Dragging a chain

Got some questions about doing this. Do you have to keep readjusting as you have depth changes? Has anyone noticed the chain dragging on the bottom spooking the fish? Do you run the chain farther behind the boat in shallower water say 5' vs 10 or 15'? will the chain hang up in brushpiles? How about damage to brushpiles? In other words, do I need to stay away from my brushpiles doing this? I have an old 86 stratos bass boat and it is fairly heavy. What size chain and how long of a piece do I need to use for a heavier boat? sorry about the load of questions! Need alot of answers. Very interested in trying this. Thanks. CF

I've never heard of this technique before. What's the chain for?

Dragging a log chain slows the drift of a boat in the wind.Usually you drag from the back of the boat and fish from the front going with the wind.The more rope you let out the more links there are dragging bottom.The reason you use chain instead of an anchor is its harder to get hung up.
This is a old method thats been used down south for awhile.A better form of drift or speed control and its not as messy would be to use a driftsock or to and you can accomplish the same thing.

crappiefarmer, I have been using a chain for years and this is what I use. 10ft of 1/2 in chain with 50ft of rope. I store it in a 5gal bucket with rags in the bottom soaked in WD 40. I have a cleat next to the motor as close to center as possible to tie the rope to. Let out enough to slow you down to the speed you want to go with just a little help from the trolling motor. The lenght you let out depends on the depth, wind, and speed. It will hang-up at times but a jerk and it frees its self,,,even in rocks. Piles, it drangs thru easily. I ALWAYS run it behind the boat so I've already fished the areas it has dragged thru. You'll be amazed, as I was, how well this works.. It's pretty cool, trolling with the wind, when others are struggling against the wind. As you use it you'll get better of how much chain to drag. I would, to start out, let out enough to almost stop the boat, then pull some rope in to adjust the speed. Hope this helps ya! <*)}}}><

edited, cause I double posted

If it weren't for chains I couldn't have fished yesterday. The wind was blowing 15+ mph and the few boats out there were struggling hard to go into that cold North wind but I was sippin on coffee and had the wind at my back. I didn't see another boat catch a fish and I caught 12. One guy finally came up to me and asked how I was doing it and I said dragging a chain. I think he thought I was a nut. As far as them messing up your spot. I'm sure you would mess up a brush pile but in open water like I was in yesterday I would get to a spot turn around motor up to where I started and start again never taking the chain out of the water. Thats why they couldn't understand how I was doing it. The advice given is dead on!

We have used them too. My theory is that the fish face into the wind. When we would troll into the (same way the fish are facing) the bite was slack. When we put the chains out and drift back over the same are we the bite was better. When white perch fishing in choppy water I almost never catch fish with out going with the wind. I have used the chains off the back, but prefer them off the sides for more coverage and better control(for me). I put one off the front one off the back and I adjust them until I get the boat like I want it. Then all I have to do is bump the tm ever now and then to liner up. We'll try it sometime.

Most people (when fishing from the front of the boat) wrap the rope around the motor and tie it off up closer to you in the front of the boat. If you start going too fast, just let out a little bit more line. The chain will not spook fish, but this technique is usually used for spider riggin, so the baits have already come thru the column of water a while before the chain makes it (because it is draggin a pretty good distance behind the boat). The chain usually will not hang-up. This technique is used on a lot of southern oxbows simply because of all of the stumps and brush piles. It may break a few twigs off, but it wont do any major harm to the brushpile. If the boat is fiberglass, it probably sits low enough in the water that the 10' of chain will work. Be sure to bring a 5-gallon bucket along because the chain can get fairly muddy.

The advice on a chain is spot on. It can be done for long lining as well. Basically pull the chain and go the speed you wish. Straight out the back and put the inside rods over one spot. If you are in 15 ft of water I don't believe it spooks crappie. In fact in open water it may attract them with the disturbance as they come to investigate.

ut oh

We used a chain last year down south. This year I bought two drift socks they can be found on sale pretty cheap from cabelas.

First choice is a drift sock, if conditions allow. A chain works too, but I worry about it destroying crappie holding structure. Open water, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to use a chain.

Been long lining 20 years and have never used a chain,sock etc.. I just don't fish if the wind is so bad I can't control the boat. If I can't find a place out of the wind I go home. Don't you still get blown off course even though it slows you down. Not sure id like someone dragging the bottom where I'm fishing. Lol

I had never heard of dragging a chain to control dfirt but do like the idea of doing it. It is my plan to buy another boat this coming summer and will be sure to use this anchoring system. Thanks for the info.:cheers2

if you were to use a chain to control speed on windy day,you should get a anchor winder and mount to back of boat,put chain on rope,then run switch to front and you can let out more or pull in more to change as wind picks up or slow down,but I would take key out each time I did it to remind me chain is out:biggrin

I use 2 50 ft ropes with 6 ft of chain on each one. I let out enough rope to get the speed I want equal on each side of the rear of boat so boat stays straight. I also have a 4 ft section with a threaded chain link so I can attach one to each side if the wind is really bad and it works great wind can be as bad as it wants I can control the boat the way I want no matter how bad the wind.

