I will use a tie plate or a window weight for an anchor. Just make sure your weight Is heavy enough If you catch a coon.

Do this.

Mac

Almost every mink I catch is an incidental while setting for rats. I don't set any bridge or culverts etc. for mink. All of mine are blind set as there is no pocket, hole, bait or lure.
I catch about 1 mink for every 15-25 rats on the streams. Way less on the marshes.
find those shallow shelves under the under cut banks with say 1-2 inches of water flowing over them. They are where I catch most of my mink. Rats build feed beds there too and coons will ruin them if you catch them. I try to protect them with a PVC pipe set with a 1.5 coil on drags but I still get the most off those shelves.

Bryce

X2. I have used both also.

But these days when i use a foothold drowning set for mink i rely on sand bags like i do for my beaver trapping.
Bags are easy to carry in & fill with rocks or gravel ON SITE.
I like the 14x26" size in black or green. You can get them from ULINE in bulk

Take your tile spade and dig a vertical slot In the bank just like If you were going to plant a small seedling.
Dig It as close the the waters edge as you can Then drop In a rat carcass and stomp the slot shut. Place a trap at each edge of the slot. It sure beats digging pocket sets. And It catches mink coon and rats.
Might be a little known fact but rat meat makes a very good rat bait.