Slack Tide Anchoring

Chacal · 09-19-2002, 08:33 AM

So, Saturday I spent nearly 12 hours on the water, fishing constantly and trying different things.

The only real question that came up that day -- boating and safety wise -- was what to do when you anchor at outgoing tide, then as the tide changes your anchor rope goes slack and starts floating around.

I did a search for this topic on the board and did not find anything.

This is what we did. When I noticed that our anchor rope was floating past the stern of our boat, I started pulling in rope. The only problem was I pulled in too much. So when the incoming tide finished our ball was underwater.

The reason the ball was underwater is due to the fact that I took some advice on the board -- to the extreme.

Someone told me that the chain you have on your anchor should be equal to a third of the length of your boat. Cool. So I went to Joes and bought the biggest chain they had -- about 5-7 feet of it. Now the chain weighs more than the anchor! So pulling up the anchor is quite the experience -- but we stick...

So the question is, if you remain out during slack tide do you worry about your anchor rope tangling on the outdrive and sinking you?

If it is floating on top of the water, do you worry about other boats running over it and cutting it?

Do I worry too much?

Thanks for any advice -- you guys probably get sick of new boater questions....

Chacal

Pitch Pocket · 09-19-2002, 08:42 AM

TR-1 with a reverse course. I want one, I want one, I want one.

Tacklebuster · 09-19-2002, 08:55 AM

If you must anchor up in slack water, run your kicker motor in reverse to keep your rope tight. The other thing to do is to pull in a bunch of your rope so that a verly little amount is out. Look at your watch and be sure and feed your rope back out as the tide starts to work it's way back out. We do that sturgeon fishing all the time. Hope that helps..

Hogmaster · 09-19-2002, 09:03 AM

Chacal -

Get a kicker! You aren't effectively fishing then anyway.

But if you want to stay on anchor and know that the boat will 180 with a tide change, there are a couple of things to do that can work.

1) As the line goes slack and starts upstream, start the motor in reverse and slowly back a big arc to the opposite direction. This way the line stays out from under the boat and, when you get to the end of the line you are set to where you will end up. You may want to bring some line in, but not so much that you won't have good scope once the incoming is running.

2) With a slack or slow tide, keep a motor running in reverse to keep you lined up where you will be when it gets going. Bring any sea anchors in for step 1 and 2 so they are not in the way.

3) If your chain is that heavy, you need to shorten it or replace it. If your ball goes under it may go under even with a lot of scope someday with a heavy outgoing and it A) will not serve the purpose of keeping as much pull on the bow and B) May get lost if you get on a fish and release from it. Remember the purpose of the chain is to get the anchor flukes to dig in by creating a flat angle. The length of chain is less important than the angle the chain will ensure. Sounds like you can save some backs by shortening it and will still stick with no problem.

4) Of course if you do this 180 move you will be fishing a couple of hundred feet from where you were on the outgoing. Make sure you are still in a spot you want to fish.

You can even get another anchor, like a pyramid, and once your boat is 180'd but the current isn't helping yet, toss it out your stern. Then motor forward a bit and it will help hold the boat. We do this in tidewater, but your bigger boat in 50 feet might not be effective. In this case you would of course shut the motor down to avoid line digestion by your prop. At 20 to 30 feet, until the tide is running (when you pull the stern anchor up) this can work pretty well. Always keep the bow anchor tied to the bow though!

Hope some of this helps...

chummer · 09-19-2002, 09:07 AM

How about a second stern anchor, not a real heavy one. Pitch it over just before low slack. Something you can pull up if you geta fish on. We use this method sturgeon fishing in the eddy water to keep us from spinning.

k9jeff · 09-19-2002, 09:17 AM

are you running sea socks???? run two of em,,,then try the kicker in reverse.

NAUTI-NOTIONS · 09-19-2002, 10:00 AM

Not to slam you or anything but ya might want take note. there ya are mixed in with lots of boats then slam,,, your all by your self
"Hello"
fished the mouth of the kalama and thought is was funny how many guys showed up right at the right time then poof. gone.
that holding with the kicker sucks. waves slapping your transom and the biggest problem i had was my ball would float away. leaving 150 feet between my bow and the ball. also add in the wind was blowing up river. what am i saying? when the socks hang straight down, blow that popsicle stand.

fishing is life · 09-19-2002, 12:27 PM

if the incoming is strong and long i would not even mess with the reverse kicker, pull up and troll for silvers.

TundraIII · 09-19-2002, 01:06 PM

I'm with you Bumper-Chrome. I tried anchoring at slack a couple of weeks ago and ended up looking like an idiot. Besides it doesnt seem like an effective way to fish anyway. From now on if its slack tide, I'll be crabbing :tongue:

HOGTIDE · 09-19-2002, 06:39 PM

Not trying to be too simplistic....but, just don't do it. It's a pain in the rear.

The standard mistake is to run down and try to hold a spot by anchoring before the tide runs (I've been guilty). You pull back into position by reversing your trolling motor and then just waiting for hours, like a fish-greedy meathead. What you usually find is that when the tide actually does run, the current sheers you over into a spot that is not anywhere near your intended target.

Ontop of that, there are a variety of other possible hazards as other like-fish-greedy fishspot horders try the same stunt and anchor across your oddly positoned anchor and rope. Like I said...it's a pain in the rear.

My advice...don't even leave home till the book tells you it's going to be highslack. By the time your travel, launch and cruise, the tide will be picking up just enough speed so you can run a straight rope and a wigglin' lure. Plus it's at the water 'pickup' that the first bite occurs.

Beside...the fish "know" if your trying to pressure 'em. The relaxed approach is good juJu for makin' the fish bite.

Just Say NO to 'fishin'spothorders' !!!

There's lotsa water out there!

Chacal · 09-19-2002, 09:05 PM

Ahhh, but some of us only have one day a week to fish and like to cram as much time on the water as possible!!! :smile:

Judging from my ONE Salmon in three weeks, I am not being greedy :smile: !

Thanks for the advice...I will be leaving at slack tides from now on...not worth the hassle from the sounds of it.

Chacal