# Kayak Fishing Tip # 3. Quicker Anchoring.



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 20pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>[/B]<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Yak Fishing Tip #3.[/B]<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Quicker Anchoring.<o></o>[/B]<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><o></o>[/B]<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">If you plan ahead, anchoring is faster and more precise. <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Do this at home or the launch site if possible.[/I] If you know you are going to be headed into the current, position your trolley ring at the front of your yak and lock the trolley in place. Let out the desired amount of scope then pull your anchor up to the ring and lock your anchor in place by tying off at your cockpit cleat. (Or other tie off point.) When you get to where you want to anchor, Un-cleat the anchor line and the anchor drops to the bottom immediately below your bow. This allows you to anchor much closer to your desired point without having to get too close to your intended position before dropping anchor. (less scope too)<o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">If you are approaching from down current, simply reverse the position of the trolley ring.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">This is for shallow water anchoring. I seldom anchor in water over 5' deep.


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## sosmarine (Sep 28, 2007)

Good tip, but I have a quicker solution. Buy a Shallow water anchor Pin.

www.stickitanchorpins.com


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## Baitcaster (Oct 4, 2007)

isn't anchoring a yak at the bow a no-no ?


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

Stickitpins don't work too well on solid rock bottom where I usually anchor and I am sure they would make a helluva noise hitting rock.

Anchoring off the bow or stern is about 100X safer than anchoring over the side. You can flip a yak in a heart beat anchoring over the side. I am very careful when hauling anchor too.


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## Baitcaster (Oct 4, 2007)

http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/ri_acc_view.asp?Accessory_Info=1


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

I'm anchoring in 2-6' of water. My anchor can be released in a heartbeat if there is a problem. When anchored off the bow, I can see a problem developing. Off the stern, an approaching wave is not easily seen. Additionally, my rudder is off the stern so I have to be more careful.

I probably anchor 30 or more times per trip--some times a lot more. The article you attached is from California. Chances are, they are talking about deeper water. I noticed that they mentioned an anchor was not often needed except when beaching.

My anchor is a bar of lead that weighs about 6#. It seldom gets hung and, when it does, I paddle past it and pull it free from the other side. The little folding grapnels most yakkers use would get lost mighty fast here.

In the past several years with literally hundreds of anchorings, I have release my anchor exactly twice due to problems but I often release it several times per day to chase a fish. In the same time, I took on a bunch of water once but have never dumped.


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## Framerguy (Oct 2, 2007)

Guys, I have been operating canoes and kayaks for most of my 65 years on this planet. There isn't always a "right" or a "wrong" way of doing some things. Common sense comes into play and experience makes alot of difference in what you do under certain circumstances. I seem to feel a hint of defensiveness here and I don't think it is necessary for either of you to challenge the ways of the other. I have anchored kayaks from the bow, stern, and the side and the only anchoring point I would definitely _not _recommend is the side for most situations. You can gain some advantage for certain uses in either the bow or the stern anchoring method. That is best decided before you leave the launch area and it depends on some variables such as what you are doing that day, ie., touring or fishing or just photographing wildlife, and it also depends on whether therre is a tide or current and which direction to your travel and interest the movement of water is heading. Above all else, some common sense and experience at the outcome of anchoring one way or another is essential over a set of rules and regulations governing anchoring a kayak. And, if the wind kicks up, it may well change all that planning if it is heading out of the wrong quadrant and pushes you broadside to the incoming heavy water. Wind, current, and tides are 3 variables that you must be aware of at all times as each can change and have an adverse effect on your anchoring position and you might not even notice until it has become a problem for you.

One thought on anchoring from the side from first hand experience, I watched a good friend roll his kayak over in a swift current in a river we were fishing and lose most of his fishing gear and his glasses from not paying proper attention to the current. If you are going to anchor in swift current from the side of your kayak for any reason, make sure that your anchor goes off the kayak from the _up river_side ofthe craft! That way it is pulling from the point of attachmentover the edge of the kayak or from the side of the kayak directly away from the paddler to the anchor. If you try to anchor by throwing the anchor over the _downriver_ side of the kayak, the current will carry your craft _over_ the anchor and the pull on the kayak, when the rope tightens up, will be _under_ the kayak to a point up stream to the anchor. Most times, after that initial jerk that occurs when the rope tightens up to the anchor, the current will try to spin your kayak around to take the "kink" out of the rope. But either way, you will probably take in water when the anchor tightens that rope and the side of the kayak dips and the water splashes in. 

If you think about this, a strong current will have a tendency to roll your kayak over toward the downriver side because the anchor rope will try to straighten itself out and, in doing so, will try to take that little wrap of rope from the downriver side of your kayak around the bottom and straighten it out!! Imagine a yoyo with a half wrap of string around it and gravity pulling it down. The yoyo (kayak) will turn a half turn until the pull of gravity (downriver force of the current) straightens out the string (anchor rope). You certainly don't want to have a rotational pull on your kayak trying to roll you over when you have some emergency that you feel you must deal with at that very moment!! 

