you don't react quickley you can put the boat down hanging up on a short scope in fast water (you would have to run short scope to do that in the first place and why would you even try in slow water). :shocked:
So... it's not only bad for the fish, it might be bad for your pocket book and your health! graemlins/stupid.gif

[Fishen Fool]

I too saw some idiots doing this on the alsea in December. I told them that that was dangerous, as the anchor cold hang up. I was informed by them that they did it this way all the time! Lo and behold a hour later I saw them in a fast slot with there anchor hung up, the boat was swinging back and forth and got worse when a 300 pound guy got in back and tried to get it loose, whitch I guess they did, as we saw them later and the boat was still floating and they still had a anchor.

[Dan Christopher]

As Jennie posted, not good, dont do it.

[RichH]

It's actually very effective, the key is choosing the right spots to use it. Obviously spawning beds are out as are places with alot of medium and large rocks. Also, chain anchors seems to work best. If you have any doubts, don't do it.

[riverraider]

Even when its not a spawning bed area or time of year, it can be dangerous. Depending on where you are dragging the anchor and current speed, you can hang up your anchor on rocks, etc. and sink your boat.

[David Johnson]

Probably not the best thing to do for the river bed.

People do this to slow them down. If the water is too fast for rowing plugs a operson should use another method.

[J. L.]

Way to give us something to think about Cully. I think most fiserman are concerned about the enviornment and preserving our fiseries. This is the kind of thing a lot of us would do not even realizing how bad it effects spawning beds. Thanks for the heads up. JL

[Grantspastor]

I agree with Miss B...this is a potentially dangerous practice. Heavy flows and an anchor lodged on the bottom can spell swamped boat in about a heartbeat. I speak from experience. I sank a drift boat on the Rogue 30 years ago when the anchor caught on the bottom. Stupidly I had the tag end tied to the boat. I got the boat back...I was able to winch it out...but I learned something.

[crabbait]

Not to pile on......but the practice is dangerous and the cumulative affect of many boats dragging anchors every day will do nothing good for the river bottom.

There are alternatives that are safe and more environmentally friendly. :wink:

[Go Harley]

Quite a few years ago when I owned a driftboat, I had gone down to Oregon to take my mom fishing on the Nestucca. I'd never drifted an Oregon coastal river before, but figured drifting was drifting.

Well, we come up on this boat sitting at the head of a nice long drift, real pretty water, perfect for plugging or divers. I see the guy's got his anchor rope out, he's not rowing, but holding the sticks, so I figure he's anchored. So I move down river about 50-60 yards and drop anchor, thinking that is the way to do it here. You know, when in Rome....

Well, come to find out the guy was dragging his anchor (logging chain) and I had just inadvertantly low-holed him big time. Dang did he give me a look when he went by. Probably a good thing I had my mom with me.

I felt terrible and really embarrassed, but I wasn't accustomed to the dragging anchor thing. I honestly thought he was sitting there plunking, more or less.

Learned a lesson that day; sit back and observe when in new waters.

[Thumper]

Wow, this takes me back to the '70s. We used to do this on the NF Lewis and the Cowlitz. Everywhere on those two rivers you could see these long furrows. Then it dawned on everybody that these furrows came right through the spawning redds. Bad idea. Haven't seen it done in many moons.

[Fishy-Fingers]

I used to drag the anchor when I was first learning to row. It seemed like a good way to slow the boat down while plugging. After sticking the anchor real good, once on the Wilson and once on the kalama, I learned my lesson. Both times I was real worried about swamping the boat because I was firmly anchored in a fast water slot. No one had warned me about the spawning beds, so it is even better now that I no longer drag the bottom, on purpose that is.

[Gun Rod Bow]

I saw an OLD sled doing this on the Cowlitz last week. Again, something a lot of old timers used to do. Not safe, very bad for the river.

[Chilly one]

:hoboy: I also wonder about the "noise" of an anchor dragging on the bottom in certain conditions as well. It seems as tho it could work against a guy in certain conditions as the noise could possibly spook fish as well. Also to leave an anchor with hardware and rope/line on it in the river is not good "recycling". Rot's 'o Ruck, chillyone...... :grin:

[Hey Man]

Just in case any Ifishers do get there anchor stuck inadvertently I learned a trick a couple years back. I won't say it will always work but its worth a shot.

If you find that your anchor won't pull free, gather as much of the rope in as you feel is safe, then lock your anchor rope in its cleat, compensate for current shifts that could swamp your boat. Then have everyone in your boat put as much of their weight to the bow of the boat. This works like a lever and has pulled my anchor from several snags.

In addition, I agree draging anchor damages reds and other aquatic invertebrates that the juveniles will eventually feed on.

[Flatfish]

If you are too lazy to row a drifter, maybe you should buy a sled. You could put a motor on the drifter, but it is a crutch for the lack skill or motivation of the Cap. Adds weight and will eventually fail at a bad time leaving you up a creek with only paddles you have no clue how to operate. Or you could buy a nice dry heated sled and enjoy the saftey and comfort they can give.

Folks, a driftboat is a rowboat. A fairly simple tool to learn how to use. I can walk into an operating room and wear the mask and hold the knife. But do you want me to perform surgery on you?

If you do not want to row all day long, buy a motorboat.

Mark and the healthy dog.