Halibut anchoring with windlass vs hand pull

[jackfish]

I’m new to halibut fishing. 21’ welded aluminum boat with a windlass. I’m trying to decide between getting a separate hand pull (with buoy) anchor vs using my windlass. Windlass rode is only 170’, so thinking of separate cheap rope and anchor for Hali fishing. Otherwise I buy a long rode and use the windlass. Thoughts?

 

[kaelc]

Definitely need a halibut anchoring system. Windlass is dangerous when anchoring in the open ocean in my opinion. You need to be able disengage or cut the line from the stern and the bow pulpit would be under a lot of stress if there is a rouge wave. I hope to sell mine soon. Lots available used.

 

[Fixit]

use an anchor ring and a scotchman to pull the anchor. then if you have an ace puller it will coil the rope on deck. no hand bombing the line

 

[Flashman]

use an anchor ring and a scotchman to pull the anchor. then if you have an ace puller it will coil the rope on deck. no hand bombing the line

I agree. The ring and buoy is fast, simple and easy.

You don't even need to carry a separate Scotchman. I pull a 4kg anchor and 15' of chain no problem with an 8.5" diameter bumper, the one I've got on the boat anyhow for docking. Works fine. For some reason a lot of people end up carrying around big Scotchman specifically to pull their halibut anchor. Unless you've got a giant anchor or a huge amount of chain it's just not necessary.

 

[Fixit]

my anchor is 16lbs and 100ft of 3/16" chain. I use a G3 scotchman

 

[kaelc]

A red scotch man is nice and visible and I have some heavy chain and 20lb anchor. I’ve pulled it under before, would go with anything less than what Trotac recommends.

 

[kaelc]

Totally recommend you get out with @bluewolf charters or any of us and get someone to teach you how to put out the anchor and retrieve it properly. A friend almost flipped his boat and did loose his anchor a couple years ago and i heard a rumour another guy got his anchor line wrapped a couple weeks ago and lost his anchor.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1358461157615671

 

[wolf]

A scotsman is just not used for pulling the anchor up it main use is to be the cusion from the bottom of the ocean and your boat it takes all the pressure . I STRONGLY suggest you learn the proper way. Anchoring can and is very dangerous **** happens fast Ive seen more over these last couple of years,
And yes last week a guy did get into huge trouble in very rough conditions.

 

[jackfish]

Thanks for the suggestion and offer to teach, Kaelc.
Also thanks to all responses.
Sounds like having a separate deep water anchor setup, with a scotchman, is the best option.
Then I'd be saving the windlass setup for just shallower protected bay anchoring.

 

[Rain City]

Thanks for the suggestion and offer to teach, Kaelc.
Also thanks to all responses.
Sounds like having a separate deep water anchor setup, with a scotchman, is the best option.
Then I'd be saving the windlass setup for just shallower protected bay anchoring.

I attempted a 250 foot anchor off the windlass once, just to see how it would go. Wind picked up just in time. 1 star, would not recommend.

 

[jackfish]

use an anchor ring and a scotchman to pull the anchor. then if you have an ace puller it will coil the rope on deck. no hand bombing the line

I like the idea of using the ace puller to bring in the line, once pulled up on the scotchman. I need that automatic coiler gizmo...

 

[trophywife]

use the same set up, save your dough on the windlass expense. tie a figure 8 to what ever depth you need and use your bow cleat. stow the rest in a tote. this for shallow safe anchorages.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Don't forgot the stern to bow line to clip the anchor line to - this is the most important safety/quick release part of the whole set up.

 

[Charter Tofino]

I agree. The ring and buoy is fast, simple and easy.

You don't even need to carry a separate Scotchman. I pull a 4kg anchor and 15' of chain no problem with an 8.5" diameter bumper, the one I've got on the boat anyhow for docking. Works fine. For some reason a lot of people end up carrying around big Scotchman specifically to pull their halibut anchor. Unless you've got a giant anchor or a huge amount of chain it's just not necessary.

A few reasons for a bigger Scotchman

1.When you hang up your anchor, the drag and lift on a bigger scotchman is crucial to pop it.

2. If you have to leave your setup for whatever reason, the larger float is more visible and won’t get pulled under by the tide.

3. You can run a heavy anchor. I run 10 kg and 20 ft of heavy chain. Nothing worse than dragging off your spot 45 minutes into an anchor if there is big tide/swell/wind.

 

[Roberth]

I agree. The ring and buoy is fast, simple and easy.

You don't even need to carry a separate Scotchman. I pull a 4kg anchor and 15' of chain no problem with an 8.5" diameter bumper, the one I've got on the boat anyhow for docking. Works fine. For some reason a lot of people end up carrying around big Scotchman specifically to pull their halibut anchor. Unless you've got a giant anchor or a huge amount of chain it's just not necessary.

You need 1.5 times the length of your boat in chain to anchor safely

 

[Fishdude]

For anchoring, I use a one-way puller (EZ Marine, mine happens to be, but others are probably great too).
The buoy takes weight off of the bow, when in strong current (salt-water, or river) is important.
With the one-way puller, I just drive forward, and the buoy/puller lifts it to the surface. Then I circle around to the buoy, and then the rode pulls in so easily that an 8 year-old girl could actually do it.

 

[Umos]

You need 1.5 times the length of your boat in chain to anchor safely

This is an interesting piece of advice that I think warrants a bit of discussion. First, I will say I basically follow this (for now) as my halibut anchoring setup, running basically the same gear as I run at the bow for overnight anchoring. However, the two situations are so different. For bay/overnight anchoring, for safety you really do not want to drag as you can end up on shore or other boats. For halibut anchor, dragging is less of a risk as there typically isn't much behind you, but snagging an anchor and the efforts to free it can become a safety issue, especially in deteriorating weather. For halibut anchoring you can tolerate drag from a safety perspective, but want to minimize it for annoyance reasons of course. Also, the scope recommended for overnight anchoring between 3:1 or 10:1 depending on rode and weather doesn't apply to halibut, where 1:1.5 or 2 might be more common. So what size anchor/chain is best?

 

[Fishdude]

You need 1.5 times the length of your boat in chain to anchor safely

In current that's over, say 2.2 knots, I personally need at least 2.3:1 scope.
It will depend on anchor size, current speed, boat weight, boat hull configuration (flat bottoms need less scope, etc.)

 

[wolf]

This is the exact reason why I offer beginning of the year trips for guys , Me personaly i have close to 50 feet of chain and a 7.5 kg anchor as you want it to hold but not hang up ive found more chain is better for my applications.
I normally dont fish over 1.4 kts anyways as you cant keep gear down in currents like this off victoria. Just be careful and mindfull when ancoring and give guys THAT are already anchored min 500 to 700 feet of room, you really dont need to be that close to people. plain and simple its dangerous

 

[Umos]

That makes a lot of sense. More chain, less anchor. Minimizes snag risk, yet increasing downward pull on an otherwise relatively vertical rope