I remember my first shallow water anchoring system I ever had. It was a cinderblock that I firmly secured to my canoe via a piece of twenty foot rope that I found in my parents’ garage. I was so proud of myself. I got out on the water, threw it over the side, and watched my delightful smile fade away as I began spinning around in a circle. The next day I returned with a dual anchoring system that consisted of my cinderblock and a 25lb dumbbell. My first mistake was deploying my new friends both off the back. This created a twisted mess that required my frail 13 year old frame to heave what I only imagined was the equivalent of 5 dead bodies up and over the side at the same time. Lesson learned, no great success comes without bumps in the road! Launched the dumbbell forward off the front, check! As I launched the cinderblock off the back, already rejoicing in my triumphant ingenuity, my rope broke somewhere around the 15 foot mark, carrying to the bottom of a murky pond my brilliant invention and taking with it what was left of my pride.
There are more stories similar to mine than I can’t even begin to imagine. Some are far worse. Somewhere along the line there was a mind that resolved that because the need to anchor would never cease to exist, there had to be a more “user-friendly” option. So for those of you who haven’t found a co-angler who can hold their breath for hours at a time and patiently sit on the bottom of the lake, here are some options for you.
Minn Kota Talon
The Talon, by Minn Kota (Johnson Outdoors), is designed to drive a spike straight down from within the large apparatus which is mounted on the rear of your boat. It’s easily mounted, and comes standard is silver with black or white trim in either 6’4” or 8’4”, with a quick release bracket making it easy to remove when not in use. The Talon is designed to deploy quickly and quietly. Simply push the button once on your remote (which can be programmed to operate two units simultaneously) and the spike will stop automatically when it reaches the bottom. Anglers who want to know how deep their Talon is need only look at the LED indicator lights which are defined in one foot increments.
Minn Kota is known for building high-grade, long-lasting products, and this is no exception to that. Being constructed of marine-grade extruded anodized aluminum, it’ll withstand saltwater as well as freshwater, and the spike itself is made of fiberglass reinforced composite material, and carries a lifetime guarantee.
Power Pole
The Power-Pole, by JL Marine, is a slightly different design than the Talon. While the Talon offers direct vertical deployment, the Power-Pole is designed to stretch out and down like an arm, offering completely unobstructed casting area. With a mounting system that offers strength and flexibility, you can rest assured that your boat will remain in place without having to worry about durability. Power- Poles are operated by a system which applies constant hydraulic force. The other major differences are options, colors, and price.
Both companies offer wireless remotes, alarms to prevent outboard motor operation while anchors are deployed, offer lifetime warranties on spikes, are environmentally friendly, and claim to be the quietest and fastest deploying. I can say that I’ve used them both, and really haven’t found one to be superior to the other. But I will say this, I have a good friend who I believe can fix anything marine related, and he once told me something that I’ll never forget: “You can blind fold me, and I can take that (blank) completely apart, and put it back together. Hell I might even be able to do it in my sleep. But I wouldn’t have the first clue how to work on a Minn Kota. Ya know why? Cuz I never to work on the ###### ######! The way you fix a (blank company) once and for all, is to buy a Minn Kota.”
So which is better? You decide. I’m sure either of them is better than a piece of old rope and your father’s weight set.
