i use a 3lb grapple type anchor…
And have no trouble anchoring off in fast water it digs in and that’s it. I use a trolley system and the anchor is tied off behind me on the right side so I can cut it quick if need be.
You always what the anchor tie off close so you can cut it while sitting in the yak. If something does go wrong your not going to have time to mess with trolling it back to you.
I don’t know if you’ll do well with …
– Last Updated: Jul-12-09 12:16 AM EST –
...... the 12 lb. anchore in your kayak ... I don't think it's right for you , because you are going to hang it off the end .
I didn't mean you should get a 12 lb. for a kayak with a end trolly drop , I'm in a canoe , a big canoe with two people in it , and use this 12 lb. in quick river and flat lake waters .
I think you should maybe try something lighter ... why don't you test out something like a 6 lb. first before going for the heavy wieght .
I am in canoe , I lift it and let it drop in off the end ... when pulled up it goes right back inside under the deck .
You see , I do this with my hands . They lift and drop in the anchore , they pull on the rode when retrieving , and they lift it out of the bottom ... I don't know how you'll do that from a kayak ??
Sometimes the anchore gets into soft bottom and it takes a straight up tug to release it !!
You may be better off with a somewhat lighter anchore !!
If I couldn't handle the rode and anchore with my hands to deploy and retrieve (that's any anchore , sea or pond , canoe or 2700 lb. CC boat )... I'm not sure I would feel to good about it all .
in any case , no matter what else …
– Last Updated: Jul-12-09 12:33 AM EST –
...... you do when using an anchore .
Just be absolutely certain you can "cut" it free if you have to in a hurry ... have a "sharp" knife handy , if you just so happen to forget your knife for some reason .. forget to achore also !!
"Do Not" be concerned or afraid to cut it away if things start to go wrong or you are getting in trouble there ... let it go without another thought ... get free !!
That is rule #1 , and probably 90% of what you need to know about an anchore .
If 3# won’t hold - don’t anchor
Most people I know who anchor their kayaks or canoes use a 2# barbell. Some use a 3# barbell. One guy I know uses a 2" hitch ball.
If 3# won’t hold you, it’s too much current to be anchoring a kayak. I think you can amend that to 2# and still be correct.
- Big D
a thought about anchore in …
– Last Updated: Jul-12-09 2:14 PM EST –
..... canoe/kayak .
I think the last thing you would want , is to be "dragging" an anchore along the bottom .
It may decide to dig in , find a hold , in the wrong place for you to be stopped all of a sudden .
Any anchore with grapple , hooks , etc. , may find something to hook up on "permenantly" , snag ... you get free by cutting the rode away !! Even a mushroom or non-prong type can get hung , just not nearly as easily .
What I know , is when I drop in my anchore , it goes where I put it , where I chose , not where it finally decided to grab . That's why I use the 12 lb. !!
Especially effective for fishing lakes in wind , position , hold , fish that cover and wood ... reposition , hold , fish ... reposition . Spent 11 hrs. doing this yesterday , caught nice fish because I set up for presentation where I wanted to .
If my 12 lb. wouldn't hold me where I wanted in a river , I'd be making a mistake to keep trying to force it to !!
If a 2.lb. - 3 lb. kept dragging bottom , I'd get a heavier anchore , and consider it the anchores' problem , not mine or the rivers .
I will definitely try
something lighter initially. I have lots of 2.5, and 5 lb weights I can try out. As for tying off the anchor I purchased a clam cleat that I can simply lift the line and let it go. One end is attached to a float as well and the rope is looped through a D=ring on the trolley. If I get in trouble I can just lift up on one end of the rope and let everything go. I do also intend to have a very sharp knife handy just in case. I don’t have any issues with cutting things away that I’ll never see again to stay safe. In my research I have read that the stability of the boat must be the first priority even in the heat of the moment when initially hooking into a fish. Thank you all for your help and advice.
anchor
Yeah I bought one of those fold up “store in the bag”
fluke type anchors that was fair in the adirondacks but sucked on a local stream and the Delaware river. It was too light (bout 5 lbs) and it eventually got hung up and stuck so I had to cut it. So I bought i think the 15 lb mushroom anchor at Dick’s. It’s excellent I didn’t budge when I threw that thing overboard.
Mushroom
I use a small mushroom (4lbs ?) anchor on the Wisconsin R in fairly strong current and it holds our 17 ft tandem canoe perfectly. When I anchor in less current I use a mesh minnow bag filled with the least amount of rocks to keep us in place. The minnow bag is not terribly strong so it can be pulled free/apart if snagged or in an emergency.
3 people drowned from an anchored bass boat last year in the same spot on the Wisconsin we fish. Be carefull!
