Every year us as anglers are presented with items for our boats that use some of the latest and greatest achievements in technology.  The electronics on our boats now were unheard of and just dreamt about years ago.  One of the newest items and commonly sought after accessory that anglers, especially bass fisherman want on their boat is a shallow water anchoring system.

 

The shallow water anchoring system originated in the saltwater market for anglers fishing the shallow sand flats.  Anglers needed to stay in one spot to sight fish, but didn’t have the time to drop and bring up an anchor since these fish were cruising around and you had to catch them when they were active.

Anytime I’m on the water I’m always thinking about ways to maximize my time fishing the key structure or areas that are holding the right group of bass that will help me be successful, whether it is in a tournament of just out fun fishing.  That is why in shallow water, I rely heavily on my Minn Kota Talon.

The Talon is a shallow water anchor that is deployed with a push of button and keeps my boat in the same spot.  This is very beneficial when fishing a key stump, weed bed or boat dock, because I can concentrate on making my cast and not have to worry about the moving away or into the fish holding cover.  The Talon also comes in handy when I need to retie my line after breaking off or just need to retie because of a nick in my line, just deploy the unit and you won’t have to worry about getting out of your current position.

What makes the Minn Kota Talon different from other shallow water anchoring systems is that the Talon runs off a 12 volt wiring system and get’s connected to your boat’s starting battery, the Talon is self contained, meaning no hydraulic motor or fluid tank.  This is ideal for smaller boats that do not have the space for a hydraulic tank.  A shallow water anchor isn’t just beneficial for bass fisherman, how many times have you been out panfishing with your kids and spend more time dropping and picking up your anchor.  With the Talon you can quickly deploy and retract the unit and spend more time chasing panfish and this unit is perfect since it can fit on a smaller boat.

I myself installed the Talon on my boat and it took under an hour of time, it was a very easy process, meaning that you don’t need to take your boat to the shop and pay someone to do it for you.  Two new accessories that I took advantage of and used with my Talon were the Quick Release Handles and Quick Disconnect Plug.  What these two things allow me to do is do quickly remove the Talon from my boat if needed to, or to lower the Talon to a level where I can get it into my garage.  This is again something that allows any person to put a shallow water anchor on their boat and able to reap the many benefits of having greater boat control in shallow water.

One of the reasons that the Talon was so easy to install was that the new mounting bracket (J6SLR) bolts directly to side of my jackplate.  This new bracket features a double wall design across the board and is bolted and bonded with glue, this meaning that you don’t have to worry about any twisting or damage occurring to your unit when in rough water or making a high speed run across the lake.  The glue used to bond the plates together requires 16 tons of pressure to shear it apart, now that’s solid construction!

What I like about the Talon is that upon deployment, either from the wireless remote or pushing the button on the unit itself, the spike will deploy until it hits the bottom and then will drive itself into the bottom three consecutive times with increasing force each time.  This is extremely beneficial because it provides 2x the anchoring force and also reduces the likelihood of getting the unit stuck.  LED lights on the unit will indicate how deep the unit is deployed.

Being able to move around the boat and deploy your shallow water anchor is key because you never know when you’ll want to stop and hold in one spot.  The Talon is a completely wireless system, with the two remotes that are included you can wear one around your neck or in your pocket on the lanyard and mount on anywhere you want in the boat with the bracket.

Depending on the size of your boat and how deep you plan on fishing, you can either get a 6’ model or I went with the 8’ model, allowing me to hold myself in one place even in eight foot of water!  These units are lightweight; my model is only 33 lb’s, which doesn’t sacrifice the performance of my boat.

Many times the reason you are using a shallow water anchor is that it is windy and waves are moving your boat.  With the Rough Water Mode, the Talon provides a more secure anchor by driving the spike a repeated three time with a ten second interval between.  This means your Talon has been drove into the lake/river bottom a total of nine times.  The Wave Absorption allows your boat to move up and down in the waves and not lose contact with the bottom.

Let’s face it, when you are on the water and catching fish and having a good time with your friends and family, things slip your mind.  That is why a helpful safety feature the Talon has is it can be wired to the ignition to sound an alarm when the key is turned and the spike is still deployed, thus decreasing the chance of taking off with the spike deployed. 

Many may think that the shallow water anchor is only needed for bass fishing when fishing in the spring when sight fishing, but my Talon gets a workout all year long.  It has helped me make the exact same cast and presentation to fish that are holding very tight to cover.  No matter if you are a diehard angler or fish for recreation, making the most out of every cast and your time on the water is how you can turn an okay day into a great day on the water.

Glenn has been fishing tournaments for ten years, spreading his passion and knowledge of the sport via articles and videos.  He keeps busy fishing events across Minnesota and on the Mississippi River.  Glenn's sponsors include:  Humminbird, Jeff Belzer Chevrolet, Minn Kota, Onyx, Plano, Rayjus, RC Tackle, Seaguar, Snag Proof, The Rod Glove, Trokar and Wright & McGill.  For more information check out fishglenn.com.