Using your Power-Pole anchors for Total Boat Control

Wind and current can be an angler’s worst nightmare and the source of a lot of frustration. This is especially true for tournament anglers like 2012 Bassmaster ClassicChampion Chris Lane.

Chris optimizes the use of his Power-Pole shallow water anchor in conjunction with his trolling motor to put his boat in the exact position he needs to catch more fish!

“Though the Power-Pole can stand alone on its own accolades, matched with a trolling motor, the combination goes hand in hand for total boat control,” Lane said. “To set up my drift along docks or a shoreline, I’ll put the Pole down and use the trolling motor to kick the head of the boat around in the right direction to be on line for the perfect drift. It’s as simple as dispatching the Pole to stabilize the angle, then finessing the trolling motor to line up the drift.”

Regarding the GPS lock option available on many trolling motors, Lane expounds: “Everybody talks about the great use of this feature on trolling motors, and in water over 10 ft. deep that’s true, but in more shallow water conditions the trolling motor can work harder to keep you in position especially in heavy wind and current. The motor is running constantly and moving in all directions, which just uses-up the power in your trolling motor batteries. 

For better control in the shallows, I’ll drop the Power-Pole Blades down, as they are quiet, secure and silent, and they keep me dead on the spot. Also, in water less than 6ft the blow out from the trolling motor can disrupt fish and scare them away. I really like the ability to bump a little to the left or right with the motor when pinned in perfectly, and I am always going to be on the exact spot I want to be. It’s total boat control, and I have to have it — especially when I’m competing against the top anglers in the world.” 

Precision is key, especially when that winning cast placement is needed.

“If I want to cast under a tree or get deep under a dock, sometimes I gotta move just 10 feet to get that exact angle. Other times, I need to get closer, but the wind is blowin’ me all around,” Lane said. “I just put the Power-Pole Blades halfway down, then creep in with the trolling motor. Or I can simply pull them all the way up, motor over, then ease them back in to make that small but necessary move without disturbing any of the fish or causing any commotion. There’s no noise, it’s stealth — and that’s one of the great advantages with Power-Pole shallow water anchors when making a small move in close quarters.”

Applications for the combined use of the Power-Pole and trolling motor exist outside of actual fishing, as well.

“When getting up to the weigh-in dock, I’ll put the Power-Pole Blades halfway down to protect the engine and use feather-touch maneuvers with the trolling motor. Then, I can fully deploy the Power-Pole shallow water anchors at the dock for total stability getting in and out of the boat to weigh in fish,” Lane said.

No matter how you slice it, the one-two combination of the Power-Pole shallow water anchor used with a trolling motor will put your competitive advantage over the top for total boat control.