Swift Water Anchoring Tips

Ive spent the last couple of weekends below the Guntersville Dam catfishing. Each time we were motoring up pretty close to the dam and then drifting while bumping the bottom. While the method has worked and yielded fish, we noticed we caught 75% of our fish in one spot. I'd like to anchor over it but I have no experience anchoring other than using mushroom anchors in the lake to fight slight wind.

I'd appreciate some advice or links to websites which may help. With what I have researched so far, it seems to me the best setup for the Guntersville Dam is a grapple anchor with a slip ring and chain lead due to the slightly rocky bottom. Maybe I'm wrong though. I am still totally in the dark on how to deploy it in the current and retrieval options. First and foremost I want to be safe. While cutting off an anchor would suck, I'd do it if necessary.

TIA guys.

You are totally right on the type anchor. Need a lot of rope and drop the anchor upstream a good ways. Allow it to catch and feed line till you reach your spot. I personally use my I pilot, it work well in tail races and swift water.

In the ocean we use aluminum grapples so they will bend if needed. A perfectly placed grapple in rocks will never come out

Add a jug so if you have to cut it loose it can be retrieved. Longer rope helps as the angle keeps anchor on the bottom.

Always anchor from the bow. Lots of line out, wrap it around a cleat so you can get it off in a hurry. Like Nimrod said put you a Big jug on the end. That way if you have to release in a hurry just unwind and let it go. Then circle around,pick up jug and swing wide and get above anchor to retrieve.

Guntersville is good about warning before releasing water, but not always. Anchoring is with extreme caution and yes, keep a good sharp knife close to your anchor rope and do not hesitate to cut.

Otherwise, the advice previously listed is all good. Personally I prefer a Kedge type anchor with a release line for rocky bottoms. I know two anchor lines are not appealing with the release rope does not have to be all that big and saves a lot of aggravation.

Downstream of the old fishcamp/ boat rental dock. Found the longer the anchor rope the easier the anchoring. Also attaching an empty sealed plastic jug to rope outside of rope tie off in case have to unanchor quick.....rope can be reattached. I never anchpr wotj turbines off......jmo.

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Originally Posted by scout-j-m

Ive spent the last couple of weekends below the Guntersville Dam catfishing. Each time we were motoring up pretty close to the dam and then drifting while bumping the bottom. While the method has worked and yielded fish, we noticed we caught 75% of our fish in one spot. I'd like to anchor over it but I have no experience anchoring other than using mushroom anchors in the lake to fight slight wind.

I'd appreciate some advice or links to websites which may help. With what I have researched so far, it seems to me the best setup for the Guntersville Dam is a grapple anchor with a slip ring and chain lead due to the slightly rocky bottom. Maybe I'm wrong though. I am still totally in the dark on how to deploy it in the current and retrieval options. First and foremost I want to be safe. While cutting off an anchor would suck, I'd do it if necessary.

TIA guys.

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This type of anchor is what you need, it is a grapple style that will release if it gets stuck. River Grapple Anchors Have lost mushroom anchors below guntersville before, it is full if rocks and junk that eats anchors. As said before, only tie off to the front of the boat and never the back, if for some reason, the front anchor lets go and you are tied to the back, the swift current will sink the boat before you can react. Always be mindful of the rope and never let it get close to the prop. If it does and the boat gets backward in the current, you will sink. To retrieve, pull yourself upstream with the rope or idle slowly up to get it, keeping the rope tight as you go. Just use common sense and you will be fine. And keep a sharp knife handy.

Thanks for all of the replies. I like the idea of the float on the anchor line. I knew it was used for fisherman catching monsters who had to chase the fish with the boat and needed to unhook and come back to their anchor. Never thought of it also acting as a way to save the anchor in the event the line needed to be cut.

I now have a follow-up question. After looking at anchors more last night I began to wonder how these slip ring anchors actually land and grab the bottom right side up...meaning the slip ring is on the top and not pinned between the bottom and the anchor which would seem to eliminate the slip ring functionality. I'm just unsure how they will fall in the water when it is flowing fast.

This anchor is expensive and honestly more than I would want to pay but seems like a very smart design. Seems to address the concern I had above regarding the slip ring getting caught underneath the anchor. Digger Anchor | Bass Pro Shops

I've done a lot of anchoring, both in rivers and heavily wooded lake bottoms. Both eat anchors. Best I've used thus far is a simple slip ring fluke. They are light weight and grab all kinds of bottom quite well. The exception being plain mud, in which case the mushroom is probably the best bet. Now this slip ring is designed so that you can be relatively certain of retrieving it, even when hung in wood or rocks. There is a method to this. You release line to the stuck anchor and make a large 180 degree sweep around and above the anchor. The "ring" on the anchor slides back to the flukes and you reverse pull it free from the upstream side.

I've lost a lot of anchors in my day. This one has performed flawlessly for me over the last dozen years. Cost effective too and like I said, light weight. Just make sure you use at least a 5' - 6' length of chain between the anchor and the rope. This keeps the fluke tines dug in to effectively hold you in location. In heavy current, it night not be a bad idea to use a short stern anchor as well, to keep from swinging side to side. Or, use a windsock off the stern. Good Luck! :)

A cheap and readily available anchor that I've had success with is the fluke types from walmart and academy sports (less than $20). The key to using them is to use a short length (3-4 feet) of heavy chain connected between the anchor and the rope. To retrieve, I simply troll towards the anchor until either directly above or slightly behind it and the anchor should pull free without too much trouble. Also, the longer the anchor rope the better the anchor will hold.

Attachment 169121

for the last 15 years Ive used this in the rivers around here in NC, still my 16' on a dime, weight is 28lbs.

good fishing

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Originally Posted by albiechaser

Attachment 169121

for the last 15 years Ive used this in the rivers around here in NC, still my 16' on a dime, weight is 28lbs.

good fishing

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Ha, I like that one! I was considering making my own grapple anchor using rebar so I could use the motor to bend them if it got hung? Do you ever have to do pull it out using the motor and bend the rebar? And will that even work? I think that would easily hold my 17' Aluminum boat and I would also think the 70HP would bend it if it came to that.

I made 2 about 15 years ago, one I lost in a stump field, this ones still around, lol
I put marine goop over the cement, looks like it might need another coat, those rebars are 1/2".
dont think I could bend one with my boat,
Good fishing