# Holding your spot



## Florida-Lis (Mar 5, 2014)

OK guys like to hear your tips and tricks on holding your spot.
Im doing ok. Still learning this boat. Everyday is different Tide, wind, waves and boat traffic.

Frist I find my drift no problem.
I find it easier to stern against the drift or wind .
I have twins so I can use a single motor or both.

Here's my problem I'm the Captin and deckhand I feel like im running with my head cutoff some times. 

Not going to anchor or put a marker down unless its a public spot.

I know practice makes perfect. Just wanting to hear if anyone has tips or tricks. I'm always willing to learn and try new ideas to make me a better fishermen.


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## purple haze (Sep 2, 2013)

Not sure of the depths you are fishing. One thing that works for me is first get the wind direction and current direction. Next I set the chart plotter to 120' scale. Then I slowly motor (heading into the wind direction) to be at a complete stop when I am directly over the spot. While you are then at a complete stop sit back and watch what the current is doing to you heading and also what the wind is doing. The chart plotter will show a lot but not everything because of the lack of the anchor line. After drifting 200' then it's time to motor again past the spot and lower your anchor. I like to go past the spot at least 300' in 200' depth because of our anchor style. Once the anchor is set on the bottom wait about five minutes for every thing to settle. If you are at the honey hole great but if not you now have your plotter drift line to reset and then it's time to enjoy a productive day. Remember also your boat need not be directly over the spot I like to anchor just ahead of the spot to drift your baits in the current back the were the bad boys live.


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## Florida-Lis (Mar 5, 2014)

Good info Haze. Let me ask this question... I find myself having to bump the boat in and out of gear to hold a spot. I find that sweet spot 20% of the time. Really wanting to get that percentage up. I have to be honest here. When I have an experienced crew aboard I can chill at the helm and hold it pretty well.


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## Fish N Tales (Jun 14, 2012)

I like to stern anchor....do the same thing haze is saying with figuring out the currents, then I drop the anchor (bendable wreck anchor) and drag it behind the boat at a pretty decent speed (it will float up). Then I go up current, beyond the spot about 500 yards, make a turn down current into the direction I was drifting earlier, and drive straight to the spot. Once I get close to the hole, I throttle down and put the boat in reverse about 75 feet shy of the spot, giving the anchor time to fall. Then your anchored right over it, and if not you can bump the boat forward until you are. I've never done this with a flute anchor though.


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## purple haze (Sep 2, 2013)

Florida-Lis said:


> Good info Haze. Let me ask this question... I find myself having to bump the boat in and out of gear to hold a spot. I find that sweet spot 20% of the time. Really wanting to get that percentage up. I have to be honest here. When I have an experienced crew aboard I can chill at the helm and hold it pretty well.


I do understand with an experienced crew. Line dia.is very important And also type braid or mono. Weight plays a big part also and the way it is attach to the leader. I like a vertical line as much as possible when holding on a spot. The battle is more in your favor to get that copper belly to come home with you. We very seldom hold with our stern into the current or waves and NEVER anchor from the stern. If you have twins and holding on a spot I would recommend keeping both on line and using only the engines to maintain heading of position over the attended spot by bumping the starboard or port engine in and out of gear. I do not touch the helm because with a turn it will make it hard for the guys to keep their lines from going across the under side of the boat.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

Fish N Tales said:


> I like to stern anchor....


great way to end up with a boat at the bottom of the Gulf.


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## jcasey (Oct 12, 2007)

If your not going to anchor, your going to spend the whole time keeping the boat straight and you better have everyone fishing off the same side of the boat so all of your lines don't get crossed. I usually start out trying to keep the boat over whatever we first try to fish, have 1 or 2 drop to see what's down there. If it is something good, I always end up anchoring because I want to be able to fish too. As far as anchoring to give your spot, I'm with you. About a month ago, I had a guy come within about 20 feet of me at the Edge while I was anchored. I'm sure he found himself a nice place to catch some big mingo's.


