Dropping and retrieving anchor was easy

[Fisherdv]

I think it all comes down to what works best for the area/conditions we fish. No doubt an open bow boat like Croaker or a tin can is much easier to anchor in. It's good to know the different ways and methods that people use so you can decide what works best, or just experiment till you find what works for you. In my usual conditions and areas I fish my method works for me, on my 16. No matter which method you use to anchor make sure you have a way to get off anchor in a hurry if needed. It could be to chase a fish, or it could save your A$$ if a large tree is coming at your anchor rope in a strong current. I always keep a sharp knife on my belt, and one in reach on the boat. You may have no choice but to cut the anchor rope

[StreamFixer]

When you get a fish on, you disconnect from your anchor...  the ball keeps the line end floating and thus retrievable, After landing or losing the fish, you return to your spot in the line, hook back onto your anchor and resume fishing.  The ball has an anchor retriever as shown in the second video.

When the time comes to leave, you simply motor upstream until the ball lifts the anchor (and holds it suspended).  Then pull in and go home.  Saves a lot of back using the ball and boat to do the lifting.  The ring will work, however, the retriever shown is, IMHO, more reliable.

StreamFixer

[Danno]

    Fixer;  When you get a fish on, you must "drop out of the hog line"?  Not sure if I'm familiar with the "hog line" thing, but does that mean that when you hook-up you have to release your anchor?    What happens then?  Do you "chase" this fish around the "not-so-crowded" areas of the river?  I suppose that's where the float comes-in?     Aaah don't know.  :hoboy:

Yat

Not sure that "Hog Line" has been defined for you yet.

A "Hog Line" is line of boats, anchored side x side x side in close proximity to each other, sometimes 6-12 boats wide or more, the line of boats perpendicular to the river current, and presumably to the expected path of the up-migrating salmon.  Not sure where the term originated, but here's a pic

That's a modest spacing. Up near the Oregon City bridge and in the small rivers, you can walk from boat to boat. Fenders are deployed to minimize damage from bumps.

[Fisherdv]

For you guys that fish the Columbia river "hog line" why not just go a bit up, or down stream from the heard and be anchored up all by yourself? I'm sure everyone is launching long before sunrise and fighting to get the best spot in the line. Obviously that's not the only spot on the river that holds fish I've fished with the heard myself, but lately I don't like to "combat" fish anymore. I usually catch just as many, if not more fish all by my lonesome. Just curious what you guys think or have experienced

[StreamFixer]

Fish (at least up here) prefer to move through lesser currents.  The hog line fishers know where those currents run, thus focus their efforts where the fish tend to be.   There are spots on the Willamette where, when the fish are running, guys will anchor up around 10 in the evening and spend the night...  No fishing allowed after dark.  Those spots will usually accommodate only one or two boats.

StreamFixer

[Yachter Yat]

   Wow!  That's unreal.  Must say though, I share Fisher's sentiments.........meaning; I'd be looking for a little more "breathing" room. 

Yat

[Threeweight]

Move 200 yards above or below those boats and you'd likely catch nothing all day.  As Streamfixer says, they are targeting bottom features that create current breaks.  Salmon want to conserve energy, so they follow those breaks, sometimes almost single file.

When there isn't any current break, or the tide is flooding in and overwhelming the current from the flow of the river, they spread out.  The Columbia is a huge river, a couple miles wide here in Portland.  Willamette is a 1/4 mile or so wide.  In those situations it is better to troll, but even then you want to follow bottom contours and look for underwater structure that funnels the fish.  Randomly anchoring in the sandy flats where there is plenty of room is like trying to find a needle in a haystack... you might get lucky and have a biting fish swim under you, but the odds are pretty poor.

I hate hog lines, for the record!

[Fisherdv]

3WT, there has to be some other features on the river besides the hog line. I'm not saying to anchor blind on a flat, but find maybe a ledge, an under water channel, a break or some area that would funnel fish to you. I've found sometimes in a fast outgoing tide the fish will tuck in close to the bank to get a break or rest during the fastest part of the tide. Not a shallow flat next to the bank, but water of about 15 ft deep very close to shore. I always stay on, or follow/fish the path were I know the fish are traveling. Of course I've never fished the Columbia before, so I'm just guessing. But as you said, it's a huge river and there must be good fishy areas away from the crowd, even if you have to travel a few miles away. Believe me, I've fished shoulder to shoulder, boat to boat, and even had someone troll into my boat while I was anchored and that day there was only a few boats on a very large area. :hoboy: But anyway, as you said also, I don't really enjoy being part of the combat zone. But let's be honest, if I really have to do it, I'll be right there with the 🥊 gloves on. This is just my  :twocents:

[Peddler]

There is a bit of cooperative effort advantage to a hog line as well.  Imagine yourself as a salmon, and running into a gauntlet of lures and baits.  You're likely to bite something, rather than swim-around. 

