210 CC Anchor setup for Gulf Coast of Florida

[OspreyVic]

Looking for ideas and opinions as to what others have found successful when fishing off the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Most sites are saying to use 1/2 inch rope, with 10 feet of BBB 1/4 inch chain, stainless swivel, with a stainless steel shackle. One person I trust suggested a 3/8 inch rope because the 1/2 inch rope gets stiff and hard to handle. The anchor would only be used when fishing, not in an anchorage overnight.

I also doubt that I will anchor in much more than 100 ft of water, but do NOT want more rope than will fit into the anchor locker.

So far, I like the looks of Anchor Concepts 8 lb HydroBubble Anchor. Designed for lighter weight hand deployment, the Standard Design HydroBubble features a stainless plow and an aluminum shank. The Standard model’s shank is made from high tensile heat-treated aluminum.

You can see their anchors at http://www.anchorconcepts.com/.

Vic in Osprey FL

[k9reno]

I have 300 ft of 3/8 line on my anchor. The anchor locker could hold twice as much., but you try pulling in 300 ft of anchor line by hand. Decent 3/8 line will have a high enough strength that it should handle anything your 210 would need. The anchor you named looks like it will work alot better than the danforth I have been using.

[Putershark]

And don't forget the Anchor Ball :wink:

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catal...=SearchResults

Sure will save you a lot of greif if the puppy gets either hung up OR you have a ton of Rode sent out. Here again the more chain you have (I had about 12 feet) the less Rode (line) you will have to use to hold her in the place. You can also use the Anchor Ball to make yourself a quick release anchor. Hang into a big fish OR have a ship heading your way :shock: , just have the ball "attached" (not using the ring) and pitch the whole mess into the water. The ball (if tied to the Rode) will float it and you can come back later and pick it all back up. :lol:

[Fishin' DC's]

I use a Danforth anchor (8lb, I believe), 12' of chain (2-6' sections attached by a shackle) on 3/8" rope. I carry 3 spools of 150' rope (for those trips over to the deep water Atlantic side). I keep the rope on extension cord wind-up spools that you can get from Home Depot with stainless steel connectors on the end. That way, if I need to add more rope, I break out the next spool from the mega hold and clamp it to the end of the line I just paid out, and let out some more.

My wife got me the anchor ball for a birthday gift and I'm looking forward to using it...looking REAL forward to it.

[Tums]

Originally Posted by OspreyVic

Looking for ideas and opinions as to what others have found successful when fishing off the Gulf Coast of Florida.
Vic in Osprey FL

Vic if you are going to fish the big reefs (IE sunk ships, Cut off oil platforms, Basically anything with alot of debri) I suggest having some cheap grappling hooks made. You will lose anchors in these reefs when they get tangled up. I have some of the guys in my fabrication department make me some 5# grapplings. I just get the cheap rope from Walmart and drop the hook into the wreck and tie it off. I have them weld 1/4" soft steel onto a big base so I can bend the hooks when pulling it loose from the wrecks. It is alot lighter than pulling up a anchor and keeps you on the wreck just the same. When you get it back to the boat all you have to do is bend the soft steel back to use again. Saves money and works better than anchors to me. For regular anchoring I use a 13# fluke anchor with 7' of 1/2" chain and 500' of 1/2" anchor rope.
PS: I order my anchor rope through a locol Farmers COOP and it cost me about 1/2 the price for the same rope as West Marine uses.

[algee]

Has anyone tried a windlass on a 21. If so, how did you mount it, and how did it work for you?
Thanks, Al