Not anchor chain, but an anchor made from chain.
I am making one soon and would appreciate advice as to what has worked. I have like 200 pounds of truck tire chains and a tool to spread and re-close the cross link end pieces.

what is best a loose mess or a tight ball?

Thanks
Teedub

I put mine on a 4"wide8"long u-bolt ,strung them(winter snow chains) about every 10-12",ended lookin like a mop head,haven't got stuck yet....hope it helps

the red rake... not a fan.

I used a large eye-bolt that I looped chain across and through. Secured it at bottom with large fender washer and locking nut. Also looks like a mop head and works great. In some spots it's grabbier than my 35# pyramid. Good luck.

Do you guys recommend chain anchors for your main anchor in the rivers or are they for special type anchoring?
I have always used pyramid type, but the chain intrigues me.

Guys tend to drag the chain anchors down the river and that hurts the spawning beds

That is why I asked, I though it might be a better anchor?
I have used a drag anchor over the years but we used inner tubs filled with gravel made into a ball so it rolls and bounces along without tearing up the bottom.

My advice, for what it's worth, is to not use one at all in any rivers. They have a tendency to drag and mess up the river bottom and destroy redds...and their tendency to drag is why most fisherman who have them like them.

Fish on...

Todd

Ima bad man:) knew a guy made one outta tungsten ....expensive!!

I like mine because at the end of the day I'm not as beat up. Getting old, I suppose.
I built a chain anchor as a lighter weight anchor to use on lower summer flows and found to my surprise that it held almost as well as my heavier pyramid on "normal" flows. The only explanation I have is that the "mop head" must conform better to the bottom and create more grabby surface area. Not surprisingly, the pyramid still works better for heavier flows, deeper water, longer tethering and of course heavier loads, but other than that I'd rather be hoisting a 25# chain anchor all day than a 35# pyramid for most of my fishing, if I can get by with it. That's why my anchor line is bowlined to a Quick Link, so I can switch out anchors depending on the day, load and conditions. If you have some chain give it a try and see for yourself and let the haters bounce and short drag their pyramid anchors right on by you. Contrary to popular opinion, just because you have a chain anchor doesn't mean you have to drag it.

I'd like to see some pics.


Fishy

Of course, chain anchors rust, unlike the lead anchors. So, I transport and store mine in a 5 gallon bucket with drain holes to keep it from getting everything else rusty.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the info.
I do not intended to drag it, that ain't kosher.
Prolly make a 35 pounder as steel is lighter underwater than lead and that ought to hold my Super Puma.

Mostly I don't want to shell out the money they get for lead.

Teedub

I guess my question is-
Does a chain anchor hold better than a pyramid of the same weight?

Also Todd-
Understand your concern about dragging. We have been using the inner tub full of gravel(round ball) for 25 years on the Skagit and also make sure it is out just far enough to bounce along to keep the nose of the sled straight. Do not want it dragging along at all like you said. We use it almost exclusively for Coho fishing as we drift and throw Dick Nites or jigs.

I have both a 35# pyramid and 35# chain anchor. I built the chain anchor after nearly losing the inverted Egyptian model a number of times in the angular basalt boulder gardens of E. WA rivers. Figured I'd rather fish than work up a good sweat. Even in gravel, the chain holds fast if dropped rapidly and adequate line is played out. Also, hot dip-galvanized proof chain doesn't rust....

$0.02

Thank you,worth 1000 words!

Fishy

So I started in on making my new anchor.
I took apart a truck tire chain with a big tire chain tool.




Then I cut the side rails down into pieces and strung them in groups of 3. The side rails are cut to be more than twice as long as the cross links, but are hooked in the middle so they end up one link longer and go on the top of the set up, so everything is about the same length when it is done.





I doubled up the connectors on each link so there are 6 cross links on each link. On the link above the cross links I put the cut off pieces of side rail in the same fashion as shown here.




It weighs 19 pounds, so I will make one more and run them together

Nice pics!!!

Thanks for the info.


Fishy