If you fish rivers with current, you should give a drag chain a try.
I've been floating rivers for years now and have tried about every type anchor I can think of. I now only use drag chains for rivers. I've lost river anchors, mushroom anchors and spike-type anchors that became hopelessly wedged and stuck in rock crevices. Having to reach as far down as possible and cut your anchor rope and have to finish your float trip, being unable to stop and fish good runs, is a major let-down. I routinely fish some high-gradient rivers with current in between rapids, and the river bottoms are more like boulder gardens, and I've yet to get a drag chain setup stuck that I could not get loose and continue my trip. Plus, depending on the depth, I can let just enough anchor rope out that the chains are barely touching bottom and it slows my drift to the point I can control my speed going downriver. Of course never drop the chains in rapids or too-fast water! I personally know a guy who had a spike-type anchor puncture one of his tubes. He had a little too much rope out the back of his boat and he dropped over a ledge and the anchor started swinging until it made contact with his tube and popped it! Not good news when you're on a full-day float trip and you're only 1/2 way through. Personally, I would avoid an anchor with sharp spikes or bolts protruding from it. Not a good combination with inflatable boats. Just my $0.02.
Larry, there are several manufacturers that make high-quality, whitewater rated and worthy pontoon boats. They are not just for still waters anymore. The WW rated boats are generally not cheap, but if you like float-fishing rivers, there are boats out there that are very river-worthy...as worthy of the river as any framed raft or drift boat.
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