# Donating Anchors



## LarryWelch (Feb 29, 2008)

I've been fishing the Galveston jetties and the surrounding areas (Selma, Pelican Island bridge, etc.) for about 6 years now (probably a total of about 100 days on the water) and I've donated about 7 or 8 anchors during that time. I don't try to anchor right on the rocks and still lost an anchor on my last trip near the boat cut at the North Jetty about 50 yards from the rocks near the weather station. We were able to do a 360 around the anchor, but could not pull it loose. I even lost one about 100 yards away from the Pelican Island bridge in 25 feet of water several months ago.

I always keep a back up, but am just wondering if this is to be expected? I use about 6 to 10 feet of chain and use a 6 or 10 pound slip-ring anchor like the one pictured.


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## Marsh Man (Jun 8, 2011)

*try the claw type*

This is what I use. Ijust use a couple of tie wraps @ end. If it hags, a good tug will break the ties and it will release. just carry u extra tie wraps.. should have @ West Marine.


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## Marsh Man (Jun 8, 2011)

^^^^ That's not my anchor but it's rigged very similar. Holds my 22' Blackjack very good..:flag:


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## Hollywood1053 (May 15, 2009)

I've donated 5 or 6 at the Port A jetties over the past few years.........


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

Some scuba diver should open up an anchor store. I bet all the jetty systems are loaded with them.


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## Lexy1 (Jul 12, 2012)

justletmein said:


> Some scuba diver should open up an anchor store. I bet all the jetty systems are loaded with them.


Those and all the fishing gears (rods, reels, leaders, weights, lures) ... enough to supply a tackle store.
Some might be collectible items as well.


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## Trouthappy (Jun 12, 2008)

I found an aluminum Fortress anchor at the POC jetties years ago, when blue water moved in one August and there was visibility down there. That was one lucky anchor, I used it for years in the rocks. Seems like I had about four feet of chain. I finally sold the boat and the anchor was still on there. You probably don't want to use much chain unless you're anchored in strong current with hard sand.


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## V-Bottom (Jun 16, 2007)

Danforth anchors are no good anyway! A Boyles Anchor is the only way to go, + some chain...imho


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## foxtrot (Oct 24, 2012)

Sometimes its just uavoidable no matter what you do. We've all donated one or six...


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## Kevin Spectackler (Feb 1, 2012)

See my post in this earlier thread
http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=429761


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## coogerpop (Sep 3, 2009)

Marsh Man said:


> This is what I use. Ijust use a couple of tie wraps @ end. If it hags, a good tug will break the ties and it will release. just carry u extra tie wraps.. should have @ West Marine.


DON'T USE TIE WRAPS!!!!!!! those plastic things that PoPo's use for handcuffs...They are really strong....use a wrap of fishing line or 20-30 lb mono....that will break free when you tug on it...


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## CAPSIZED (Aug 10, 2004)

don't feel bad I've lost at least 7 this year. Ive tried them all and the mity mite works the best but you can still get it wedged too deep to retrieve. I only buy cheap anchors now. The best method is to pull directly on top of the anchor and bounce the chain up and down to break it free. but some times theres nothing you can do except cut the rope and carry a spare.


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## troutslayer3 (Apr 23, 2008)

About two years ago me and my father in law were fishing towards the end of the south jetties about along cast away from the rocks.when it was time to leave I went to pull anchor but it was stock good! We tried all different angles with no luck. Finally he had enough and had me wrap the rope around the back cleat, got the line tight and hit the throttle knowing he might lose the cleat and not really caring at this point.at almost full throttle the 250 Yamaha started moving us slowly, we got free and pulled the extremely now heavy rope up, including his anchor we had five other anchors with hundreds of yards of mono, hooks, weights, lures.like a big ball of a rusted Christmas present! Lol nothing salvageable though


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## nhampton (Aug 8, 2007)

troutslayer3 said:


> About two years ago me and my father in law were fishing towards the end of the south jetties about along cast away from the rocks.when it was time to leave I went to pull anchor but it was stock good! We tried all different angles with no luck. Finally he had enough and had me wrap the rope around the back cleat, got the line tight and hit the throttle knowing he might lose the cleat and not really caring at this point.at almost full throttle the 250 Yamaha started moving us slowly, we got free and pulled the extremely now heavy rope up, including his anchor we had five other anchors with hundreds of yards of mono, hooks, weights, lures.like a big ball of a rusted Christmas present! Lol nothing salvageable though


I know troutslayer3 has enough experience to pull this off (or out), but those inexpeienced please note that some guys tried to do this off Florida coast a few years back. Only one made it back, some were NFL players. Don't know if they actually pulled the stern under or a following wave swamped the boat, but it was very tragic.


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## LarryWelch (Feb 29, 2008)

I appreciate all the good information and tips and the link to the prior threads. I plan to try these and hope it will be a while before I donate again. I like the idea of an extra rope tied to the base of the anchor to pull straight up and it looks like the claw type anchor uses this same idea.


