Anchoring on hard inshore bottoms

What the reason with not using a power pole? I had a panther king pin on my 17ft and it worked well.

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Spot lock trolling motor is the best option

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2nd vote for spot lock

Spot lock is the bomb.

But how much chain are you using? And what’s an anvil anchor? Not familiar with your description.

If you use a fluke style anchor with 10-15’ chain, it will hold unless you are trying to set it directly below you.

What’s an anvil anchor?

Also another vote for spot lock. Save up and pull the trigger for one or shop for used ones. However I have fished for quite a long time without a spot lock trolling motor. Between a Cajun anchor and a flute anchor I have always been able to anchor when needed just not nearly as convenient as spot lock.

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It certainly will, but also can/will get snagged on stuff around reefs.

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Fender on the line helps to free them.

I called it anvil but it’s really a fluke. The points move so they supposed to dig in no matter what side hits bottom.

I was hoping there was a solution that the older timers used before everyone went to spot lock and power poles.

Bigger anchor and more chain. I don’t like a lot of chain either, my main anchor only has 6ft because it usually anchor in calm shallow spots to let the kids play and me drink beer. But the reality is 20-40 ft of chain and the proper sized anchor and you can anchor almost anywhere. More rope out also, 4-5 times rope per depth of water. So yes 100 ft of rope for 25 ft of depth allows the anchor to have the physics on its side.

Beyond that, spot lock or power pole.

I often fish with a buddy who has a 24’ bay boat. When the tide changes and gets going or in a medium tide and wind at 10knots he can’t keep on spot with just his $4000+ MinnKota riptide quest 90/115. And this is Dularge not Cooks Inlet. Yet the elders fished it with no trolling motors or power poles.

The 36v holds my 24' boat in some pretty stiff current. If it's too stiff for the trolling motor, the big motor clutched in at low idle will lose ground. The trolling motor will hold in a 3.5 knot current which is absolutely scooting. When it's that stiff, I leave the big motor in gear and then the trolling motor will hold station on 3/10 power.

Sure, people used to and still do catch fish the old way. Buddy of mine catches freezers full of trout and doesn't have a trolling motor or gps or anything on his 17' boat. Kills trout.

That grapple anchor i posted earlier with a min 6' chain is what you need for oyster reef. Storing it sucks though. Its a big unweildy thing. Spot lock trolling motor is a million times better. I still keep an anchor in my boat for emergencies but it hasn't been wet since the day before I got a GPS trolling motor.

Anchor handling a young man's game.