What’s the best anchor for a canoe?

[RTowner]

Today I had a great day fishing, but unfortunately my old garage sale mushroom anchor stayed on the bottom of the lake due to a poorly tied knot. Guess I should have checked and re-tied it.

So I’ll be buying an anchor. And I’m very curious for everyone’s thoughts on the best anchor type and also curious to see the systems you all use to tie off and manage your anchor.

Thanks!

 

[carpenter]

a roto-moulded 6' kayak

 

[MrPoling]

I like the mushrooms. They don't have sharp edges and are readily available.

I think there was another thread about folks using old brake rotors. I'm not sure why. Maybe as drag anchors.

The only problem with anchors is they help sink the canoe if you swamp and don't have additional floatation.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Last time I fished I wrapped a bunch of clothesline around a rock, tying it with knots I made up. It worked on a lake. Of course, that was in 1956, so I'm not much help on more modern devices.

Anchoring in river current requires some knowledge of hydrophysics. I think we have some posts here on that.

 

[yknpdlr]

I have one, almost never used, that has 4 wings that unfold when I unscrew the bottom. Very compact, aluminum construction, light and easy to use. No sharp or pointy edges. I bought it probably over 30 years ago.

 

[scoutergriz]

I've got 2 different anchors- one is the classic brake rotor with a 6" eye bolt through one of the stud holes, the eye being bolted off centre and a few inches long helps it hit bottom at an angle and dig in better, plus the eye bolt keeps any sharp edges from fraying the rope. It's cheap (rotors are free and the Eye bolt's a couple of bucks) and as effective as any fluked anchor I've tried, and doesn't skate across hard packed bottoms like a mushroom
My second "tripping" anchor is a basketball net with the bottom tied off and a rope threaded around the rim- pile as many rocks as needed into it, pull the rim closed, and clip on with a cheapie carabiner. if it snags a good, hard tug usually will bend or break the 'beener, releasing the rope...
I used to use bandage sleeving the same way as the net, but found it would quickly die from abrasion

 

[Alan Gage]

I always used one of the small folding anchors when I used to fish from my canoe. Never had a problem with it holding, even in current. I'm guessing I had the 3 pound model but don't remember for sure.

Alan

 

[Chip]

First, a story. Out on the rocky gorge of the Potomac near the DC/Maryland line, on an extremely low water day, I noticed something funny near three rocks sticking out of the river bed. One of them was bobbing a bit. Maybe it wasn’t a rock, maybe a duck. I paddled closer. Turned out the rocking rock wasn’t a rock but the bow of an inverted fishing kayak. About a one-foot long part of the bow was floating a couple inches above the water and the rest of the kayak was under the surface. A stout line on the stern was firmly stuck on the bottom. We couldn’t budge the rope. If there was an anchor on it, it was stuck hard, but it was easy to cut with the knife on my PFD, previously only used to spread peanut butter. The boat was covered with crud, so it must have been there a while. I wondered if a fisherman had been fishing from the boat, got the anchor stuck and had to abandon the boat and swim for it. Gotta figure they had a knife, so maybe the boat wasn’t in use and washed off the shore upstream. Doubt I’ll ever know how the kayak ended up there, but my story illustrates that anchors can get stuck.

I’m very curious for everyone’s thoughts on the best anchor type and also curious to see the systems you all use to tie off and manage your anchor.
Thanks!

I have used a mushroom anchor. There are spots like on the Potomac where rocks and junk on the bottom can make anchor retrieval impossible, and for those, I’ve used a rock tied on with string weaker than the anchor rope.

But what I’ve never used is a good anchoring system. Ideally, I’d like the anchor to be deployed from the bow. I sit in the middle. How can I deploy, raise, and retrieve back into the boat, an anchor hanging off the bow? Anyone have a system for that?

 

[Alan Gage]

But what I’ve never used is a good anchoring system. Ideally, I’d like the anchor to be deployed from the bow. I sit in the middle. How can I deploy, raise, and retrieve back into the boat, an anchor hanging off the bow? Anyone have a system for that?

It won't be directly from the bow but I ran a loop of cord from the center thwart to the carry handle. I used a metal ring to tie both ends of the rope together. To this metal ring I could clip the carabiner of my anchor rope.

The metal ring would be within reach as I deployed the anchor and then I could just rotate the loop of rope so the ring was moved to the bow. When it was time to retrieve it rotate the loop back to the thwart position where I can reach the anchor rope and pull it up.

It wasn't perfect and the canoe would sometimes drift back and forth in the current since it wasn't pulling directly from the bow but it worked pretty well.

Alan

 

[Benson Gray]

Ideally, I’d like the anchor to be deployed from the bow. I sit in the middle. How can I deploy, raise, and retrieve back into the boat, an anchor hanging off the bow? Anyone have a system for that?

The videos at the links below may give you some ideas,

Benson

 

[Ralph]

I use a local rock or rocks put into a mesh bag with handles and a drawstring.



I have developed a system that works really well for me. The system allows me to use rocks that are amost always available wherever I go fishing. I just return the rocks to their original location after I'm done fishing. It allows the anchor to pull from the end of the canoe and it allows me to easily retrieve the anchor. I usually fish from a solo canoe but this could easily be modified for a tandem canoe.
I'll try to explain the how it works. I think its best to do the initial set-up on dry land. Put your canoe rightside up on your lawn. Tie your anchor rope to the two handles of the mesh bag. Decide how much anchor rope you will need and string the rope and bag out from the stern of your canoe. Tie the other end to your grab loop, or stern thwart or whatever you have. Now for the tricky part - pick up the anchor rope in the middle (approximately) and walk that up to the seat beside where you will be sitting (whether solo or tandem). Allow a couple of feet extra then mark the anchor rope where it came up to your seat.






Tie an alpine butterfly or similar knot on the anchor rope where it comes up to the seat. Now, pull the anchor rope straight out behind the canoe. Tie another rope to your seat and pull it out parallel to the anchor rope and up to your Alpine Butterfly. Allow a bit extra for knots.



Fill up the mesh bag when you get to the lake. Tie the anchor rope to your canoe. Tie the extra rope to your seat. Put the mesh bag with rocks just behind your seat. When you want to anchor, drop the mesh bag over the side and the canoe will straighten out downwind or down current from the bag. When you want to move, pull on the rope that's tied to your seat and when you get to the anchor rope, pull it up.
Simple and cheap and effective for me. Hope it helps someone.
I think I might have another career as an artist!!!

 

[Boatman53]

I saw these at the local marine supply store today. Bait bags for lobster traps. Sometimes I find one at the beach for free.
They had different colors so maybe different sizes but I didn’t study the display for those details.

Jim

 

[Chip]

Thanks for the tips on anchor rigging. I like that Alan’s and Ralph’s approaches don’t require any apparatus other than ropes and ‘biners.