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## PlaneToSea (Jul 27, 2012)

I've never anchored offshore when bottom fishing or used a marker. I don't see the point unless I'm going spearfishing. My only advice would be to practice as often as you can. There will be days when it's a full time job holding on spot because the current is ripping and there will be days where it's really easy to hold on spot. After some practice you'll be able to take care of your guests while you hold on spot. I normally fish two people of each side of my boat while bottom fishing. Once I've figured out how to hold on a certain spot I can fish as well unless it's really rough or the current is really strong.

Only real tip I could give would be to make sure your boat has a heading sensor which in my opinion makes it much easier. You should be able to hold within 20' consistently after you've practiced some.


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## Fish N Tales (Jun 14, 2012)

*True*



Splittine said:


> great way to end up with a boat at the bottom of the Gulf.


True, but I don't anchor at all if it is rough. I will just hold the boat.


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

I anchor. I bought a boat so I could fish. Not everyone else.  They just get to go as a bonus! haha


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## PlaneToSea (Jul 27, 2012)

I've caught enough fish that I get as much enjoyment out of others catching fish on my boat as I would if I personally caught the fish. Besides I feel like every fish they catch is mine too because I rigged the tackle, found the spot, and everything else.

If the fishing isn't great I've moved on to the next stop within 2 minutes anyways. They are either there or they're not.


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## Florida-Lis (Mar 5, 2014)

PlaneToSea said:


> Only real tip I could give would be to make sure your boat has a heading sensor which in my opinion makes it much easier. You should be able to hold within 20' consistently after you've practiced some.


I'm going to have to look into that. I've been using the compass.


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## Sea-r-cy (Oct 3, 2007)

I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all in holding up a boat. My Twin Vee doesn't like holding stern to, in anything over 1' the guys in the back will be getting wet. I almost always hold up with the engines, but sometimes the boat sits almost still sitting sideways to the wind. Depends on the current.


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## PaulBoydenCustoms (Dec 3, 2008)

I wish they made an ipilot for big boats, lol


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## PlaneToSea (Jul 27, 2012)

Mercury kind of does - It's called Skyhook

http://www.mercurymarine.com/media/mercury/documents/8M0079989_SkyhookDigitalAnchor_SS-113-LR.pdf


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## Mikvi (Mar 11, 2008)

PaulBoydenCustoms said:


> I wish they made an ipilot for big boats, lol


Won't the newest Garmin autopilot hold you on spot. Heard it would, but not used one.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I almost never anchor. I do pretty much everything Gene stated. First drift is the guinea pig; to find out the set and drift and learn how the current and wind play into each other. I start a track and make sure my chart orientation is "North up". I can then see my drift speed which will help me determine how much throttle to use each time I bump it into gear or whether I need to stay in gear for extended periods of time and from which throttle. I also do not touch the helm unless its in a situation where a slight keel-to-current angle is required to combat a contradicting wind.

Practice makes perfect. I take a lot of customers of ours out to three mile barge throughout the year just to practice holding to a spot and learning to treat that stupid little boat icon most systems use as simply a position and not something that shows true heading.


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## Cap'n Davey (Mar 26, 2014)

Fish N Tales said:


> I like to stern anchor....


NEVER, EVER, anchor off your stern . *NEVER!* Keep doing that and we will be reading about you soon enough!

I've been out there on an absolutely calm day and had a set of 4ft waves, out of nowhere, come rolling through. Anchored by the stern and we would have gone down for sure.

This also-

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f26/never-ever-ever-ever-anchor-your-boat-stern-see-attached-36308/

I never anchor either, except in front of Flounders or Red Fin Blue Fish LOL!


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## Gamefish27 (Nov 13, 2009)

PlaneToSea said:


> .
> Only real tip I could give would be to make sure your boat has a *heading sensor* which in my opinion makes it much easier. You should be able to hold within 20' consistently after you've practiced some.


Yes,Yes,Yes... with out a heading sensor..Hell to the No.. lol. did that for one year and will never go with out one again!


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## rr4611 (Aug 8, 2014)

Dumb question maybe. Would the compass on a electronic device like an iPhone work as it doesn't operate on the same principle as a traditional compass?


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## PlaneToSea (Jul 27, 2012)

rr4611 said:


> Dumb question maybe. Would the compass on a electronic device like an iPhone work as it doesn't operate on the same principle as a traditional compass?