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## Cody C (May 15, 2009)

We lose a lot of anchors at the jetties. You need at least 6ft of chain or else the rocks will cut through the rope. 

We can't use the tie wrap method because the strong currents and waves at the jettes will snap them. 

It's just another part of the game. 

Also love when we throw the anchor to go chase a fish, current then holds the buoy under water. Somebody showed up first thing sat morning and took our buoy and the other guys out there, anchor. Both buoys had names... I know, we left them, but we left them at 11 and they were gone by 8 am.

Pretty much anything that goes in the water at the jetties should be expected to be lost lol


Cody C


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## aggie182 (Sep 12, 2010)

We pulled up another anchor at the Galveston jetties once. Kind of odd I thought, but it sounds like there are plenty littering the bottom out there.


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## foxtrot (Oct 24, 2012)

nhampton said:


> I know troutslayer3 has enough experience to pull this off (or out), but those inexpeienced please note that some guys tried to do this off Florida coast a few years back. Only one made it back, some were NFL players. Don't know if they actually pulled the stern under or a following wave swamped the boat, but it was very tragic.


X2
The tide/current around the jetties as well as a passing tanker can shoot a rogue wave at you. Definatly potential to turn for the worse quickly. Be safe out there doing this method.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

There are a ton of differant sizes of zip ties. The police use a thing called flex cuffs. Small zip ties work well.


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## FireEater (Jul 31, 2009)

Fishing Galveston South Jetty last month and went to pull up anchor. Just got a new 22 pound Plow Anchor and was not about to lose this one. Had it setup Jetty style except with 2 large zip ties. Found out that 2 is to much as they never broke.

Got directly over anchor, tied rope off and tried every which way to get it up. Finally just went forward with open throttle, and noticed we were moving. Told my buddy it is loose but it seems we hung something.

So we were about 100 yards beyond end of Jetty and I looped rope around cleat one time and told his grandpa to pull it tight everytime I pulled up slack.

We had 4 to 5 foot rollers that day, so when the boat went down I pulled up. Took over an hour to finally see the chain as we were in 55 feet of water.

We had also drifted into the channel, down the Jetty about 100 yards. The bow of the boat was pointing down from the weight. Took another 30 minutes to see the anchor with 6 foot of chain. Saw a rope around it and tied a rope around it and secured it to a side cleat.

Then cut zip ties and anchor flipped and rope released. When it hung on side cleat, boat lean over. Buddy then tied off to back cleat and I released load. Boat then leaned over in back.

Started to heave on rope a little at at time and it took about 20 minutes to see a mess we snagged.

Looking at my stripes, you can see how low the boat is from the weight. 









Coming up









Together, we got part of it over. 









Then a little more









And finally all of it









Had a reel in it I wish I had kept.









Floundered back to the Dike as the boat would not come up on plane with the heavy load. The more I gave it to come up on plane, the higher the bow went up.

Finally made it to the Dike and loaded boat. As I was cleaning fish, buddy was cleaning the mess.










Ended with all these anchors in it and kept the claw anchor which cleaned up nicely. 









That mess had everything in it from years of leaders, to rope, chain, cast net, cable, you name it.

I went to using one large zip tie now and it works fine, but after this weekend, I will set the anchor back up normally and use a back up rope to pull it out.

It got stuck again Wednesday and the zip tie didn't break. Couldn't get it up for nothing. Finally got my brain working and simply tied off the back up rope, 100 feet of1/4" poly rope tied to the bottom of anchor with a buoy attached to end of it.

Loosened up the anchor rope and was able to actually pull anchor loose by hand. Once up, the anchor rope was rubbed almost in half as it had went under a rock and was rubbing on it while we were fishing.

Once I get the windlass I have installed, then we will only have to handle the 1/4" back up rope.


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## Kevin Spectackler (Feb 1, 2012)

FireEater said:


> Fishing Galveston South Jetty last month and went to pull up anchor. Just got a new 22 pound Plow Anchor and was not about to lose this one. Had it setup Jetty style except with 2 large zip ties. Found out that 2 is to much as they never broke.
> 
> Got directly over anchor, tied rope off and tried every which way to get it up. Finally just went forward with open throttle, and noticed we were moving. Told my buddy it is loose but it seems we hung something.
> 
> ...


You really deserve some kind a award for pulling up that mess and documenting it. There's probably 100 years accumulation of that stuff down there, or more.


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## V-Bottom (Jun 16, 2007)

*holy chit.....*



FireEater said:


> Fishing Galveston South Jetty last month and went to pull up anchor. Just got a new 22 pound Plow Anchor and was not about to lose this one. Had it setup Jetty style except with 2 large zip ties. Found out that 2 is to much as they never broke.
> 
> Got directly over anchor, tied rope off and tried every which way to get it up. Finally just went forward with open throttle, and noticed we were moving. Told my buddy it is loose but it seems we hung something.
> 
> ...


 what a healthy haul that was...amazing....I saved these pics...thanx a bunch for the pics sir


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