Idea for a cheap pole anchor.

[BigKyd]

I got the idea while looking at this product from driftmaster:

pole-anchor

They want $250 each for these, I think thats way too much.

I already have a couple of their Lil Pro clamp mount rod holder bases that I got for running poles out the side of my boat down the gunnels for pulling cranks:

Driftmaster® Pro and L'il Pro Rod Holder Bases | Bass Pro Shops

These bases not only have 3/8 threaded holes on the tops, but also on the sides.

I was at home Depot today and found some 3/8 stainless steel eye bolts for about $4 each and I found some 8' 5/16 galanized ground bar stock with one end ground to a point for about $9 each. the eye on the eye bolt is plenty big enough for the 5/16 bar to pass through.

I'm thinking mount the clamp on the gunnel real tight, screw eye bolt into the side of the clamp with the eye parallel to the water and pass the bar through the eye and push it down into the bottom and I have a cheap pole anchor. I've got about $14 each in the clamps and I'll have another $13 in the bolt and the bar. I've got a good buddy who is a weldeer, Im thinking I'll get him to weld a big washer or something to the non pointed end of the bar to keep it from passing all the way through the eye bolt if the water is deeper than 8' (actually about 7 or so feet if you account for the distance from the top of the water to the top of my gunnel)

Yall think it will work? I'm thinking I'll make 2, one for each side of the boat. All total I'll have less than $60 in the 2 of them.

[Turtlebait]

Why not weld a 4 or 6in pipe to the plate alittle bigger than your bar to slide though and hold it with a thumb set screw.Be cheaper then the eye bolt and clamp.Weld a washer on top of the pipe thats big enough for the bar to past though and one on top put a spring inbetween..spring loaded...lol

[rnvinc]

I think I read sometime back that this very idea has been used at Reelfoot for years...home made spud poles ...

It oughta work...

Rickie

["G"]

I like the idea of going through a short piece of pipe better than the eye bolt idea....that would help stabilize the anchor bar better.

[skeetbum]

For years I have seen guides in FL with 12' clothes poles sharpened on one end in the boat. They stick them down into the soft bottom, one front and one rear, and tie them off. They held surprisingly well. Of course the rocks would change that, but I'm sure a little redneck ingenuity could adapt that and keep some of the $ in the pocket.

[Cane Pole]

For years I have seen guides in FL with 12' clothes poles sharpened on one end in the boat. They stick them down into the soft bottom, one front and one rear, and tie them off. They held surprisingly well. Of course the rocks would change that, but I'm sure a little redneck ingenuity could adapt that and keep some of the $ in the pocket.

That is what I did when I lived in fla. Works great in shallow water lakes like Lake Jessup, Fl.

[ccm]

I went through this process last year and looked at everything out there plus lots of DIY options. I fish the marsh in south Louisiana and needed something for my bay boat in shallow water. Now that I am also fishing for crappie, from the same boat, I purchased a Stick it Pin Anchor. (Original shallow water anchor system makes anchoring fast, quite) Compared to lots of other options it is affordable and it works great. I did not buy the boat mount, just the pin.

ccm

[jimp]

The short pipe would stablize the overall direction (vertical) of the 8' rod, and it seems like it would be better to position the stake out poles front and rear rather than on each side in most situations, but try it/them on the sides and see if it works for you.

[Turtlebait]

You could even fix the pipe to here as to hinge back,here the bar could lay down for travel.

[fished-out]

CCM is right, Stick-it anchor pins work and are alot cheaper than 250: Stick It Anchor Pins

You might also want to think about using a cajun anchor. Used one in the salt marsh in LA, loved it, and bought one for myself for shallow lakes.