Pontoon Boat Anchor ?

Grandpa Lynn · 02-22-2004, 01:07 PM

For those of you which have (smaller) pontoon boats, what do you use for an anchor? Got mine out for the 1st time yesterday, a 9 foot single person model, had a great trip, but what I was trying to use, didn't work very well. Any suggestions would be welcomed. I tried to use a can filled with concrete. Would it work if I were to put some rebar through the cans?

Also, what rivers do you float? I tried the lower North Fork of the Nehalem, from Jim Erickson's house on down, for my first trip, and had a great time. Does anyone float the lower Wilson, from Mills Bridge on down? What other rivers can I try?

Any suggestion would be welcomed..
Thanks,
Grandpa

lilnorthfork · 02-22-2004, 01:50 PM

Hey Grandpa - I've floated the lower Wilson in my 8' toon during lower water (2-3' recorded). I used a 10# pyramid and found it did not hold very well in a lot of the moving water. Perhaps 12# or 15# would be better. I suspect the reason is because the boat does not draft very well, maybe some of the newer boats do better. While more anchor rope helps the hold, I found it next to impossible to row upstream to 'unstick' it... even had to cut one loose. lnf

MikeT · 02-22-2004, 02:11 PM

Grandpa,
I used to have a 10' Outcast boat that was very enjoyable on the small rivers.
The Kalama is great for the pontoon boat. You might want to try the Nestucca as well.

I used a 10-lb. pyramid anchor and it worked fine. Safety is a big concern anchoring a pontoon boat. If you get that anchor stuck it's very difficult to get it loose by yourself unless you can get out of the boat. For that reason I made it a practice never to anchor in spots that were too deep for me to slide off the boat and wade if necessary. I would strongly advise you not to anchor in fast or deep water.

After a year or so I decide to forget the anchor altogether and just use the boat for transportation from one fishing spot to the next. I'd tie up to a tree and wade for my fishing.

Mike

Jennie@ifish · 02-22-2004, 02:20 PM

Hmmmm. You know, the anchor that came with the Water Ready was more of a lake anchor, so Bill put on a 15 pound animal anchor.
He went down the Kilchis and said he had no problems, and anchored in very fast water.

I found different.

I, when using the lake anchor found that when I did get it to hold, I was stuck. Had to row back up, against fast water, to get it unstuck. I can verify your caution!

I haven't tried it with the animal anchor. Bill swears by it and isn't afraid to anchor in fast water with the Rapid Cat, at all.

He says it is because this one is a better pontoon than most. I just don't know what to compare it to, to make that decision, but Bill is pretty darn knowledgable

J

Mad Mikey · 02-22-2004, 02:56 PM

IMO, the small pontoons are not really good to fish from anyways, I just use mine for travel.
I have a custom made anchor that maybe weighs 6-7 pounds made from hexagonal steel with four rebar claws on it. Works very nicely with the Southfork.
Wilson from Vanderzanden down is a great float for a toon' in flows that the DB's won't run it at.
Might be a tad technical if you are brand new on the sticks though.
I like running from the old Demolay camp about MP#12 when the water is right but don't try that one unless you absolutely know the trouble spots and how to portage them or run them properly.

jokester · 02-22-2004, 03:16 PM

I've got a 8' Outcast and I use a 10# pyramid. Works just fine for me. I've anchored up in some decently fast water on the John Day. Haven't had it out on any other rivers, but i'd assume it would be just fine. I wouldn't anchor up right in the middle of fast water anyway. You're just asking for trouble IMHO!

-jokester

[ 02-22-2004, 04:17 PM: Message edited by: jokester ]

Water Ready · 02-22-2004, 06:57 PM

Anchoring any boat, pontoon, driftboat, etc is like picking your days to go out on the ocean. Somedays you can do a 12'boat, somedays a 30'boat, and some days, you just don't go out! No different with anchors. The water and bottom changes daily. Just got to pick your water to anchor in! Just my .02 Happy Fishn' Bruce

Coltrain01 · 02-22-2004, 09:52 PM

Talk to John in the fishing dept. at Sportsmans Warehouse in Salem...he has an anchor system that works pretty well for those small pontoons they sell.

Coltrain01 · 02-22-2004, 09:54 PM

Talk to John in the fishing dept. at Sportsmans Warehouse in Salem...he has an anchor system that works pretty well for those small pontoons they sell.

Steelheader69 · 02-23-2004, 01:17 AM

Of all the years I've spent running them, one thing I've found is that you normally have to run a heavier anchor for them as compared to a DB/Pram of similar size. I know I could get by with a 10# anchor on my little wooden prams on about any stretch. But with my pontoons, had to beef up a bit. Normally I go with 15# pyramids on my 10' and under boats. Then I go up depending on the boat in question. My 16' cataraft I run a 40# anchor. Plus, you want enough of an anchor that will stop you fast without having to let alot of line out as well. Sometimes you can hold better letting out more line. Only drawback is you have more sway thanks to all that line being out.

But most normal pontoons out there don't anchor well anyways. They will "pop a wheelie" as I like to say. Mostly I used a small anchor on my old outcasts just in very slow water, or to hold my boat while I got out and fish (that way I didn't have to pull boat up onto bank).

jokester · 02-23-2004, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Talk to John in the fishing dept. at Sportsmans Warehouse in Salem...he has an anchor system that works pretty well for those small pontoons they sell.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">John's a straight shooter! He's the one that actually set me up with my anchor system and pontoon boat! Good guy to work with!

-jokester

Haftafish · 02-23-2004, 06:20 AM

I have two Bucks Bags pontoon boats. 8' and 10' and I have found that the split sand anchors work the best. But the real trick is to get rid of the short small length of rope they give you and go to longer rope and a better system. I changed my stock clicker style pulley to a larger free spooling pulley and then put a Jam Cleat on each boat. They are not best anchoring boats but with these improvements they got a lot better. Also with other modifications you can fish just fine out of these boats. I stay on mostly smaller water with them and they are great for that. Perfect for the Deschutes River.

Grandpa Lynn · 02-23-2004, 10:36 AM

thanks to everyone for your input..
Grandpa