Article by Capt. Mark Sampson
I once took a group of commercial divers out who were doing research work around an offshore wreck. When we arrived at the coordinates and the depth finder confirmed that we were indeed over the wreck, one of the divers slipped overboard, swam down and attached our anchor line to the structure. When the boat settled back on the line, it was exactly where it needed to be for the divers to do their work. At least from my perspective, it was the easiest and most precise anchoring I've ever done. I expect that a lot of anglers would agree that if setting up on a wreck could always be even half that easy it would alleviate a lot of the stress and drama often associated with getting a boat parked exactly where it needs to be so that those on board can enjoy some good fishing.
Actually, since my trip with the divers didn't involve an anchor at all, I guess it wouldn't be fair to describe it as "anchoring", even though the end result was pretty much the same. However, considering the vast array of wrecks and reefs found off Delmarva and the ever increasing popularity of bottom fishing, you can bet that on every fishable day there are plenty of local anglers very much involved with the sometimes very challenging task of trying to set an anchor in just the right place so that their boat winds-up exactly where they want it to be, and more than a few would just love to have the luxury of sending a diver down to do the work for them.
At times, anchoring a boat can be as simple as sending an anchor down to the bottom and tying the line off to the bow. Of course, if it's that easy you're probably sitting in the middle of a quiet little pond where there is no wind or current trying to push or drag the boat off in one direction or the other. Anywhere else, particularly in our back bays and in the ocean, there are a lot of variables someone must take into account to properly get the job done in a safe and efficient manner.
One of the biggest concerns for someone trying to anchor is, or at least should be, determining what the bottom is made of and what, if anything, is lying on it. Is the bottom mud, sand, clay, rocks, coral, natural or man-made debris such as branches, trees, concrete rubble, sunken boats, pipes, power cables or a combination of any of these things? Knowing what's down there should clue the boater into knowing what type of anchor to use and how much chain they need not to mention whether it's even safe to try to anchor in the first place. Knowing that every time an anchor is dropped, it's eventually going to have to be recovered, boaters must keep in mind that there are bottoms with so many snags that no matter how much they might "want" to anchor their vessel, doing so is simply out of the question because, unless they have a diver aboard, they'll "never" get their anchor back.
The aforementioned "wind and current" are common obstacles to easy anchoring. Both forces will push a boat in the direction they are going. But, depending upon which force is strongest, a boat will either end up down-wind or down-current of its own anchor. Wind and current will affect different boat designs differently. A shallow draft boat will be pushed around more by the wind whereas a deep drafted vessel will likely feel more effect from the current.
When wind and current are traveling in close to the same direction, it can make it easier for the boater to determine where their boat will end up once the line comes tight, but if both forces are exceptionally strong, it can put so much strain on the anchor that holding bottom can become a problem. Boaters should be extra cautious anytime they anchor in a strong current because if the anchor line suddenly comes tight it can snatch the boat forcibly in the direction of the anchor, pitching passengers and gear to one side, and in some cases even capsizing the boat! Anglers who fish around the Rt.50 Bridge or inlet area should be extra mindful of how hard the current is running before attempting to anchor their boat.
For obvious reasons, very deep water can be a limiting factor for some boaters to anchor in only because a they might not have enough line to do so. "Scope" is the term used to describe the length of an anchor line in relation to the depth of the water and is shown as a ratio of line to depth. For example, a 5:1 ratio would be five-feet of line for every one-foot of depth. There is no hard and fast rule of how much line to put out for every measure of depth, it all depends upon the situation at the time, but suffice to say that there is almost always going to be a lot more line than depth. The stronger the wind or current and the more critical it is that the boat does not drag the anchor, the longer the line (scope) will need to be. The last thing a wreck fisherman wants is for their anchor to drag, because if it does it's going to end up hanging in the very structure they are trying to fish and getting it out might not be an option!
Last, but certainly not least, before anglers drop anchor they must decide if it's an appropriate place to do so taking into consideration what's going on above the surface of the water. If you want to stay safe and don't want to make enemies it's best not to anchor in areas where there is a lot of boat traffic. The middle of a channel or inlet would not be good. Neither would be a place where there are a lot of other boats and fishermen who are drifting or trolling. You also won't make any friends if you anchor directly in front of where shore, bridge or pier-based anglers are trying to fish their lines. Safety and common courtesy should always prevail when considering where to anchor.
Capt. Mark Sampson is an outdoor writer and captain of the charter boat, “Fish Finder”, docked at the Ocean City Fishing Center.