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Originally Posted by fishingpox

ut oh

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:biggrin

Even though this thread is eight years old, I don't think that's the record.

8 years old.....shows you how up to date I am. LOL. Had never heard of the chain thing. Had heard of 5 gallon buckets acting like a wind sock. :Rofl

I am just glad I wasnt the one that brought it back to the top :Rofl

I have my Chain cut up in 24 inch lengths and add sections as needed. I can adjust for wind strength and can drift over an uneven bottom and maintain constant speed.

Don't forget to hang the chain from the bow of the boat . Having a similar discussion on another forum and the fellow swears chains don't get stuck . Believe me they do and will pull the stern of a boat under faster than you can cut it loose .

Pardon my ignorance but wouldnt having the chain tied at the bow sink your boat faster than having it tied off at the stern? Having it tied at bow would jerk the nose down?

I use my motor, current and wind to control my boat. I believe that is called BOAT CONTROL. Its a skill every captain should acquire. Dragging objects is a poor choice to compensate for lack skill IMHO.

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

:biggrin

Even though this thread is eight years old, I don't think that's the record.

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Somebody had to say it.

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Originally Posted by Hanr3

I use my motor, current and wind to control my boat. I believe that is called BOAT CONTROL. Its a skill every captain should acquire. Dragging objects is a poor choice to compensate for lack skill IMHO.

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And you wouldnt fish very much down here then, pretty judgemental statement about others skills. Would like to see you spider rig successfully in 15 mph winds on Grenada Lake in the fall.

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Originally Posted by Hanr3

I use my motor, current and wind to control my boat. I believe that is called BOAT CONTROL. Its a skill every captain should acquire. Dragging objects is a poor choice to compensate for lack skill IMHO.

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IMHO, you could be mistaken, but I'm all ears on how to make this happen while traveling downwind and still being able to keep the bite.

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Originally Posted by fishingpox

Somebody had to say it.

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Just to be fair, shouldn't somebody bump Cane Pole's "Chain Draggers Suck" thread?

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Originally Posted by smoker

Pardon my ignorance but wouldnt having the chain tied at the bow sink your boat faster than having it tied off at the stern? Having it tied at bow would jerk the nose down?

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To answer your question, no.
Tied at the bow won't pull down near as bad, tied at the stern and drifting with the wind means the waves are hitting the back of the boat. Normally the rear sits lower to start with, chains hang and the rear of the boat is pulled down allowing waves to come in easier, then you get up to go cut loose and your weight lowers the rear even more.

Makes sense but I would think a chain hung up at the back of the boat would just stop you. When we were dragging a chain I think our speed was around 1.2mph sometimes we didnt even know if we were moving or not so it may have been slower than that. Bought a couple drift socks so its a moot point was just curious is all.

Kayakers use this technique as well. Yep, some people can be pretty opinionated and spurt off crap, but until they fish the delta down south or the wide open waters of Kansas, they are clueless.

We jig fish brush piles and condos on a shallow muddy bottom lake. Anyone dragging chains here would not make any friends. Looks like it could disturb fish structures and stir up mud .:twocents

Let's all agree to disagree with each other's opinions, and not let this thread get "personal".

... cp :kewl

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

We jig fish brush piles and condos on a shallow muddy bottom lake. Anyone dragging chains here would not make any friends. Looks like it could disturb fish structures and stir up mud .:twocents

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Not gonna argue with you about that Nimrod, as far as the mud that really isn't an issue, someone wading shallow water would stir up more mud than that chains do. There is a concesus here that what the chains stir up actually triggers some bites, ask ScottV about those he caught following me last spring fishing rite behind the chains.

I use a chain 90% of the time living here in the Ms delta. A 10-15mph wind here is usually hectic in this flat land. Never slowed me down on catching either.

Not me, I'm trying to be more kinder and gentler in my old age. I do remember that thread.

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

Just to be fair, shouldn't somebody bump Cane Pole's "Chain Draggers Suck" thread?

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pox go play GOLF

I'm quitting golf. I will let you see what I'm going to start playing with next week. Pictures are coming.

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Originally Posted by Billbob

pox go play GOLF

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Rees you are dead on . A chain will get stuck in certain situations . I mostly use mine in rivers not lakes .