I'm w/ 3WT though.  I never have fished in a hog line, and it's not likely I will.  I'd rather troll.

[AJFishin]

Some of this conversation sounds just like the conversation I have with my nephew who fishes in Washington, elbow to elbow, combat fishing.
He fishes from a river bank near him and tells me stories of how it can get pretty aggressive while fishing. He's told me when someone new comes down and doesn't "follow the leader" when casting, some of the guys there can turn it into a bad day for someone.
Kind of reminds me of back in the days surfing during the winter at our "locals only" break.  :smile1:

[Fisherdv]

Ya, I've  seen fist fights in fast waist high current (not to smart) people stealing fish etc. You'd be surprised what an adult man would do for a salmon. I only troll for salmon, and even then you could have over 100 boats in a 1/4 mile stretch of river! They see a few fish caught and they think that's the only spot that the fish are. I go a 1/2 mile, maybe 5 miles away from the crowd and still find fish. But I do look for some sort of path/features that most of the fish will follow or spots I've been successful before. Probably easier here to find fish because the rivers much narrower than the Columbia.

[Danno]

The same year I noted above, I was in the hog line on a number of days. Once we were 10 feet from the boat towards center river and we watched them pull in fish after fish.When they limited, they moved out and we moved over. We got into the fish well once we moved. One of those times, we were in the fish and boats on either side were not. Luckily, we were in a tin can that makes hog line maneuvering real easy.

Sometimes parking on anchor makes for a very relaxing day of fishing. I have no preference. Whichever catches fish unless I'm in need of a relaxing day.

[Fisherdv]

You guys got me thinking of salmon fishing and our season is done. Until next year! I'll have a few months of relaxing days out there on anchor for Sturgeon.

[J Chaser]

I hope to get out for winter springs tomorrow before the snow comes.

J.

[Fisherdv]

I hope to get out for winter springs tomorrow before the snow comes.

J.

Good luck out there J, And have a great Christmas and New Year

[J Chaser]

You as well!!


Thanks

J.

[Rokefin]

Holy tin can convention!! You kidding me!  Hog line - whos in whos out......I don't know, I could never imagine fishing like that. Those fish are in those holes though and that's why you see the tight crowds.  I'm glad I am an ocean only fisherman and am often away from the crowds.....heck, that hog line could play a game of dice together hmmmmm maybe that would be fun.

I'm throwing my anchor out

[Fisherdv]

How would one take a potty break You move from your spot in line, and your spots gone! :hoboy:
A game of chess anyone 

[Peddler]

How would one take a potty break You move from your spot in line, and your spots gone! :hoboy:
A game of chess anyone 

Nope, your anchor ball holds your spot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Yachter Yat]

   Looked back at that pic again.  Interesting that they're all "tin cans".  I haven't see that much aluminum operating so close together since seeing the Air Force Thunderbirds show over at Portsmouth. :hoboy:   It just doesn't seem these boats could ever sit straight forever.  I mean......somebody's got to touch somebody, sometime........right?  I'd hate to be the only glass boat in that crowd.  Can you say........"Fenders, please!"? 

Yat

[Fisherdv]

Waves, wind? Forgot about it

[StreamFixer]

How would one take a potty break You move from your spot in line, and your spots gone! :hoboy:

You have got to be kidding???  You head for shore to pee???  Don't you have a piss can or bucket on board???   :hoboy:

When your bladder has shrunk to the size of mine (1 cuppa coffee results in at least a gallon of potty breaks) you would never get any fishing done...   :biggrin:

StreamFixer

[Omega3]

There is a reason its called a hawg line!

[Fisherdv]

How would one take a potty break You move from your spot in line, and your spots gone! :hoboy:

You have got to be kidding???  You head for shore to pee???  Don't you have a piss can or bucket on board???   :hoboy:

When you bladder has shrunk to the size of mine (1 cuppa coffee results in at least a gallon of potty breaks) you would never get any fishing done...   :biggrin:

StreamFixer

SF, I'm just worried I would get stage fright with such a large audience 

[Yachter Yat]

   Fixer  Your killin' me!     All I can say is:  I've come to really appreciate your extraordinary level of honesty.   Who would have thought it?      And Fisher......"Stage fright"?  Haaaaaaahaha..............I've got a stomach ache. 

Yat