keeping others off your anchor line while fishing

so you see some fish on your electronics, go up wind , drop anchor and let out some rope/chain. Now you start reeling in a few. Next thing you know boats are moving in and crossing the bow where your anchor line is. How do you keep people from running over your anchor line and/or cutting it with their prop? That is without getting into a shouting match.

drop a 'decoy' marker about 50 yards away and they will surround it....

Probably bass fishermen or guides.

Genius answer

Same situation for us bankies...we set up multiple lines, bait an area, only to have boats travel from very far away just to fish right at your spot 30-50ft from the bank. I always tell em... keep the boat at the parking lot, you're welcome to fish the bank with me.

I always love it when I pull back in to the courtesy dock and there are a dozen people there with 20 or so lines out. The part I don't like is getting all that mono off of my prop shaft. Of course if there is a nice rod and reel attached it's a bonus.

I just don't want to loose my expensive anchor. I'm worried about getting the anchor line cut by someone's prop. They can have the fish, that's not my issue.

But one thing really bugs me is someone trying to put their boat in next to me on a one boat ramp. When they can't get their truck door open because they are too close to my truck on the ramp. No I am not slow, and I load and unload equipment in the parking lot, not on the ramp.

Their prop more than likely, will not cut your anchor rope. But they will have to cut it to get it out of their prop. Be sure you go over close when this happens so they can give you both ends of the rope to tie back together. I usually yell at them that I have 200 ft. or more of anchor line out and it goes such and such direction. Be sure and hang your lure on it so I can add to my collection. That is the main reason I bought the I-Pilot.

Hang a buoy on your anchor line. Dont be shy about hollering to a boat that your anchor line is right under them.

Uncle Zeek has it right. Use a buoy. In fact with the right equipment you can use the buoy to pull your anchor.

Google Columbia River Anchor System to see what I mean.

You just have to be vocal and let folks know....they'll appreciate it. Truth is, most folks on the water are not observant at all. They are focusing on their space. Raise your voice, let them know you have an anchor below and most likely they will give ya tha thumbs um.

I have never had them get close enough to actually cut it. That would be close enough that I could throw something and hit them. I usually run the rope through the bow eye. I have had someone snag the rope. I had to be careful when I retrieved it.

Replenishing your lure selection!

You must be fishing at Ray Hubbard, I've seen a lot of weird stuff at Hubbard including trailers floating at ramps and also jack knifed trailers taking up the whole ramp. Getting an anchor rope run over wouldn't be all that unusual.

Use a buoy on the rope, attach it so it freely slides up and down the line so it floats where the rope enters the water. If that doesn't give someone enough of a clue to stay out of your anchor rope, then there wasn't much hope with that person to begin with.

Have you tried using lead?

Displaying a Hillary Clinton poster works where I fish. However, some of the language directed my way has blistered the paint off the side of my boat.

I fish off peak. Seldom a problem.