Fishing Brush Piles

I heard you toss out a anchor on the weather side of the brush pile then drift over the pile? Then when you haul the anchor it is ok to drag it over the brush pile?
LOL!
How do you stay on top of the pile with a foot controlled trolling motor?

At some point I'm going to get the Xi5 Motorguide, until then, I pretty much stay on the foot switch to stay on the pile.

Practice, practice, practice...

adjust your speed to approximate - counteract - the wind.
Don't have it on too high or you will be see-sawing forward and back.
Keep adjusting your speed to be 'just right' to hold you close.
"Feel" the wind gusts coming and adjust -before- your heavy boat starts moving.

P.S.
Unless you built that brush pile... don't tear it up with an anchor!!
Some man put a lot of work into getting it out there and it took some time for it to hold fish.


Good luck out there!

I'm kidding about the anchor part.

NO NO NO NO NO NO No!!!!Just as TexExp spoke You must practice your foot GRASSHOPPER

how do you get to Carnegie hall???

1 or 2 times I have had to use all 75lb thrust but generally I get by with half or less.Those couple times though sure did wear me out using so much body english as if I was bowling.

Without buying the Xi5, and the "Practice, practice, practice" part - the only way to stay over the BP is to fish no wind conditions!

Or, you could take a picture of the BP, print it, lay it on the floor, and stand over it holding your rod!

IMHO.

Yup, practice that's usually prompted by a serious addiction. After some time it becomes second nature and you'll fish through a hurricane as long as they're biting.

Yep, figured dat... lol

Just taking the opportunity to get that out there for others, just in case! lol

Anchors are the antichrist to brush piles.... LOL

Exactly!

Do any of us work while we are at work?

Terrova with I pilot well worth the cost for open water. Work? Is that the place we talk fishing?

welcome to the forum!

If you can get an iPilot to hold you on a brush pile, you are either a) fishing a huge brushpile or b) have the only iPilot in existance that works as advertised or c) your definition of 5' radius is considerably different than mine!

Been there, tried it and repeated too many times to count before changing to a Fortrex and learning how to use it.

Just go with a friend...let them do all the work!! But, really, what they all said...practice practice practice...and TOW...

Good fishin'

I have to agree with OkieBob. Went to the Terrova for a year and have just recently gone back to a Fortrex. The spot lock on the Terrova I had was useless for holding on a brush pile for crappie fishing.

Sounds like I need to make some bigger brush piles since I have spot lock now. I bet I can make one that it'll hold me on.

20'x20' might do it.

I like the Fortrexx with the % speed adjustment, just use the amount of power you need to hold you in place.

Bass fisherman will never understand how steady you can hold a boat in a brisk wind.....lol!

I can attest to this! I have had an I pilot all summer. I even brought it back because it barely will hold you to within a boat length. Now, In a steady head wind it will do better at times. The motor has the power but the brain is well..............retarded(no offense meant to developly delayed folks or their parents)

I have decided that it is what it is and try to put myself alongside a brush pile and work up and down the boat with my ten foot pole!

Needless to say I am disappointed!

I threw my anchor out to fish a brush pile on Ray Roberts 1 time and when I got ready to leave, my anchor was stuck!!! So I got on the side I was anchored to and wrapped the rope around 1 of the boat cleats. Gave the boat a little gas and it came loose. But as I was pulling up the anchor it felt heavy. Once it surfaced I realized I was hung up on someone else's anchor and they just left it in the water so I got a free anchor, thanks!!!

Me TOO!

You're right it isn't that accurate but it will keep you close enough to pitch pass the pile without worrying with it, I use 2 buoys to either side in wind to keep my jig on pile. Of course,most trips I'm just kicking back to relax and catch a few, when I want precision I use the foot control.