Orange Anchor Line Bouys

[longfisher]

Gents,

On a recent offshore trip, we hooked up to a rig and chummed hoping to bring up the snapper. Instead, we brought up amberjacks and sharks.

One particularly large shark took a long down-current bait and, given it's apparent size, I wanted to chase it down after it'd taken about 200 yards of line down-current. But we had trouble unhooking and ultimately lost the fish in the mayhem.

So, I'm looking into one of those large most often orange balls to put on the end of the anchor/hook rode. My hope is that I could just mark the spot (rig or anchor location) on my GPS and let the line go with the intent to retrieve later.

I don't know whether it's adviseable to do this from a rig hook and would like to hear some other opinions. Also, is there any trick to using one of those things, particuarly if I'm solo in the boat?

Thanks for any input you might have.

Longfisher

[HOLWACHAGOT]

Here ya go.
Holwachagot

[gottaflylee]

longfisher, "tossing the ball" is something we do all the time on both the small and big boat, even do it when I am ducking, but I use a magnum decoy then...
Shark or Tarpon fishing in the river, it is common practice along with many other times to "hold" the spot...

[Capt. Lyndon]

When chasing large king mackerel on the hook, I use a line with an in-line snap shackled in every 100 ft. When I cleat the line off, I'll pull line out out to the next snap, unsnap it from the remainder of line in the locker, then snap my poly-ball on to the end coming from the anchor. You get a big fish on that you have to chase, just uncleat your line and throw the ball over board. After landing the fish, just pull back up to your poly-ball, get it back on board and reposition the boat back wherever you had it. This way keeps you from having to dump a couple hundred feet of line, and let's get you get after you fish much sooner.

[longfisher]

Capt. Lyndon:

That's a terrific idea with the snaps.

May I ask specifically about the snaps. It seems they'd need to be extremely strong, right? I'm unfamiliar with such snaps. Can you direct me to a source?

Also, any advice on how to more easily retrive the anchor when I'm solo? Usually, I have to simply pull the boat along as I recover anchor rode until I get over the anchor. Then I cleat it off and unseat the anchor with the boat. Then I hand over hand pull it in. It's a real job in a strong current or a sea or both. And, it's exhausting and tends to give me mal de mar.

I once heard a forum speaker say something about using the ball to bring the anchor up but he didn't offer details on how to do it.

Thanks for all your help.

Longfisher

[HOLWACHAGOT]

Capt. Lyndon:

That's a terrific idea with the snaps.

May I ask specifically about the snaps. It seems they'd need to be extremely strong, right? I'm unfamiliar with such snaps. Can you direct me to a source?

Also, any advice on how to more easily retrive the anchor when I'm solo? Usually, I have to simply pull the boat along as I recover anchor rode until I get over the anchor. Then I cleat it off and unseat the anchor with the boat. Then I hand over hand pull it in. It's a real job in a strong current or a sea or both. And, it's exhausting and tends to give me mal de mar.

I once heard a forum speaker say something about using the ball to bring the anchor up but he didn't offer details on how to do it.

Thanks for all your help.

Longfisher

LONGFISHER,
when I saw you looking for the orange poly balls I just assumed you knew of the anchor retrieval ring system that works hand in hand with the poly ball. The link I provided sells them I believe.
You will love how simple the ring will make retrieving the anchor. It allows you to free the anchor and bring it to the top with the boat. Then you just pull in the rope and poly ball...the anchor will be floating with the ball. Hope that makes sense. Hand over hand is a pain...not to mention...dangerous as hell solo. The bouy retrieval system is the heat.
Holwachagot

[Avenger]

Pulling the anchor with the ball is a pretty handy trick, especially if your windlass whines about having to pull up 500 feet of anchor line, (and says things like "Why don't you get an electric windlass?" the way mine does.)

They sell kits for it, or you can make yor own, it's simply a stainless steel ring that goes around the anchor line, and the poly-ball gets clipped to the eyes of the ring. Then you run the boat past (not over) the anchor which forms a loop in the line and drags the polyball down. Eventually the bouyancy of the ball pulls the anchor and it ends up in the ring floating from the ball. I don't know if that makes it clear or not, but here's a picture of the kit:

I see typewachagotfasterthanIdo beat me to it, but it took me a while to find a picture.

[longfisher]

Many thanks, guys. That's exactly the ticket.

Thanks again,

LongFisher

[longfisher]

Now that I know to call it a pollyball, I quickly found the following video on how to use it to retrieve the anchor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwiNDQW_r08

Incredibly simple. The video narrator said he pulled up 300 - 400 ft. of rode...all within about 2 minutes and without any noticeable work whatsoever.

I'm gonna order one today!

Thanks again, guys.

Longfisher

[Captain Michael Buffington]

when you tie up either with the hook or tossing a tie up line on a cleat take your end of the tie up line and attatch a gallon bleach jug half full of water to your loop. When you hook jaws just toss the milk jug in the water and chase the fish. If you dont add the water in the jug it tends to not grab the current and your line will drift back into the rig.

Mike