Lost my darn anchor!

[HeaveToo]

I am irritated about this. I lost my anchor in the back of the Occoquan River due to the rocks. I couldn't get the anchor free not matter what I tried so I ended up cutting the line. Everytime I fish that area I almost loose my anchor but this is the first time I have lost it.

I have a grabbling anchor and I had it rigged properly with the line tied at the bottom and the line through a breakable tie at the top so you can break the tie and haul the anchor to collapse the grapplings.

What do you guys use for anchoring in large river rocks with current? Anyone have any tips that can help me prevent loosing another anchor?

[tmc3p]

Maybe the cable tie is too strong? I've never used an anchor but I watched some youtube videos using a cable-tie in case an anchor gets stuck. Every time I see it, it makes me think that any decent sized cable-tie wouldn't break that easily. I use many kinds of cable-ties at work, and it takes a ton of power to break them..

[M_Duong60]

A long time ago I made a wreck anchor for fishing the rock walls of CHSP in delaware, I used an old lacrosse stick that I stuck 16 gauge galvanized steel wire (i think) in and then filled with concrete. It works great for that but idk how it works in less rocky areas.

[HJS]

This is what I use for an anchor when fishing rocky rivers like the Susky at Harrisburg and Potomac at Fletchers. Picture is pretty much self explanatory,... plastic container, concrete mix, eye-bolt. When anchoring in rocky rivers I try to sidle up to exposed mid-river rocks and jam the anchor in a crevice between exposed rocks that's easily reachable if it gets stuck. One gallon jugs make for a heavy anchor... maybe too heavy. 3 quart containers are just about the right size. The plastic container also minimizes scratches to your kayak/canoe.

anchors-A.JPG

[Slobber Bob]

I'm not sure how it would work for a river situation, but when I know I'm going to be anchoring in a snaggy spot (e.g. the south jetty in the OC Inlet) I use a rectangular shaped rock for an anchor. I use paracord or zipties to make a craddle around the rock leaving a loop to tie my anchor line too. If it gets snagged, I just cut my anchor line after getting as much as possible. In the end I'm out nothing but however much of my paracord anchor line I had to cut.

[kuljc]

Friend of mine got me one like this. And it's been great.

http://kayakkevin.com/kiptohowto/kayakwreckanchors.html

[HeaveToo]

I bought a new anchor today. at $12 it isn't a bad loss. Still, I like some of the suggestions. Today I finished fabricating my poor-man's powerpole. I have a set of PVC that goes into one of my rod holders. It has a T fitting on the end and I can pass a pole through it. I think that it will work for that area and I won't use my anchor in the snag area.

I use a wire tie at the top of the anchor so it breaks REALLY easy. I think that the anchor got wedged. I did the same thing on the trip before and I had to exit the kayak and reach down to free the anchor. It wedged between the rocks and no matter what I did it wouldn't break free.

We shall see how this goes!

[wiscoarborist]

Those who use "throwaway" anchors: Have you considered using twice the length of anchor line,running it thru the eye and back to the kayak? If it gets stuck the line can be retrieved only leaving a 10lb chunk of concrete. That way there isn't a length of rope left in a spot you may return to again.

Any downfalls? I'm considering doing that (haven't yet) for a spot where I sacrificed two anchors in 5 trips last winter....It's a spot where tidal current gets crazy strong,wind is funneled thru,there's two bridges to deflect waves and there's lots of rock and debris in the water...

[Mark]

Those who use "throwaway" anchors: Have you considered using twice the length of anchor line,running it thru the eye and back to the kayak? If it gets stuck the line can be retrieved only leaving a 10lb chunk of concrete. That way there isn't a length of rope left in a spot you may return to again.

Any downfalls? I'm considering doing that (haven't yet) for a spot where I sacrificed two anchors in 5 trips last winter....It's a spot where tidal current gets crazy strong,wind is funneled thru,there's two bridges to deflect waves and there's lots of rock and debris in the water...

Welcome to the forum, wiscoarborist.

I think that would work. But it's also potentially a lot of anchor line to manage in the confined space of a kayak.

Also, I cannot imagine repeatedly hauling 10 pounds of concrete from the bottom. I've used a 3 pound grapple anchor occasionally in shallow water and even that wears me out.

I avoid anchoring as much as I can.

[Kiko]

Do what the Fletcher's crew do. Cheap rope and a big rock....and a good knife.

How did you do up there? We were there the same AM. Hickories are starting to get happy!