Dragging anchor

How many people with drift boats drag anchors?

Bad, BAD thing to do, IMO. I'm sure plenty of folks will tell us why, too.

BTW: H2H, "shoot" should be "shot"..

But, if they weren't shot, I would be glad to shoot them!

Mike

How about a button for "rarely" or "almost never?"

I'm with Stam. Not on purpose.

Ditto. It's hard to stop the boat sometimes.

Ditto-It happens. I try my best but an anchor doesn't just stick when it hits the bottom.

You all probably know this, but you aren't supposed to use the anchor to stop the boat! Stop the boat with the oars, then settle back slowly to let the anchor catch.

I've heard of dragging a chain or something like a chain, to slow down your downriver speed so that you move at less than the speed of the river...is this basically what you mean by "dragging anchor"? If so, it seems to make sense, but there seems to be some serious reasons why folks don't do it...I'd be interested in knowing the pros/cons, but mostly just what you mean also.

Seplilng has never been my srtnog point.

I watched a guide doing this today.

If I only had a spud gun!

I'm with robj on this one. my buddy taught me to use a chain to slow down and keep direction. this is on the gentle sky however. maybe more danger on other rivers?

I would never do this for two reasons:

1) That chain (or anchor) can hang, giving you and your passengers whiplash..on top of that considering that you could sink your boat it isn't worth the risk IMO.

2) More importantly, this time of year there are plenty of steelhead already spawning...ever consider that your dragging that chain right through their redds?

Not intending to be critical, but I think these are very vaild reasons not to drag something along behind, especially reason #2.

I think all of us are guilty of the anchor dragging a foot or two after being dropped...but that is not a long, contigious drag right through the area.

Mis Dos Centavos..

Mike

Well, that is why I wanted pros and cons....but, still not sure if that is what was originally meant about dragging an anchor?????

As far as the specific reasons you mention...1. I learned the hard way about dropping anchor in fast water....in my case, it was intentional, but I still can't remember why...cut that rope pretty dang quick. But I think in some very slow runs, the risk of whiplash is pretty non-existent, and I believe those who drag chains, do so knowing they will occassionally lose one. I don't think it would be wise to just keep the chain dragging in all types of waters.

As far as #2, if the waters you are in are prone to being used for redds, I would agree....but most steelhead don't spawn in the larger waters, so I think the key is selective use.

But don't get me wrong....I am definitely not advocating...just trying to get clarification of something I had once heard, and still wondering what the original post meant about dragging anchor...heck, I haven't even gotten the new (ok, old, but new to me) drift boat onto steelie waters yet....hoping for this weekend tho.

Rob

Dragging anything means altering the habitat.

Personally I prefer to do as little damage to it as possible while still enjoying the resource.

In the salt, there is a movement to not anchor in the eel grass beds for the same reason.

No use in tearing up more thatn we already have. Just anchor in deeper water!

Port Townsend has a no anchor zone now along the waterfront. You're "Asked" to anchor a little furhter out to protect the eel grass beds.

Jeff the eel grass is important herring spawning habitat not much of it left in puget sound thats why they don't want it torn up with anchors.

Isn't any boat dragging it's anchor, a drift boat?

Today I watched a sled dragging a anchor.

He made a number (4) of drifts that I saw.

Two of the areas were spwaning area!

Idiot fishermen =

I do know there are 5 Gamies working the river right now...not sure of the legality of anchor dragging.

Mike

I'm not the sharpest knife in the draw and have done some stupid things in my life but in 27 years of using a drift boat I've never used the anchor to slow down while fishing or going thru fast water.

Anyone who does has no understanding of safety or fishing ethics.

Clanking and banging something along behind the boat doesn't sound very tactical to me, even if it wasn't damaging anything...

I have dropped the anchor in faster water that it could hold me in once...and my eyes got real big ! Didn't like that feeling at all...

I wear suspenders when fishing so my anchor don't drag,........ Wait a minute, did you mean Boat Anchor?

I thought that was what a zipper was for???

WOO HOO!!!

Now 1001........

(Always did talk too much... )

Mike

21% have said they do it all the time
48% never do it
31% say shoot them (just for you Mike)

April 21st at 3:30pm

I use an electric trolling motor to slow the boat down, and I go downriver backwards. Plenty of control, leave no trace, except for when I dig a trench with the prop.

