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Spot lock or Anchor ? #12736364 04/30/18 01:51 PM
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Buff2 Offline OP
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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.

Marty Thomas
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Re: Spot lock or Anchor ? [Re: Buff2] #12736368 04/30/18 01:53 PM
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KidKrappie Online Content
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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.

Re: Spot lock or Anchor ? [Re: KidKrappie] #12736380 04/30/18 02:00 PM
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snowyriver6 Offline
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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

Re: Spot lock or Anchor ? [Re: Buff2] #12737057 04/30/18 09:21 PM
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Keith Stone! Offline
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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.
Re: Spot lock or Anchor ? [Re: Buff2] #12737264 05/01/18 12:18 AM
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shill Offline
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Anchors will ruin a lot of hard work.


shill
Re: Spot lock or Anchor ? [Re: Buff2] #12737270 05/01/18 12:24 AM
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Honest question not silly, use your Spot lock...Sometimes a moving bait is better.


Life is Good..<><



Re: Spot lock or Anchor ? [Re: Buff2] #12737326 05/01/18 12:58 AM
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bush hog Offline
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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! thumb


To whom much is given, much is required.
Re: Spot lock or Anchor ? [Re: bush hog] #12737364 05/01/18 01:33 AM
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TroyKing Offline
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Originally Posted By: bush hog
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! thumb

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?
Re: Spot lock or Anchor ? [Re: Buff2] #12737464 05/01/18 02:47 AM
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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.


Re: Spot lock or Anchor ? [Re: Keith Stone!] #12737796 05/01/18 01:56 PM
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Originally Posted By: Keith Stone!
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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