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Spot lock or Anchor ?
#12736364
04/30/18 01:51 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 569
Buff2
OP
Pro Angler
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OP
Pro Angler
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 569 |
I'm pretty new at chasing Crappie. With that said, I have a good set up of winter (deep in creek channel)and a good plan for summer ( standing timber moving from tree to tree) This time of year when they are on the brush piles in 15', Is it better to use my spot lock or drop an anchor? I am sorry if it is a silly question but my spot lock is seldom still it moves back and forth pretty much all the time but I worry an anchor might run the fish off Thanks in advance
Last edited by Buff2; 04/30/18 01:51 PM.
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Re: Spot lock or Anchor ?
[Re: Buff2]
#12736368
04/30/18 01:53 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 16,064
KidKrappie
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 16,064 |
NEVER drop an anchor on a brushpile. Use the spot lock to hover above it. If the spot lock isn't doing good enough, you might try and just use the trolling motor like normal and see if that is better. Dropping an anchor will ruin your spot and drag the brush around.
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Re: Spot lock or Anchor ?
[Re: KidKrappie]
#12736380
04/30/18 02:00 PM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,481
snowyriver6
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,481 |
dropping anchor in brush pile equals people who see you on the fringe of schooling hybrids or whites and they run right in the middle of them
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Re: Spot lock or Anchor ?
[Re: Buff2]
#12737057
04/30/18 09:21 PM
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,924
Keith Stone!
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,924 |
If you are just learning to fish brushpiles and you cannot get your spot lock to work like you want it. Use an anchor, but do it properly.
Don't use a river anchor or just a heavy weight. Get an anchor with chines that sets.
Find your brush pile and mark it with a bouy. Go up wind from your bouy about 30 yards and drop your anchor where it will not be near the brush pile to risk tearing it up. Drift back until you get in line with your bouy and tie off to set the anchor and stop your drift. If you are off mark by a little bit, drop your trolling motor and use it manually to move your boat over to the brushpile.
That way you only have to worry with the yaw of your anchor set and not having to worry with all dimensions of space to control. This is a good way to get practice with your trolling motor control skills and still be able to enjoy fishing. As you get a little practice, youll be able to not have to set an anchor.
Whatever you do, do not set the anchor in the pile and ruin it for you and everyone else.
Last edited by Keith Stone!; 04/30/18 09:21 PM.
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Re: Spot lock or Anchor ?
[Re: Buff2]
#12737264
05/01/18 12:18 AM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,267
shill
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,267 |
Anchors will ruin a lot of hard work.
shill
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Re: Spot lock or Anchor ?
[Re: Buff2]
#12737270
05/01/18 12:24 AM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 8,289
Jig Man
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 8,289 |
Honest question not silly, use your Spot lock...Sometimes a moving bait is better.
Life is Good..<><
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Re: Spot lock or Anchor ?
[Re: Buff2]
#12737326
05/01/18 12:58 AM
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,155
bush hog
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,155 |
Anchors have their place but as Keith Stone mentions you have to know how to set it. Just my opinion but if you're going to use an anchor then you just about have to use two of them and it's a lot of trouble. So much easier to use the trolling motor and sometimes you'll want to move to the edges of the brush pile or to the other end....can't do that if you're anchored. Some folks think the noise of the trolling motor will spook the fish but I have pulled to many crappie right out from under the trolling motor to believe that. Good luck to ya!
To whom much is given, much is required.
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Re: Spot lock or Anchor ?
[Re: bush hog]
#12737364
05/01/18 01:33 AM
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,063
TroyKing
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,063 |
Anchors have their place but as Keith Stone mentions you have to know how to set it. Just my opinion but if you're going to use an anchor then you just about have to use two of them and it's a lot of trouble. So much easier to use the trolling motor and sometimes you'll want to move to the edges of the brush pile or to the other end....can't do that if you're anchored. Some folks think the noise of the trolling motor will spook the fish but I have pulled to many crappie right out from under the trolling motor to believe that. Good luck to ya! what this dude said!
The driving force and secret desire of every bass fisherman, is to one day be a crappie fisherman............Could it be that the good Lord just smilies and looks the other way when a fisherman tells a lie?
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Re: Spot lock or Anchor ?
[Re: Buff2]
#12737464
05/01/18 02:47 AM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 17,336
Jacob
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 17,336 |
Spot lock is the best thing to happen to crappie fishing since side-imaging and GPS. You would be doing yourself a disservice by not using it. If its not holding, something is wrong with it. It should keep you within a 3ft circle. Make sure you have done the compass calibration on it in your owners manual. (Drive in a circle 3 times). This is VERY important.
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Re: Spot lock or Anchor ?
[Re: Keith Stone!]
#12737796
05/01/18 01:56 PM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 6,950
crapicat
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 6,950 |
If you are just learning to fish brushpiles and you cannot get your spot lock to work like you want it. Use an anchor, but do it properly.
Don't use a river anchor or just a heavy weight. Get an anchor with chines that sets.
Find your brush pile and mark it with a bouy. Go up wind from your bouy about 30 yards and drop your anchor where it will not be near the brush pile to risk tearing it up. Drift back until you get in line with your bouy and tie off to set the anchor and stop your drift. If you are off mark by a little bit, drop your trolling motor and use it manually to move your boat over to the brushpile.
That way you only have to worry with the yaw of your anchor set and not having to worry with all dimensions of space to control. This is a good way to get practice with your trolling motor control skills and still be able to enjoy fishing. As you get a little practice, youll be able to not have to set an anchor.
Whatever you do, do not set the anchor in the pile and ruin it for you and everyone else. So, this is sound advice on anchor use. Depends on your relative skill on the troller...if you get can the nose pointed in the wind and the proper speed setting on your troller, you can sit in one place without spot lock...with spot lock, you have to dial in the speed setting to aid the GPS, instead of hindering it (which can be a trial and error process) or just get a newer version troller that has a tighter GPS positioning...I dont know the technicals, but Wayne P. can advise you. If I cant stay on a pile, with spot lock, I will just manually sit on it...NOW if it is a PLUM TREE...I am gonna drop anchor, and put spot lock on a really low speed.
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