Rob J - "dragging anchor" in a driftboat usually means you drop it before stoppng the boat with the oars, so momentum carries you forward a ways, or the flow is high and the type and size of anchor on board is not sufficient enough to stop the boat. In case #1, it's an easy fix - just pull on the sticks a few times before letting the anchor rip. In case #2, it is sometimes unavoidable and it happens to all driftboaters from time to time, but you can limit this by either pulling over towards the bank out of the current (which is where you should probably be fishing anyways when the flows are high) or simply stay on the oars and forget about the anchor. Other options are getting an "animal style" anchor - I have heard they sometimes stick better. Bottom line - dragging anchor should be avoided as much as possible, as it is bad for the river ecology. Hope that helps.

I don't do it in a drift boat because I don't have one, but I do it all the time with my sled. All of you who cuss and swaer at us should be the ones to get shot.

One of THE stupidest rules on the Skagit -regarding sleds-goes into effect during spring steelhead--boats cannot fish under power.. I dont drag anchor but that is one dumb rule. Ive drifboated that river enough and it aint a drifboat river for the most part-unless you go way up. You fish the river on one side for the slot the row your arse off to hit the slot on the other side. May as well drift the Fraser.

2cents

Coho,

When that regulation was adopted for the Skagit - way back in 1985 or 1986 - kickers hadn't shown up on the Skagit yet. Skagit boondoggers controlled their sleds by skillful use of the oars to set up their drift. Personally, I think it was cool to see skilled boat handling. Kinda' sad to see skill replaced small outboard motors.

So what is it exactly that makes the regulation stupid? Selective fishery regulations are just that - selective. It's for those anglers who don't mind foregoing bait, barbs, and fishing under power with a motor. Maybe it's not your thing.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

People have been dragging for 40 years. The Skagit is a prime example. The difference is that the Skagit guys have figured out how to do it without damaging the river bottom.

Not to be a wise-ass, but really??

Loss of spawning habitat is one of the keys to the lower fish counts in the Skagit. Just in the last year some serious changes have happened to (what I understand was) prime spwawing area for Kings and Steelhead.

No, not all (perhaps none) of it was caused by anchor draggers...but loss of spawn beds is a serious issue on this river, IMO. Why take chacnes are doing more harm?

I fished the Skagit today, and watched one of the boats H2H referred to...running the motor and dragging anchor while sidedrifting.

Sucker corked me on 2 holes in a row. We dropped in the plugs, then he slid in 100' below us and started sidedrifting. Guess that attitude goes with the territory.

Mike

Salmo g.

Thanks!

You know fishing the Skagit since the late 60's makes me feel a little differently then most.

Mike

I didn't say any thing but that same thing happen to us

Sorry to hear that. There are dipsticks running drift boats, jet sled and dipstick bankies, it comes with open resources.
If you watch the sled pull anchor and it is lead or a chain then I agree with you, they are idiots.
The old timmers that respect the Skagit and know it better than anyone all use intertubs filled with sand. These will bounce along the bottom without damaging th gravel and still keep the boat straight while drifting. No noise either. They have tested it and run them in clear water to make sure there is no damage.

These guys that I watched are dragging there anchors in spwaning gravel

Salmo G,

I dont mind foregoing bait or single barbless, and I too have fished this time of year in the Skagit from my Driftboat and sled without power-but it makes as much sense and outlawing oars on boats to me--or saying you cannot use a trailer to haul your boat-makes as much sense as O'Doules or De-Caf Coffee. I think it encourages people to drag anchor. That I dont do. Its kind of a big river dont ya think?

People use to also skillfully seek fishing grounds out without the internet--guess them days are gone.

Poll Results: Dragging Anchors (63 votes)

All the time! 22% (14)
Never do it! 48% (30)
Those that do should be shoot! 30% (19)

Dragging chains, canon balls, or anything else is plain ass lazy. Not to mention the damage it does or the danger you put yourself and others in the boat in. Who ever thinks they can drag anything on the bottom withour disturbing it in some way has their fricking head in the sand or up something.

Get on the sticks and row. It isn't that tough.