Native Ultimate Rigging and Loading
- This topic has 27 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated Apr 11, 2010 at 11:15 pm by
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Anchor Trolley and Drag Anchor: An anchor trolley is an essential piece of rigging and both my boats are rigged with one of the standard aftermarket systems. I use a small clam cleat to secure the trolley in position on the Tegris and a double J-hook to secure it on the Poly boat. As for an anchor, I use a 3′ piece of 3/8” galvanized chain attached to 20’ of 1/4” line. The line is attached to the trolley with a carabineer for a quick release if necessary. I use the anchor for two purposes, slowing the drift of the boat in current when I am fishing from the boat, and positioning the boat when wading. The drag chain rarely gets caught on bottom obstructions, even logs and trees, so it is a perfect solution for slowing your drift safely. When wading upstream with the boat tethered, the anchor isn’t needed because the boat follows the angler. However, when wading downstream (something streamer anglers do a lot), you don’t want the boat floating downstream in front of you. So you put the anchor out and adjust the trolley so the boat stays behind the angler. This even works well on saltwater flats where both the tide and wind can push the tethered boat in front of the wading angler. The drag chain and trolley will easily keep the boat out of the angler’s way. This cant be done with claw or mushroom type anchors.
It’s interesting that you drag the anchor while fishing. Aren’t you concerned about damage to marco invertebrates and possibly redds while you are doing this?
It’s interesting that you drag the anchor while fishing. Aren’t you concerned about damage to marco invertebrates and possibly redds while you are doing this?
It is an effective technique for controlling the boat when wading tethered where the current, wind, tides etc. cause the boat to impede your fishing. That said, its not necessary all the time. For example, I waded a local stream tethered to my kayak yesterday for 10 hours–7.5 miles of river. I used the drag anchor once for about 20 minutes on a very slow stretch where the current and wind combined to constantly push the boat back into me.
As for damage to the streambed (or grass flats in saltwater), it is an interesting dilemma well beyond this discussion. Wading, anchors, dragging driftboats, rafts, etc. across shallow spots, float tube fins, etc. all disturb stream and lake beds. Prop scars criss-cross most saltwater flats. (Actually, deep prop scars create new structural habitat that is exploited by predator species). I suspect my wading disturbed far more of the streambed than did my anchor would have had I dragged it all day. Should I have not waded the stream? When redds are obvious (as they are in the Fall on this local stream), you avoid them both wading and with the anchor.
One must always be personally comfortable with their methods!
I’ve been meaning to post this since last week and hope Mike doesn’t mind me piggybacking his informative thread.
Recently we traveled to and from Michigan completely loaded down.
Secondly, the seat backs folded open and picked up a lot of bugs. Nasty.
Cameron,
It’s a pesky problem which I evolved to the following solution:
While traveling, the seat is bungeed down with two of the short, small 6in” bungees working in tandem. The second benefit is that I use these same bungees to lash the rod cases to the thwarts when underway.
Dusty….I decided to post my findings on this thread.
Pros:
The boat handles easily on the flats and shallow water mangrove areas….tailor-made for the Everglades. We accessed areas the high-dollar flats boats could only think about. We were also able to hit the no-motor areas as well.
Lightweight…I can load and unload by myself with no problems….cartops easily with minimal wind noise. I carry both of
Thanks for the input Drifter. I need to read again and go through these pages. I did get some stuff for rigging, and I hope to do that to the boat this week. And I want to try one of the high-grad paddles, but I noticed yesterday that for the price I could mount a Minn-Kota troller. My boat is filling quickly!
Hey Cam.,
You got any images of your anchor trolley system or the other improvements you have made to your boat?Thanks Guys…I appreciate all of y’alls input.
Dusty
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