I've been having problems with getting anchors to hold in moderate wind. Also having problems with positioning over piles (even large piles) in moderate winds.

Years ago, I recall a thread about using two anchors to help swing you into position.

Which anchor(s) are you guys using?

If you guys need any help learning how to drag anchors though brushpiles or losing anchors, let me know. I could write a book about it.

I sure hope this is a joke.....

I've never pulled an anchor through a pile intentionally. It just seems to happen when it doesn't hold/catch.

If you want to become a legend in your own mind?

Motorguide Xi5 is the answer

Trolling motor is much easier and less damaging.

sometimes it isn't enough

Chickenman, when I had my pontoon, (aka wind sail), I would rig up a claw anchor on the front, and a muchroom on the back. There's a chart running around about depth and rope length. I normally used around 80-100ft on the front anchor which allowed me to slide back to the brushpile. Once I knew it was locked up, id move back against the wind and set the mushroom anchor out and start working lines to get over the pile.

It takes a bit of practice, but you'll get the hang of it.

For the record, I've never pulled a pile up with my anchor either

Very true but if my trolling motor wont keep me on a pile then its time to go home or go find something out of the wind.

Drop a bouy where you want the boat to stop. Troll up wind about 100 feet, drop anchor number one from the bow as you drift back towards the pile, adjust drift with trolling motor to make sure you are going to hit your bouy. About 50 feet from the bouy, chuck back anchor starboard out away from the boat. Once it grabs, your boat should now be drifting sideways. Hand line the anchor lines to control drift and to line it up. If you do it right, you should stop right on target.

I ain't a fan of using a anchor myself.......
You "could" in most cases do a lot of damage to the structure you're planning to fish......
Workn the TM is several times better & like said if the wind is to bad for the TM find another spot out of the wind.
You take a very good chance of making that spot not worth fishn when the wind is right if you drag you're anchor through it....

Unless you have an undersized anchor, it sounds like maybe you're not letting out enough rope. Too short of a rope and you anchor will never hold. Multiply your depth(bottom of the lake to the boat cleat) times 7 and that should be the minimal amount of rope to let out. Anchors were in use long before trolling motors came into existence....it's just kind of a lost art. Like everyone else here, I prefer the trolling mtr.... but I will anchor if I have too.

Anchor is a 4 letter word to me but I've seen plenty of folks tear up piles I worked hard to sink with anchors. Even had one guy get his hung up as I was fishing trees nearby waiting on them to leave and then after he snapped his anchor rope it got tangled in his motor then I had to drag him back to the ramp!!! Like a double whammy. I rebuilt that pile and it's never held fish like it did before.

I've been doing it like Mudshark for 35 years and never once drifted through a known brush pile. If my anchor isn't holding I'll pull it long before I drift it through the brush pile. I'll swing around and reset until it all holds. Anchoring is much more effective and enjoyable to me. Once I get anchored good I get quiet and focus on fishing....not staring at a screen or running a trolling motor. I believe trolling motors over a brush pile do more harm to a bite than good. Especially on bass. I could be wrong that's just what I believe.

I use a couple of box anchors I made, they hold way better than anything else I have tried. They hold my 22' CC well in 20-25 MPH winds. I use the method Mudshark mentioned.

Really sad to see some fishermen tear up someones hard work of placing brush piles. I know I for one place many piles out and try to make them "anchor friendly" but it never fails to see some inconsiderate shmuck drop his anchor and drag it though the pile messing up the fishing for EVERYONE at that spot for a while. And most of these numbskulls have trolling motors and could "anchor" with them but they would rather ruin a good pile than "spook" the fish...sad indeed.

Do you see this often? Or was that a shot at me?

I thought there was a question to this post, not asking for opinions on brush piles getting torn up by anchors.

Some people either can't afford a TM with GPS, or maybe they can't work a TM well enough to fight the wind, stay on a pile and fish all at the same time?

To answer your question Chickenman I use a digger anchor on my boat.
It catches well every time and the flukes fold out so you don't get hung up and lose it.

My uncle and cousin use digger Anchors. You didn't mention the size of your boat, but use one that is heavy enough for your boat.
1. Mark the pile.
2. Get down wind of marker point boat into the wind.
3. Drop an anchor #1 down wind, the depth of the water will determine the distance.
4. Drive past marker up wind and drop anchor #2 up wind. Again the water depth will determine this distance.
5. After making sure anchor #2 is secure on the bottom, let out enough line to reach your marker and secure anchor line #2 to a boat cleat in the front of the boat.
6. Take up slack in the line on anchor #1, the down wind anchor, and secure to a cleat on the back of the boat.
7. Adjust lines to position...

I knew a guide that anchored off on catfish holes at Amistad in 100' depth water with no problem using this method.

Disclaimer: You did mention moderate winds...

I second the Xi5 - with PinpointGPS. I got one last week and it stays on point when you set the Anchor mode!

Lots of good info from posters about how to do the manual anchor system too!

Do you fish Somerville? I place my piles there and see non educated fisherman do it all the time.

You are asking how to do it properly right? You are getting answers and you will now be an "educated fisherman" and should not fall into this category as long as you help others by not tearing up the piles.

I have found a method that is used in Walleye country, back trolling - to be the best. You need splash guards on the transom and a powerful back trolling, trolling motor like the MK Vantage that has articulated steering. The idea is to allow the wind to push you, into the transom, then back into the wind. The stoppage that the transom gives you is good versus the bow that just moves side to side, but water comes over the transom, thus the splash guards. It is so effective you will be able to basically hold over a spot. I have caught many a crappie in brush where other boats can not hang in the wind.

Meanwhile back to anchors you have to use two and a system to allow you get back your anchor when using good holding anchors. The anchor you see in the video is the best for holding but will get stuck.

[video:youtube]http://www.anchorshock.com/[/video]

Ever since they made Austin a mud hole, we've had to become brush pile builders. We've probably sunk 100 trees this year alone.

Between wind and the wake action on the lake, it has been difficult to maintain position even with an anchor. Most places are just silt bottoms.

We started to haul out cinder blocks and drop them where we'd want the anchor to catch in a south wind and in a north wind. The blocks also have the added benefit of holding fish.

Always fun to see an anchor thread.... I use one..... You're dumb..... What? You are....

GPS coordiantes please.

I like the River anchors