I've heard of a few people who use actual anchors, some made specially for pontoon use. I've also heard it said here and there that all you really need is an old milk jug filled with gravel. I've only been out in a pontoon twice since I bought mine and never felt the need to have one, but then again its always been nice and calm when I went out. Does anyone else use them, and if so, did you employ the milk-jug-method, or is a real anchor the way to go?
actualy I use a hideously cheap but extremely functional method the requires some rope, the mesh sack my fins came in and a few lucky rocks plucked from the shore prior to launch. I couldn't tell you anything about anchors except that they look cool..
Anything will work in a lake. I used a 5lb dumbell with my float tube and used it with my pontoon a few times on lakes. For rivers though, a pyramid would be the way to go.
Yup, like cupo said, about anything will work on the lakes. But when you're on the river, you want something dense that drops like a rock (figuratively lol). Pyramid is the only way to go. Pure stopping power. Stay away from those "river anchors" and the likes. Weight isn't dense enough, so you won't stop like you should.
10lb weight lifting plate for lakes. Pyramid anchors are scary for me in rivers due to them getting stuck and it dragging your boat/pontoon down with it. I use 35lbs of 3/8" galv chain in links of 10" each for my drift boat. Haven't tried my pontoon in rivers yet, but will probably try out chain link also with my pontoon. Good luck!
I've got a 13# mushroom that's overkill for most conditions and a couple of 5# lead pyramids that are perfect for lakes. I usually only anchor when I'm 'bobber staring' and so using small anchors (one off each side) keeps the boat from pivoting on a single anchor line and thus pulling on the line and introducing unwanted movement to the fly. K
I only have used mine for lakes. If I'm fishing choronomids I use two. Both are concrete with a eye bolt set in them. One is formed from the bottom half of a gallon milk jug. The other form is a large plastic cup (beer cup). The big one holds you in place and the little one keeps you from swinging in the wind. I marked the rope so I know the depth when I drop the larger one. my .02
Have two for the pontoon boat. If I can drive to water, use a #6 mushroom; if you have to use the wheels to walk in, a rope with one foot marks in black marker (for chiro depth sounding) and a mesh bag like Silver said with a few local rocks (depending on wind) works great. As Fortuna mentioned, best with two anchors, but one anchor and fins is not bad to keep the chiron steady. I'm not a river floater yet, so don't know that angle. Ronbow
I've never used an anchor on my pontoon, but rather use my fins to move, or hold myself in position. In really windy conditions, it can get tiresome, but that's when I'll let myself drift more, and it works for me. In sandy, muddy, or in tidal zones, the heavy chain idea works really well. The chain is surprisingly undamaging to the bottom and holds well. Depending on weight, you can actually drag the chain with tide or wind, and have a nice, contolled drift. Jeff
I use a round #10 downrigger ball. It works everywhere and is easy to replace if something were to happen to it. It's not wise trying to anchor your pontoon boat in fast current!
Take note of the number of people advising caution in the use of anchors with pontoon boats on moving water. Particularly in fast water, an anchored pontoon boat has a tendency to broach or turn sideways to the current. In this situation it's quite possible to turn one over.
I use a 10lb downrigger ball... it has held me in place on many a windy day at several of the desert lakes... I have been held in place and had guys with dumbell's sliding along and asking me what I used... It might not be about the actual weight but the shape... in the desert or muddy type bottoms a dumbell has a tendency to slide along and not actually planting in the bottom... where as the downrigger ball settles down in, but will pull free even if you happen to slide it along/under a rock. I have tried an actual anchor (claw type) and it is still on the bottom of Dry Falls... with about 12 feet of rope... got hook on something and even kneeling on my seat and pulling with everything I had and different pull positions couldn't free it... So round canon ball type for me... Rivers and my 8ft outcast (dave scadden) NO WAY... tried it and it scared the crap out of me... about pulled under and then started to pull/roll sideways... The rock idea and the net works ok... just be really careful on the eastern side of the state... when you go to roll or pick up a rock... buzzy things and little black spiders... spiders... happened once... glad I kicked with the boot first... Tight lines... :beer2: wabow
