Just to add to my post, first I know nothing about Astor. We are fishing a river system, basically the chain is on the front of the boat and you drift backwards so the muddy up is upstream from us. A drift sock (which I tried once) pulled us down faster and not straight and got caught in trees. It basically keeps your boat on a straight drift, you adjust size and length of chain we like to match current speed, I use links to add subtract. As for rust, my chain is as shiny as the bumper of my truck, if it rust you are simply not fishing enough. Sorry if I waded in a pond I know nothing about.