# The annual "shanty anchor" post.



## jpollman

Hi all,

it's just about that time of year again. The weather's getting colder and you guys are out there dreaming of ice. It won't be long before we start seeing posts asking how to anchor your portable shanty. Well I'll get a jump on it and post instructions and a picture of one I came up with about 3 years ago and it's always worked well for me.

Take a length of electrical conduit thats about a foot long. (I used 1/2") I use two pieces of rope. Pass one piece of rope through the conduit and tie several knots in the end of the rope. You can tie a knot just above the other end of the conduit to keep the rope from sliding out. I then use a pair of pliers or a hammer and slightly deform the end of the conduit. Then in the center of the conduit I wrap the end of the other rope around and tie it off. This rope in the center is the anchor rope. The other rope is the retrieval line. You're all done !

To use it just set up your shanty and near the upwind corner I drill an extra hole. Put the pipe down the hole until it's below the ice and then pull it up tight against the under side of the ice. Tie off the center anchor line to your shanty and you're ready to fish. I just go out once in a while and break away any ice that forms to make removal easier. But if it does freeze too much just spud (which you should always have anyway ) around the rope a bit. To remove just hang on to the retrieval line and untie the anchor line. Let go of the anchor line and the pipe will fall away to vertical and pull it up through the hole and you're ready to move to another spot. Or if you're lucky, head home and clean up that mess o' fish you just caught. 

Hree's a picture....










Good luck this year and be safe out there !!!

John


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## turkeyhunter10ga

that is the same set up i have for an anchor , only instead of 1 lines from the middle of the conduit , i have 1 longer rope knotted into a V shape ,so 2 lines are coming off it with a loop tied on each end and place over 2 eyebolts already attached to the back of shanty.


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## The Whale

Couple of great ideas from both you gents.


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## Sailor

Good ideas !!!! puts my 2x2 to shame!


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## Arin

Anyone ever use a hand auger for anchor? I remember last year someone had half of one of their lazers in the hole and tied down..


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## ReddHead

When the ice gets thick, 8 plus inches, I just drill a hole 6 inches down or so and loop my shanty line around it. I've never had a problem and my blades do not get dull either. Just another thought.


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## William H Bonney

Arin said:


> Anyone ever use a hand auger for anchor? I remember last year someone had half of one of their lazers in the hole and tied down..


I've done that. When I had my Shappell and Jiffy, I'd just wrap the rope from my shanty around the auger, works very well, only problem,, don't get out and wonder too far. I did that once,, my shanty looked like a kite, LMAO!! EVERYTHING inside was smashed. I have a new "shanty anchor" this year,, its called an Arctic Cat 400 4x4 in Camo. :evil:


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## 1wildchild

Great idea JP!!! Here is another idea....take me and show me how it works on one or two of your best spots :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## river_walleye

Here's what I use when it gets really windy. I made these so I wouldn't have to worry about the holes freezing shut with my tie down in it. I just drill down into the ice and stop before I hit water. The hardened spikes grab the insides of the hole and really have worked well for me. Not tools required.


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## frznFinn

river walleye- you should market those!!


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## skid

Hi all 
I have used John's style of anchor many time's with no problems. Make sure to take a spud along to break any skim ice. This year I will be adding some type of snap ring to the end instead of tying it to my shanty pull rope. Tim


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## Sailor

Hi river walleye, want to sell a few of those???


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## river_walleye

Sailor, check your PM's


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## bgoodenow

I just drilled a couple of corner holes in the Shapp and I carry a couple of 6-inch eye-bolts with me. They screw into the ice pretty easy. I've also used the trick of sinking the auger part way down and hooking your tow rope to it. Only problem with that is if you decide to put down some more holes, you need someone along to hold the shanty!


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## jpollman

Bump


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## MDH

We used this anchor style last year on our little 2 man clam and it worked great. Even on the most windy of day we were secure. It also helped me when I was by myself and it was windy too. Great, simple, and effective plan! Good work and thanks again. 

MDH


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## jpollman

It's that time of year again and I saw some shanty anchor questions so I thought I'd bump this back to the top.

John


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## icefishermanmark

Buy a Fish Trap and you don't need to anchor it down


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## Sailor

icefishermanmark said:


> Buy a Fish Trap and you don't need to anchor it down


Yeah you can tie a long string to it instead....if you don't anchor that 
Trap it just might turn into a big box-kite :evilsmile


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## skulldugary

I use something similar to Jpollmans.It's a 20" long piece of 1x1 square aluminum tubeing.The hole for the rope to attach to the shanty is drilled off center allowing it to tip down for removal from the hole.Auger a hole in the ice,drop anchor in hole,pull up tp bottom of ice and tie rope to shanty.Get ready to leave ...just give the rope some slack,the anchor tips down and can be pulled up.


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