I was concerned for my friend's safety and his equipment at themoment but we both had a good laugh afterward as I dramatized how he looked when that anchor rope went tight and suddenly jerked that kayak and threw him off balance!! He had such a surprised look on his face and I had no time to shout any warning other than to simply stare and hope for the best.


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## Baitcaster (Oct 4, 2007)

actually it was from N.J.

not trying to challenge at all, just bringing information to the debate .


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## Framerguy (Oct 2, 2007)

What difference does it make to the content of the article where it was written about??? If you want to get real nit picky, the author of that article was writing more in the general sense than in the geographical sense. And he mentioned only 2 points of interest that I could see, Long Island and Cape Cod, both of which are neither in New Jersey or California. The Kayak Fishing Stuff store _is _located in New Jersey but they didn't write the article to my knowledge.

Now how does that all shake out in the overall scheme of things??? 

Why not get back to a friendly discussion about kayak anchors and leave the arguing to all the other fishing forums that are online, eh?? I come here specifically to get away from all that crap and I don't appreciate having to hear about it here too.

So, let's all hug and have a s'mores and sing Kum Baya and go on with the campfire tales, OK? :letsdrink (That ain't rootbeer in that glass!!)


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## Baitcaster (Oct 4, 2007)

ehhhh....yeah. sure.


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

Ok. I will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER anchor my yak from the bow or stern. Actually, I never have. I have 2 anchor systems on my yak, one is a trolley that most folks use and another uses buttons for the anchor line to lay behind. These buttons are simple fairleads used only to control the direction of the anchor line. I use the buttom system when I am 100% certain I am going to have to leave my anchor to fight a fish. I anchor this way 100% of the time when fishing for Cobia and Tarpon. It works easier than the trolley system in this application.

Take a look at everybodies trolley system. The trolley is designed to anchor from either end of the yak. I see no other use for the trolley.

Ok, so the article came from NJ instead of CA. Sorry I missed it.

Tying an anchor off at bow or stern, where it is not accessible for instant release is a definite no-no. I re-read the original tip and see no problems with it. It is a valid, useful and completely safe tip.

Moderator: If this tip is in any way offensive or causes problems, please delete it and, while you are at it, delete all of my other tips.


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## Hot Dog (Dec 14, 2007)

CAPTKEN

Can you post a picture of your anchor system using the buttons?

Thanks

Charles ( Pensacola)


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

I have a doctors appointment this morning but will get to it as soon as I get home. Wups, I think I have photos. Will check right now.


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## Framerguy (Oct 2, 2007)

I am starting to feel like some guy who wandering into a street fight between 2 Russian dockworkers!!! They both seem to have a beef with each other but, since I don't understand a word they are saying, I just offer my opinion and it turns out to be on an entirely different subject!! :doh

Kinda like hearing one word like, "Phillies" thrown out and thinking they are talking about the old baseball team when they are really discussing the quality of cigars!!

You guys just go with your own flow and forget that I entered into this melee, OK? I thought this was some general talk about how you anchor your kayak and why, not some word fight about things that aren't even brought up until half way through the discussion.

Please forget I interfered in your little "talk" and I will check more closely the next time I feel like trying to mediate any small meaningless disputes.

Thanks for your time?


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## Baitcaster (Oct 4, 2007)

I can't belive this. Here we have a noob to kayaking fishing (myself) that's simply trying to learn as much as possible about the sport and all I catch is flak.

Try as I might , I can't see anywhere that I was offensive or abusive. I simply asked a question, stated an alternative viewpoint and then catch a bunch of crap in return.

I've been trying to soak up as much knowledge as possible about kayaking and you can be damn sure that if I see a conflict of information, I'm going to question it. It has nothing to do with your intelligence or your manhood .


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## yoyolande (Aug 12, 2008)

Thanx for all the tips Capt Ken and a great big thanks for showing Manny &Iwhere to catch the Snook at Yanketown last week. We are so glad you told us about this website.

Manny fell out of his kayack right after you passed us and lost his rod. The Snook started biting exackly when you said they wood. I caught 3 and gave my rod to Manny so he could catch one. He caught 2 ladyfishes and a red fish and no Snook. My big snook was over twenty pounds.

Who is this baitcaster dood?


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

I'm glad I was able to help with the fish catching. It is tough to catch fish when you move to an area as dissimilar as Miami and Yankeetown.

Now you know what to look for around here for Snook spots. There are several similar spots close to where I showed ya'll and some of them hold Snook. Believe me, Snook ware not common here 5 years ago and most locals haven't caught many yet.

Are you here on vacation or visiting or have ya'll moved up here? If you are staying, e-mail me and I'll point you at some good Trout spots.


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