# Anchors on Jon Boats



## jayhawkpoke (Aug 6, 2011)

Hello, i was wanting to know how people have their anchors mounted on their jon boats? I have an anchor but i throw it out and tie it off on one of my oar holes on the boat. So i wanted to see what everybody else had on their boat for a new idea of what i would like to put on mine. thanks!


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## FlyBye (Aug 6, 2011)

There are several folks on the forum that have theirs mounted on either the front or back of their boat. Others keep 'em in a small bucket with the rope on top for easy access. I prefer using a cleat for tying off.

Most, but not all of the Tins on this site are probably 18 feet and under. Having an anchor setup mounted reduces some otherwise useful space. I personally prefer not to have restricted space or tripping hazards unnecessarily around. However, the manual and automatic anchor lifts are a nice convenience that some would not want to do without. It all depends on where, how you fish, what space you have available and what your preference is. It's a personal choice... neither is right or wrong. Good luck!


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## ryan20021982 (Aug 6, 2011)

I keep mine put away and then just tie it off to a cleat if I am using it, This way I can put it where I want it and not be forced to have it at the same spot. Depending on wind and current I like to choose where I drop the anchor.


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## BaitCaster (Aug 6, 2011)

I have a small folding anchor. I tie it off to a cleat when in use.


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## Dragonman (Aug 6, 2011)

I have a bow and stern anchor. the bow anchor is on a crank so the kids can drop and recover it. the stern anchor i just leave on the deck till it is time to fish. It is just tied onto the cleat and I adjust the depth by tieing off to the cleat as necessary.


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## Ranchero50 (Aug 7, 2011)

I have a 10lb mushroom on 12' of 1/2" line tied to the bow inside the boat with a cleat so I can short tie it if needed. It's my holding and emergency anchor, usually drop it when I get a fish in the boat so I'm not distracted.

I also have about 20' of 5/16" line that I tie off from the anchor to a rear corner cleat to hold the boat at an angle in the current to catfish.

Jamie


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## lucescoflathead (Aug 7, 2011)

I have a 15 pound anchor I keep in a 5 gal pickle bucket on the front of my boat behind the front seat.


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## fish4thriLLs (Aug 7, 2011)

Not very pretty but it works well for me. I have since removed the cable ties and now I use a rubber strap to hold the bucket down. I also really like the slip and lock device I have mounted on the bow deck for the anchor rope.


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## Bassindude (Aug 7, 2011)

I have a front and rear Minn Kota anchor system. Almost never use them, but when I do they are awesome. Jim


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## wihil (Aug 7, 2011)

This might be hard to explain/visualise but I'll give it a shot -

I use a 12# anchor tied to 35' of .5" kern mantle rope - one end fixed to the anchor, the other to the bow handle. Attached around the anchor line with a Klemheist knot using 3/8" rope is a 42" rubber tarp bungee strap (no hooks, just the 3/8" rope through the rubber hole), and another 3/8" loop through the other side of the rubber bungee.

To use it, I put the non-knot side of the bungee around the cleat of my choice, drop the anchor, and holding the Klemheist knot I pull the un-necessary anchor line back into the boat (3gal bucket like above) until I've got the anchor line where I want it. Once the boat starts to pull, the Klemheist knot locks up and the rubber bungee acts like a spring to keep the boat steady with the waves/obnoxious large boats that like to cruise past a 12'er parked for fishing. 

If the rubber bungee fails for some reason, the anchor line is still fixed to the bow and I'm only out 2.50 until I get back to the farm store. 

C


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## DGF (Aug 8, 2011)

wihil,
This sounds like a pretty cool setup for when panfishing jet ski infested lakes, however my mind can't quite picture it. Do you have any photos of the rig?


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## gillhunter (Aug 8, 2011)

This is the setup I use on my 1648. I use 14lb. Mushroom style anchors. We pan fish mostly so we use the anchors a lot. I fish out of the back of the boat so I positioned the winches so I can operate both of them without crawling over center seat.


