Hovering in one space question

[DeeGee68]

Hello,

 

The wife and I recently bought a tracker classic and its perfect for what we need it for.  I have a question since I am a newbie to bass fishing, but not boating.  When we find an area we want to fish like on a lake or slough and there is maybe a slight wind or water is moving, what is the best way to stay in the same place.  We can not afford power poles right now so I am open to suggestions.  I tried hitting the trolling motor every once in a while to keep us in same place but I was wondering if there was a better way.

 

Thanks in advance for the help!

[12poundbass]

I’m still trying to decide what I’m going to do as well. I think I’m going to use the trusty ‘ole anchor and use the trolling motor to keep me from turning. Then I might add a DIY shallow water anchor to the mix next year, they can be done fairly inexpensive. 

 

I haven’t fished too many windy days since upgrading boats last fall, so I have just been using the trolling motor and fight that battle which gets old real quick. 

[WRB]

Learn to control the boat using your trolling motor or get a trolling with spot lock using the GPS to control the boat. 

Most inexpensive method is to anchor using a rope and 15-20 lb navy anchor. A plastic milk crate works good to hold the rope and anchor when not in use. This method worked for centuries.

Tom

 

 

[BassNJake]

If using an anchor use 2 or you may get spun.

 

One off the front and one off the back

[Jig Man]

I agree with Tom.  Learn to use the trolling motor to control your boat.  Put your foot on the pedal and don’t take it off.  Don’t keep it on the power button but have it close so you can instantly add power when needed.  It will be a pain for a while then it will come naturally and just be what you do. Increase or decrease power with your speed switch as needed.

 

If you learn to do this you can gain good control of your boat.  You may even find that the wind is your friend.

[Big Rick]

38 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

If you learn to do this you can gain good control of your boat.  You may even find that the wind is your friend.

Very sage advice. As long as it's not a stout wind most of the time wind can give you an advantage to holding your boat in place with your TM as it will provide "leverage" against your TM thrust. And wind helps the fishing too, right?

[813basstard]

I tie my wife to the rope, kick it off the side.

1 tug means there’s fish around. 2 tugs means get up it’s time to go.

[WCWV]

Use your trolling motor and one thing that helps me is I'll drop a buoys, it'll give you a reference. 

[OnthePotomac]

I am also a tin boat guy (17'6") and I upgraded my TM from a 43lb 12V to a 55lb 12V, digital, variable speed on a DEKA 27 battery and fish in a lot of wind on the Potomac.  You have to learn to keep the bow into the wind and fish accordingly. I can stand on the TM all day and never lose power.   BTW, that TM is not real expensive.

[Way2slow]

If you plan to be there a while, use two anchors, at least 18 pond mushrooms.  Drop on well before you get to your spot you want to hold on so there's plenty of angle on the rope but still plenty of extra rope.  Go well past the spot you want and drop the second.  Let the boat drift back or use the first rope to pull you back to the spot you want.  Snug up both ropes and fish.

If it just for a short time while you are working and sweeping the area, then you just learn to use the TM to hold it or control the drift.  It's best if you keep the bow into the current/wind and let it drift backwards.  

Since you already ruled out power poles for now, that pretty much rules out a GPS controlled trolling motor also, where you just hit the anchor button and it keeps you there.

[DeeGee68]

Thank you for all the comments.  I will just practice and get used to my TM.  It just seems like that pedal is so d**n tall but I will get used to it.  Looking at the GPS controlled motors were amazing at how far technology has come.  Hopefully some day those prices will go down.

[WRB]

25 minutes ago, DeeGee68 said:

Thank you for all the comments.  I will just practice and get used to my TM.  It just seems like that pedal is so d**n tall but I will get used to it.  Looking at the GPS controlled motors were amazing at how far technology has come.  Hopefully some day those prices will go down.

The make recessed pans to lower the TM pedal to be even with the deck surface, takes a lot of stress off of balancing on 1 leg while operation the pedal.

Another option is using a chair to sit in instead of standing against a raised bicycle seat 

I have been standing operating a TM for decades in windy rough wave conditions for decades it become second nature to keep the boat controlled on outside mid lake structure while watching my sonar unit/GPS to stay on top of the spot.

Today's Spot lock TM eliminate developing the skill and keeps the boat where you want it when you are re tying or getting lure, fighting fish etc, etc., basically a anchor without a rope and mess.

Tom

PS, double anchoring isn't necessary for most bass fishing presentations unless you want a stationary boat for bait fishing. The bow stays pointed into the wind when the anchor rope is tied to bow eye. We have some good threads on boat anchoring if interested.

[Tennessee Boy]

On 9/23/2019 at 4:16 PM, DeeGee68 said:

Hello,

 

The wife and I recently bought a tracker classic and its perfect for what we need it for.  I have a question since I am a newbie to bass fishing, but not boating.  When we find an area we want to fish like on a lake or slough and there is maybe a slight wind or water is moving, what is the best way to stay in the same place.  We can not afford power poles right now so I am open to suggestions.  I tried hitting the trolling motor every once in a while to keep us in same place but I was wondering if there was a better way.

 

Thanks in advance for the help!

When I got my first boat I used an anchor a lot.  After the first year I don't think I ever used it again.  I bet you'll get the hang of it with the TM.  Like @WCWV mentioned,  dropping a buoy can make it easier.

[Fishing Rhino]

21 hours ago, WCWV said:

Use your trolling motor and one thing that helps me is I'll drop a buoys, it'll give you a reference. 

And there is your simplest, most cost efficient way of holding your position.

[haggard]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

PS, double anchoring isn't necessary for most bass fishing presentations

Bow anchoring with a little stern swing gives you the chance to work a few more spots

[ReedFish]

A lot of good ideas here.  Getting your motor set on the "right" speed for the wind or current is important too.  A lot of people have the speed too high and are constantly adjusting right-left-right-left, a slower speed will help with this as long as you can stay on the pedal and make short adjustments.  Like others have said, use the current/wind to your advantage to stay on the fishing location.

[HenryPF]

Use a shallow water anchor - the manual type. Not a full/mini power pole or talon, just a plain ole shallow water anchor like everyone used before they came along.

 

Just google DIY shallow water anchor - they get as expensive as you want to spend. I've seen guys use a $10 pvc pipe and put it through the handles on the back of a jon boat.