FG,
A sash weight is a weight from old style double hung windows. They were inside the window sash and counterbalanced the weight of the window (hence- Sash weight). They may be a litle hard to find unless you have a second hand store around that deals in building materials.
REE
Any of you guys and gals that use kickboats, tubes, etc ever use anchors and if so what kind?
she who dies with the most toy’s wins.
Get about 12’ of heavy chain fold it over about 4 times and tie a rope through one end. It works like a charm. If it is too heavy just use less chain.
Born to fish forced to work.
Alan
Sweeet! I was using 4 chains of about 4-6 links on a big carabiner. I am thinking of wrapping some duct tape around it when on rivers, any opinion on that?
Vocelli, Thanks, it’s good to know from others experience.
she who dies with the most toy’s wins.
When I had a float tube I used a sash weight, which JC dipped in some liquid rubber stuff.
A thin nylon cord clipped to a D-ring worked fine. Whole thing was small enough to stick into one of the tubes side pockets when not in use.
LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
I am not familiar with a sash weight?
she who dies with the most toy’s wins.
Duh, as soon as I came back to this post and focused the the word sash, I registered. LOL
she who dies with the most toy’s wins.
Cannonball downrigger weight, 3#. Keeps me steady in a light breeze. Aaything stronger the waves annoy me. I have a real float tube anchor but it is a PITA to use.
RW here,
We think alike DG. I too use an old downrigger ball for my Old Town solo canoe. If it’s too windy to hold, I shouldn’t be out there with a 1-weight anyway.
Later, RW
“Maybe your stature as a fly fisherman isn’t determined by how big a trout you can catch, but by how small a trout you can catch without being disappointed.” <John Gierach>
FG…can’t believe why no one has mentioned this to you yet…
“Sweeet! I was using 4 chains of about 4-6 links on a big carabiner. I am thinking of wrapping some duct tape around it when on RIVERS, any opinion on that?”
Yes…do NOT use a tube on rivers. There’s a chance you’ll drown if you become trapped on underwater pbjects etc.
And that anchor…NO-NO lady!! Not under ANY circumstances.
With regards,
Jeremy.
Dumbbell exercise weights…pick your weight…can be picked up at the thrift stores on the cheap…or if you’re like me use the ones you, with all good intentions, aren’t using [G].
Or if carrying weight is an issue I will carry an empty onion mesh bag and fill it with rocks at the fishing site.
Buy a regular float tube anchor with the bag and line winder and get yourself an Anchor Cleat from Hookset Innovations, (Nick Batastic).
[url=http://www.floatntote.com/Content/Product%20Pages/Anchor%20Cleat.asp:ed4a6]http://www.floatntote.com/Content/Product%20Pages/Anchor%20Cleat.asp[/url:ed4a6]
If you have a float tube with a handle or D-ring at the rear, (bow); clip a “biner” to the D-ring/handle and thread the anchor line through it. The Anchor Cleat has a line cleat to hold the anchor line secure and the anchor bag too. It works great and makes deploying your anchor a breeze.
Here’s my boat and anchor rig:
Jeremy,
You are right about the float tube, I don’t use one I use a pontoon, maybe I should have mention Tubes or Toons (oh wait…I did, hehehe).
As far as the anchor, I know what you are going to say. Even walking in the water disturbs aquadic (m/s) life. However these chain anchors are nothing new. I will ease your mind by telling you I do very little river drifting. Growing up with the Snake for a back yard I know what you mean by under tow.
I have tried all anchors (except that bar bell thing and sash) and I have experienced the anchor getting caught in weeds so bad I thought I was going to have to cut the rope, not to mention what it did to my hands.
I did learn two new alternatives /\ Thanks.
she who dies with the most toy’s wins.
Bam,
My experience has been different from yours…had one of those anchors and it wouldn’t hold me…I pretty much only use an anchor in the wind and maybe it’s stronger where I fish…anyway I was going to rig the system like you did but never bothered…sold the anchor…BTW the tube was the same as your picture.
FG;
I have a minature danforth style anchor on my tube. It’s one step up from an ear ring!! But, it works!!
Bamboozle;
Is that a Wood River tube?
Don’t forget the Michigan Fish-In August 14th to the 20th. The Holy Water’s of the Au Sable await you!!
Cactus
I don’t know, one of the main reason’s I like to use a float tube instead of a boat or canoe is that I don’t need to anchor. I just use my feet and flippers to keep myself positioned. I don’t use the tube where there’s a current.
I really only use my anchor when it’s REALLY windy or when I want to take a lunch or beverage break and don’t want to drift into likely fishing spots. The rest of the time my flippers do the trick keeping me out of trouble.
ducksterman:
Maybe the bottom of your fishin’ hole was mud so the anchor didn’t grab? In any case my rig works 99% of the time for me where I fish, IN STILL WATER ONLY.
Jack Hise:
Yup, that’s my pride & joy, a Wood River Gliderider Deluxe Edition with all the trimmings: cooler for snacks or your favorite beverage, detachable Wood River Gliderider bag preloaded with all my soft plastic goodies, Anchor Cleat and my custom made, Scotty two rod holder. Also not in view is my Wood River seat cover that fits over a square throw-able PFD/seat cushion. The PFD/cushion gives you a slightly higher position while the cover keeps your butt from sliding; an awesome product!
Wood River, the best float tube ever!!
Chain has long been outlawed in the west, first because it is a lousy anchoring system. It drags along the bottom damaging it and decreasing the water’s productivity.
In the old days out west people dragged chain to slow their drift, between that and the waterways being used to move logs great fish producing waterways have been damaged forever.
For packing in to lakes, I like a bag of rocks with parachute cord. Stops the wind drift. Obviously you pick up the rocks at the lake.