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## wihil (Aug 8, 2011)

DGF said:


> wihil,
> This sounds like a pretty cool setup for when panfishing jet ski infested lakes, however my mind can't quite picture it. Do you have any photos of the rig?



I'll try and snap some pics of it tonight, Dan. It sounds WAY more complicated than it looks.  

I like to think of it as a cheap version of this: https://www.drop-n-stay.com/dropnstay.asp

But instead of the cutting board jam cleat at one end, it's just got the Prussik/Klemheist (same idea, just different knot) that's permanently attached to the anchor line - mostly so I don't lose it.  I used the rubber tarp bungee because they're cheap with no metal bands against the boat, and I didn't need to heat shrink the crimp connectors (money) on the large fabric bungee cables (more money).

Chris


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## DGF (Aug 9, 2011)

I like that setup. I see a rainy day project in my future! Thanks for the link.


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## lovedr79 (Aug 9, 2011)

I use a 12lb. River anchor put away until I need it


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## ditchen (Aug 9, 2011)

I like the anchor mates two. Use them front and rear. 15lb front 10lb rear. I also encourage the safety chain option. I do need to enhance for river fishing.


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## FuzzyGrub (Aug 10, 2011)

I use a 15lb river anchor with 1/2" dia anchor rope. Anchor allot in current conditions. I like to have multiple tie off points to control angle and position in current. On my 14' starcraft v that is no issue due to railing. On my new to me 1648, the prior owner put trailer tie down loops at the four corners. The two front ones gives me flexibility to which way the boat will swing. No need for knots either. Just push the rope loop through the hole and dowl rod through the loop.


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## BOB350RX (Aug 10, 2011)

i use 2 14 lb mushroom anchors, but i dont use cleat except for tying at the dock, i use those line grippers, i love them, but will use a cleat if i have to, i always carry extra anchor line with me, about 12 years ago i got caught out in a severe thunderstorm that came outta know where, i jammed the boat into a bunch of flooded timber anchored her up and tied her off to the trees and rode it out, after all was said and done, i had a mess to clean up had 4 inches of water in the boat, limbs, had to find a pair of new shorts was a mess, but i think if i had not had the extra rope with me i would have lost the boat that day, i was on an all electric lake would have taken me over an hour to get back to the dock, in good weather...


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## linehand (Aug 10, 2011)

Have an electric winch for the river. However usually just toss a mushroom anchor out and tie off.


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## gillhunter (Aug 10, 2011)

linehand said:


> Have an electric winch for the river. However usually just toss a mushroom anchor out and tie off.



Linehand,

Are you fishing the St. Joe?


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## Brine (Aug 10, 2011)

I'm too lazy to ever use mine. I'd rather been on the trolling motor non-stop :evil:


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## linehand (Aug 10, 2011)

gillhunter said:


> linehand said:
> 
> 
> > Have an electric winch for the river. However usually just toss a mushroom anchor out and tie off.
> ...



Yep..Between South Bend and Buchanan usually.Mostly smallie fish in Niles.


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## linehand (Aug 10, 2011)

Brine said:


> I'm too lazy to ever use mine. I'd rather been on the trolling motor non-stop :evil:


I rarely drop an anchor bass fishing on the river. My other boat is more functional for smallie fishing.


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## ditchen (Aug 11, 2011)

gillhunter said:


> linehand said:
> 
> 
> > Have an electric winch for the river. However usually just toss a mushroom anchor out and tie off.
> ...



sounds like you been there and maybe done that


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## ditchen (Aug 11, 2011)

Brine said:


> I'm too lazy to ever use mine. I'd rather been on the trolling motor non-stop :evil:



+1

anchors do get used when I'm a little occupied preventing me (quality time with my <insert favorite beverage here>) from running the trolling motor and do not want to float past the spot where I want to fish.


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## PATRIOT2 (Aug 11, 2011)

To minimize weight, I carry a standard issue fiberglass cloth sandbag and just fill it with rocks from the area I may be anchoring in. The water level in the section of river I frequent can vary as much as 3 feet in 12 hours so I use it to keep me "offshore". I'm basically carrying a 10 to 50 pound anchor for free.


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