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How do you anchor a kayak on structure?


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Please help. I just had the most frustrating day of excellent fishing. Every time I put the anchor down it would just drag along the bottom as the current pulled me off the structure. When I finally had the anchor secure on the structure and cleeted on the yak, the current was pulling the yak under. 
 

how do you guys anchor your kayaks on structure? 

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24 mins ago, WannaBe1982 said:

, the current was pulling the yak under. 
 

how do you guys anchor your kayaks on structure? 

Pretty much the reason most don’t …

Any society that charges it's own children for knowledge, is doomed to fail.

Whilst intelligence is not affected by geography, it is influenced by education, opportunity and drive.   

Now is the time to change our attitude towards blues, next year may well be too late (Somebody listened :th: )
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May you never have to fish to live, rather live to fish.

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Trolley and reef anchor, within reason on the current. Don't drop till the trolley is extended to the bow or stern, and scope out at least 3x your depth, more is better. I prefer bow since it's easier to see what's going on even though the line will scope behind me. I've anchored in currents up to 2mph or so, but I'm also very experienced river kayaker with a good sense of how to lean and what currents do to kayaks. 

 

This is my DIY reef anchor, #4 copper and 3/4 copper tube filled with lead. Works like a charm, always comes up. If the current were enough to bend it open, I have no business being there!

5f9b2913dd898_reefanchor.PNG.77d49a2a08e4e940d6f27540ee803e45.PNG

 

Edited by gellfex
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14 mins ago, Hairyjig said:

Never a good ideal to anchor in areas with strong tidal currents for the exact reason you mention. Add a large boat wake to that equation and your getting pulled under or flipped for sure . 

yes! Be careful! 

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I use a trolley but in no more than super light current.....and I have a quick release zig-zag cleat right next to me.  I've only been kayaking in salt a couple seasons but to me anchoring kicks up the risk factor x10.    

Salt air provides the levity needed for survival.

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17 hours ago, gellfex said:

Trolley and reef anchor, within reason on the current. Don't drop till the trolley is extended to the bow or stern, and scope out at least 3x your depth, more is better. I prefer bow since it's easier to see what's going on even though the line will scope behind me. I've anchored in currents up to 2mph or so, but I'm also very experienced river kayaker with a good sense of how to lean and what currents do to kayaks. 

 

This is my DIY reef anchor, #4 copper and 3/4 copper tube filled with lead. Works like a charm, always comes up. If the current were enough to bend it open, I have no business being there!

5f9b2913dd898_reefanchor.PNG.77d49a2a08e4e940d6f27540ee803e45.PNG

 

Nice.  I like the built in warning system....no hold don't do it!  I thought I was a "contraptions" guy but you got me beat.  Will it do anything on a sand bottom? 

Salt air provides the levity needed for survival.

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38 mins ago, Frede said:

Nice.  I like the built in warning system....no hold don't do it!  I thought I was a "contraptions" guy but you got me beat.  Will it do anything on a sand bottom? 

Sure it'll hold sand & mud, a kayak doesn't have much pull. I sometimes anchor fluking just to take a break and not be blown miles downwind while snacking or messing with tackle. It also works dandy as a grappling hook to hold on old piers, pilings, etc while togging. I didn't invent the idea, they use rebar versions for fishing boats all over the world. But contraptions are what I do for a living.

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On 10/23/2021 at 7:15 PM, gellfex said:

Trolley and reef anchor, within reason on the current. Don't drop till the trolley is extended to the bow or stern, and scope out at least 3x your depth, more is better. I prefer bow since it's easier to see what's going on even though the line will scope behind me. I've anchored in currents up to 2mph or so, but I'm also very experienced river kayaker with a good sense of how to lean and what currents do to kayaks. 

 

This is my DIY reef anchor, #4 copper and 3/4 copper tube filled with lead. Works like a charm, always comes up. If the current were enough to bend it open, I have no business being there!

5f9b2913dd898_reefanchor.PNG.77d49a2a08e4e940d6f27540ee803e45.PNG

 

That DIY anchor is like the Mona Lisa!

Awesomeness!

I did some pretty dumb kayak anchor stuff when i started kayak fishing in 2008. 

I don’t anchor.

I pedal or paddle. My fat butt needs the exercise.

Please keep showing pics of stuff you make. wow!

Edited by Tom Angler
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This has been discussed many times before...I personally like to be anchored while togging...yes, you can pedal against the current or wind and keep yourself at the spot but it requires so much energy and concentration...every time you need to cut the crabs or unhook the fish you will be moved away from "the spot" and you will need time to get back to it. My estimate is that if you pedal you will be fishing 70% of the time and 30% you will be trying to get back to the spot whereas those percentages are 95% and 5% when you are anchored. Tog fishing is very peculiar in the sense that sometimes a bite happens in 20ft x20ft area and if you you are away from it nothing happens. Of course that the conditions out there will dictate if the anchoring is safe or not. I use mushroom anchor and like it a lot. Have lost 2 to a snag in last 5-6 years in 30-40 outings.

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8 hours ago, Tom Angler said:

That DIY anchor is like the Mona Lisa!

Awesomeness!

I did some pretty dumb kayak anchor stuff when i started kayak fishing in 2008. 

I don’t anchor.

I pedal or paddle. My fat butt needs the exercise.

Please keep showing pics of stuff you make. wow!

Thanks, but it's not that impressive compared to my usual work. BillZ is also a machinist, better than me. Here, you might like my trolling rodholder track rig for a Scrambler, complete with waterbottle holder. post-15110-0-26606600-1467309039.jpg

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