No idea, but the last thing I want to deal with offshore is an iPhone all day. This is compass I have that's integrated into my chartplotters to show true heading on the display:

http://www.simrad-yachting.com/en-US/Products/Accessories/Compasses/RC42-Rate-Compass-en-us.aspx


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## Getsome (Sep 28, 2007)

I never anchor. I first motor around the structure I want to fish. Se where the activity is at. I then drift for a few minutes, don't forget to set up your chart plotter to show your drift line. I then determine what direction my drift is, look at my compass and motor back past the direction I came from. I like to turn my stern into the waves and slowly bump motors in reverse as I'm drifting from time to time to hold me over the structure. I forgot the part when I scream drop em!


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## hsiF deR (Oct 4, 2009)

I come over the spot, drop the i Pilot then double click the position lock. .......I can stay as long add my batteries hold.


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## bcahn (Jan 10, 2013)

I usually mark several spots while on the first drift, then place the boat at the top of the drift and see what happens. As the day goes by, I'll have tracked a few lines. Then pick one that's productive. The drift changes as the day goes, so be prepared to adjust. I to fish four people at once and I make sure I get my time on a line or 2. Also, always drift a surface line with a live bait, can't go wrong there. Only problem, you burn a lot of fuel my way, but I'm not the type to shutdown the Yami's and sit, I'm on the move quickly if nothings biting.


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## spinfactor (Sep 22, 2013)

Cap'n Davey said:


> NEVER, EVER, anchor off your stern . *NEVER!* Keep doing that and we will be reading about you soon enough!
> 
> I've been out there on an absolutely calm day and had a set of 4ft waves, out of nowhere, come rolling through. Anchored by the stern and we would have gone down for sure.
> 
> ...


Amen on not anchoring from the stern!!! There's a good reason boats and ships put those anchors on the bow and not the stern. 

I cheat, I toss a bouy marker over the spot. Then do a drift somewhere around the bouy. Make my adjustments and then drop lines to test the water. If all is good, I might drop anchor. Nevertheless, for me the bouy marker really cuts down the guess work as to where I want the bait to drop. And I use American Bandit Bouy, its orange (easy to see, especially at night with a flash light of course) with a black strip showing current direction, its light weight and small to so it stows easily.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

I located a boat sunk on freighter that two young soon to be marrieds drowned on that was attempting to pull an anchor from the stern and sunk imeadiatly when the anchor hung and pulled the stern under. It was rough and at night. Be careful with anything tied on the stern.


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## swhiting (Oct 4, 2007)

sealark said:


> I located a boat sunk on freighter that two young soon to be marrieds drowned on that was attempting to pull an anchor from the stern and sunk imeadiatly when the anchor hung and pulled the stern under. It was rough and at night. Be careful with anything tied on the stern.


I remember that. Didn't they find one towards Navarre and never found the other?

I tried that transom method ONCE, 1, UNO a long, long time ago trying to pull an anchor off the Gulf Power towers. Tried to give it just a little throttle to see if it would break free. Yes, that was stupid. Thankfully, I did have enough sense to have someone standing by the rear cleat with a knife. I'm glad they were quick with cutting that rope. Waves barely missed coming over the transom and gunnels. Bilge kicked in and I ran some out then I idled a little bit thanking God for protecting idiots.

As for holding a spot, I'm with Getsome. One motor is hard to keep bow straight so I turn the stern to the waves. If it's too rough for that, I'll anchor up.



............................................


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Yes they found the young lady and never found the Man. He was a compition swimmer. It was early spring and the water was still cold requiring a full wet suit and neither had any protection for the cold. The boat swamped and sank so fast they never took anything. Jackets her purse everything was still there on the hull. 
The anchor line was still tied to the stern with the anchor foiled in the hull. The hull was raised and was seen on a flatbed truck by one of the Marine Patrols I took to the wreck a week or so after I found it.


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## 153 Large fish (Nov 30, 2013)

Doesn't sky hook require twin motors and computer adjusts them to hold position?


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## Scruggspc (Mar 20, 2013)

153 Large fish said:


> Doesn't sky hook require twin motors and computer adjusts them to hold position?


Yep


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