Reply With QuoteWe always try the jiggle method first. You’d be surprised how often it works.Originally Posted by Noelm
Sent from my iPhone using Ausfish mobile app
Yep, agree 100%, I fish a spot regularly that has a kind of sandstone bottom, made up of kind of small almost groove like furrows with right angled gutters running across them, these run mostly NE to SW (I have dived there many times). Now, if the wind is just right (or wrong) your rope comes from the gutters, and along these furrows (which are quite deep, but narrow) and unless you can pull your rope and chain directly up and along them, your anchor is staying right where is it, in NE wind, you never use your anchor ball, but instead, just motor along and pull the rope straight up by hand, it's a pain, but better in the end.
We always try the jiggle method first. You’d be surprised how often it works.
Sent from my iPhone using Ausfish mobile app
From long experience as a diver and crayfisherman, I know what Scottar says is true. Too much chain is also a problem in reefy areas, it tends to hang low and get snagged itself. Divers who recover lost anchors in Perth comment on this. I just refuse to drop a pick into that kind of bottom, ie, stuff which is obviously riddled with deep crevices and caves. It's really easy to pick on a good sounder. Just go a bit further, if you have to, look for less gnarly stuff. I've only ever lost two anchors, and I anchor a lot , always around reef. Firstly, obey the above rule, it may mean having a it more rope out, and also don't drop on the far side of a big lump. I fish a lot of very lumpy bottom at times, particularly when I go north, stuff which will come straight up from 20 fathoms to 14 or 15, then straight down again. If you drop on the far side and hang back over it, you risk either dragging the anchor up into the heavy structure on the face, or actually chafing your rope off as it is rubbing on the top lip. These accounted for both my losses.
I actually prefer either a sliding shank kind of danforth, hard to get in larger sizes, or a sarca. These mean I can drop on really light or rubbley ground, and hold well, to hang back over where i want to fish. While a danforth sounds like a really bad idea around reef, the sliding shank type has a built-in trip. I had one for years,(6kg) always came back up, often bent, just straighten it out again. This was using an anchor ball. Until it got chafed off well above the chain, over a lump. With a 4 prong and an anchor winch, you will be straightening it out every time it comes up, and climbing up the bow to do it.
Also for guys using those beefed pick anchors take a long a bit of steel tubing to stick over the prong and leaver it back around, you wouldn't believe how tough some of them are to bend in the boat...
The little one that is in use on the reefs off the Gold Coast and the bigger one that really does not like to let go.
One is on the boat the big one is on the fence in fact as opposed to hypothetically. The little guy bends easily and unbends the same way which is probably the crux of the story.
The small one has always provided all the holding power the 6.2 Vag needs no matter what tide is running or wind is blowing, go figure?
20180803_154954.jpg20180730_110123.jpg
What could go wrong.......................
I fished the reef’s off Townsville for 10 years and it cost me one bruce anchor. I used a ball to retrieve and a very long but light chain 12m 6or8mm normal link. One day it just wasn’t coming up so cut it off. I never considered where I threw it just threw it in and let it do its thing. The Bruce style picks work very well when set up as a trip with cable ties.
Bought a KYZANKA stainless Mooloolaba style actually one of the first he made before they were named and still use it. Not set as a trip as I’m very lazy since getting my anchor winch and so far it’s been very stuck twice but managed to get it back both times.
Have a look at the KYZANKA stuff on the book face he does a bloody good job and all Aussie made in Townsville or possibly Bowen now. He’s created some new designs and they work very well. I grabbed another one just as a spare but never used in anger yet.
Has your kyzanka started rusting yet?
Jack.
Still looks like the day I bought it to be honest.
I am a firm believer that reef picks need very short tines on them.
They hold better and snag less.
I made a collapsible reef pick years ago and it works perfectly.
Jack.
I tend to agree. Mine are usually a 180 degree bend with a radius of 50-60mm and with a lead filled centre so they sink faster than the chain.
Posting Permissions