OK, I hear the screams of “hypocrit” coming already. I ordered an anchor outrigger for my canoe so that I can drop a big, fat anchor off the front end while I get my engine started. Seems like it will be safer to anchor up away from the ramp, letting others put-in, and get my engine started in a controlled location rather than be drifting downstream hoping she’ll start.
So much for “anchoring in a kayak or canoe is like saying you don’t know when you want to do but you know you want to be wet.”
I hope to get a chance to try it out a few times this Fall. It’s my favorite time of year for river fishing. I worked out that ballast issue, which is to put six gallon water jugs for camping in the front of the boat. I can carry them empty to and from the river, fill them with river water at the ramp, dump the water back out at the end of the trip without risk to the river, and tie them into place so that my ballast isn’t rolling all around. Plus, at up to 48# per jug, I can adjust ballast easily by filling partially or putting jugs in different locations along the canoe.
what type achor did you get D ?? … what’s with paddling out away from launch , then anchoring to start a motor ??
I can understand if the water at launch isn’t deep enough for the motor to be started , but if deep enough wouldn’t you just start and go … instead of setting and retrieving an anchor just to start a motor .
Doesn’t your motor start right up , or does it mess with you sometimes ??
8lb mushroom anchor what’s with paddling out away from launch , then anchoring to start a motor ??
You know my launches. They get pretty busy. Plus my boat isn’t connected to the trailer on a bow hitch. I just use straps, so there’s no way to do it the normal way of letting out some line to get the aft in deep water while keeping control of the boat from shore. I’m just doing the same thing as most people do, in essence, but a little further away from the ramp. If the motor doesn’t start, then I just row back to the ramp.
While my motor does seem to start up well, I prefer to have a contingency plan for when it doesn’t. I don’t want to be unprepared and at the mercy of the current for an event as foreseeable as a motor not starting quickly.
See you on the river. I’m hoping to get out a little on Saturday morning for a super short run in the musky spot you told me about. I’ll be throwing some big, red spinnerbaits and slow rolling them. I’ll also be tossing poppers behind any weed mats for dink smallies on a fly rod. I can’t get enough of watching them smash poppers.
Why a big heavy anchor??? Check out the folding anchors from Danielson. They have models in 1.5#, 3# and 7# that hold great even in current! I use a 1.5 and 3 depending upon where I’m fishing. They’re light and compact enough not to create a burden on the paddler. The 3# will hold my 15’ fiberglass fishing boat in a moderate current. The 1.5 is usually more than enough for my kayak and canoe.
If at all possible be the first to arrive there , it's a small hold big enough for one only ... Do sneak up on it before venturing inside it's boundrys , often there is a huge fish (Smallies) right at the openning point , and a little deeper in can hold half dozen more nice fish if not spooked ... suggestion , if you happen to snag up a spinner or other early on in there , cut off and go get it later when your ready leave the hold , instead of spooking the small area trying to recover the lure immediately (maybe put a small float , etc. on the cut off end to find easier later) .
Mr. Tooth can come out of anywhere around the openning on in ... he knows an easy meal also ... I hope he takes a bite .
Say D , how's the water level at present from Monocacy to Whites for taking some friends (married couple new to river canoing - tandem) on an little downriver float (no fishing) as an introduction trip ?? ... it's still passable enough at the low water levels of present , isn't it ??
I fish mostly limestone karst rivers I want to be able to retrieve the anchor. An anchor with any kind of spikes on it will catch on the many ledges and rocks and get stuck, putting me on a tether in current which is not a good place to be. The mushroom anchor is far less likely to get caught up in that manner and therefore is safer to use where I intend to use it.
Also, I don’t intend to use it much for anchoring up to fish. I’ll pull into eddies or ground out on a barely submerged rock or drift the area a few times rather than anchor up to fish in most instances. The anchor is for long breaks, holding the boat in a safe location protected from strong current while I get out to wade, and holding the boat in a similar protected area while I get the engine started.
Not too familiar with that part It’s the deeper part of that stretch with the water from the Monocacy coming in, and the stretch above it is passable in a canoe or kayak down to 1’ or so. I guess it’s passable even below that, but below that be ready for some drags to take the more popular routes. The Potomac’s a big river with a lot of water. Even when low there’s usually a way to get a kayak or canoe through if you aren’t picky about routes. And given that there’s no rapids to speak of in that area, there’s no safety reason to be picky about routes. This time of year, the fish are generally bunching up in deep oxygenated water. If you can find some riffles with deep water below them, you’ll find fish.
...... over the next 5 days , we ought to get some good river rises after all , meaning late next week and into the following holds good promise for better bite ... they (meaning some big ones) always bite much better when the river rises this time of year !!
Check out the 1, 2, and 5 day precip. forecast ...
Millville at 4’ I’ve done it at that level, but I was with some folks that were well prepared and organized (by MikeSawyer) for rescue, and all were experienced paddlers. It was a blast.
Generally, I don’t put on for fishing if Point of Rocks exceeds 4’. Not that I consider it terribly dangerous to do so, but just because the finesse lures I prefer are not effective at that level. You need some weight to get down quickly, and that’s not how I prefer to fish. Personal thing. I know other folks who love it when PoR hits 4’ - it’s their favorite time to be out.