Anchoring?

[JOHNS]

Newbie----

When you find crappie on your finder is it a bad idea to "anchor" at this location or should u just us the tolling motor to stay in the area??

Johns

[Crappie Reaper]

It depends on the depth of the fish, wind conditions, and boat traffic in the area. If it's nice and calm, and the fish are around 4' or deeper, by all means, toss out a couple of anchors and keep adjusting them till you're sitting right on top of them. If it's a bit breezy, I'll use the trolling motor and move back and forth over the area. Boat traffic is the worst while trying to anchor and not get moved off of a spot, you have to have your anchors far enough away from your boat to allow you to cinch them up every now and then for adjustments you need. Too much boat traffic makes it almost impossible to fish while anchored. I have sat over many brushpiles that had about a 2' hotspot under the boat. You get 3" away from it and no hits at all, stick it back to the hotspot and nothing but fast action. I am sure others have found this to be true as well.
I would suggest a couple of anchors 10lbs or better. The smaller ones don't do much on a windy day. I carry 2-20lb and one 5lb in my rig. I have been known to create a three way support of anchors to tie my boat off just to stay over a particular spot. Good Luck!

[ad1974]

I find myself using the trolling motor more than an anchor to try and stay in position.Just like the last fellow said,the other boat traffic and wind conditions can make it real hard(at least for me)to stay in position using either.I think you have brought up a real good subject,I know could improve awhole lot on my boat control and positioning.

[Jerry Blake]

It depends on how you fish. Like has already been mentioned it's real hard to get anchored properly over a spot for fishing straight down. If you're casting you can mark the "Sweet Spot" with a buoy marker and then anchor somewhere within casting distance.

I use my trolling motor to "hover" over and around the cover we're fishing. We don't cast at all for crappie. We use 10' BnM Richard Williams Crappie Wizard Jig Poles rigged with slip-floats and live minnows, which we keep in rodholders down one side of the boat and we use 11' BnM Buck's Best Ultra-Lites to vertical jig hair jigs with "pole-in-hand".

[DRPEPPER]

I have fished with Jerry and Darryl. There hovering technique is very productive. But, I am just too lazy to do it. When I go fishing I like to concentrate on anchoring my boat in a way where I can cast my rig where the wind will let it drift over a hot spot. If I spook them by dropping anchors, they will be back sooner or later. I have the time to wait on them.
DP

[Crappie Chaser]

Yep...I agree. If your fishing straight down, you do not use the anchor. Use the trolling motor. But if you're onto a hot spot and holds alot of fish or if its windy, then use the anchor AWAY from the spot about 12 feet away. Being 10-12 feet away will help from spooking the fish, and no need to cast if you're using a 12 or 14 foot pole.

[gone fission]

I carry two 20# anchors and try my best NOT to use 'em unless I just have to. Reason being: I don't want to disturb the structure. Best thing to do is find a few spots around the lake that you can still fish with different wind directions while using trollin motor only. If you keep pullin up brush piles w/ the anchors you will have no structure to come back to next time.

[stinkies daddy]

I anchor up if I have to, but mostly nose in to the current with trolling moter on constant. I learned this from JTCRAPPIEGUIDE