Tom
drowned?
What happens that makes this practice dangerous? How do you drown while in a bass boat? I never have understood this type of accident. Thanks.
The scoop.
It happened in an area close to the outflow of a dam. Water was discharged and the unfortunate fishermen couldn’t release the anchor line so their boat filled and in they went. Cold water and no PFD’s. End of story.
Tom
it is a sad thing that this type …
… swamping happens and takes lives , but it is difficult to connect to the thought that there could be 3 fishermen aboard and not a sharp knife between them .
I don’t believe it would be possible to untie at that point , cut is the only wat out .
Time, fumbles and clear heads.
In that situation, time is short, fumbling around trying to find and/or open a folding knife can be difficult quickly, and keeping a clear head even more so. I doubt bass boaters in cold water without cold water gear ever thought ahead to having a quick release rescue knife or know what to do for many “what ifs” . . . .
YoS
Type of anchor makes a difference
With some types of anchors, the line (OK, lode for those who are into nautical terms) goes around more than a cleat. It is on an automated pully system. Cutting the line would require getting to the front of the boat, leaning over, and cutting the line. With suddenly changing water levels, as happens sometimes in the Susqy where you fish some I think Pilotwingz, by the time you know you’re in trouble, the front of the boat is already underwater and the rest is planing down too. Getting to the line would be near impossible fighting strong current, boat planing down, and the fisherman without a PFD on as so many do when on a bass boat. Further, by that time, cutting the line may or may not be helpful. Current is unpredictable on a submerged boat. The hydrodynamics of boats are designed for boats on top of the surface (which is obvious but worth noting in this situation).
Using a trolling motor, eddying out, wedging on a rock, and any number of other means of holding a spot are MUCH safer than anchoring.
- Big D
Perfect description
You described it perfectly Big D! I would think that in that situation one could have less than 30 seconds before the boat went under (worst case).
Tom
barbells ?
I to searched for a suitable anchor but I wasn’t sure about an anchor that would possibly get stuck and not be able to get it back. I ended up using a 5 lb. weight from a barbell set seeing it had a nice hole to tie a rope to and was vertually untickable. You have then the option to go higher in the poundage if you wanted for faster current.I have used a 5lb. with good results sometimes though in the wake of a motorboat you would get moved but usually not to far. But you probably don’t want to be solidly tethered to the bottom anyway, hince the bobber effect. That might be cause for some ancious moments. good luck.
How about a stakeout pole
If you are in say less that five feet of water, a stakeout pole is another option for securing your position on the water. No lines to tangle or cut and will hold in any current. The pole would have to be used in conjunction with an anchor trolley, for flexible bow position. But again, this is for shallow situations.
canoe anchors
I use a couple of 8 lb dumbells on my tandem canoes and a bit smaller on my solos. If you are anchoring in a current, the anchor point needs to be off the bow or stern. Here are a few pics of my Champlain. The hardware is from west marine, simply a side mount pulley and a cam cleat. I have one set up on the bow and one on the stern. I like this setup also because is stealthy to deploy and if you pull the anchor up tight it doesn’t bang around. Also is you need to release the anchor in a hurry, just release from the cam cleat and your are free. It works very smoothly, infact too smoothly one time when my anchor line was a bit short.
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/563114272oSjmhG?vhost=good-times
anchor…
– Last Updated: Jan-21-10 8:31 PM EST –
what type of bottom is in the river? that'll dictate the style anchor you need. I would go with a Danforth style anchor w/ the sliding ring. every anchor will eventually get stuck...at least with the Danforth w/sliding ring, you can paddle upstream from anchor and let the ring slide down to the flukes and give a pull to free it by pulling it out in reverse from the direction it went in. Most other anchors styles when hung up are there to stay since you won't have the leverage/power with a kayak to free them( 'cept maybe the mushroom type too) downside of the danforth is: it doesn't hook up real well in rock or shale unless it catches a "lip" somewheres. any anchor can get hung up in a rock pile or underwater cable or old shopping cart, etc. etc. and you'll be cutting the rope to get free. another option is to buy a anchor bag, you fill these with rocks to form you anchor. BassPro sells them.
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SportingGoods_Boating--Anchoring%2B%2526%2BDock%2BSupplies--Anchors%2B%2526%2BAccessories_10151_-1_10001_advisor_CA.CategoryExpand_N_225006001_225000000_225006000
sash weights are great
if you have access to them. These weights come out of old double hung windows, and can be had for free if you know a remodeler or a window contractor, or have them in your house. They are cylindrical, weigh up to 8 pounds ( three pounders are best IMO) and do not hang up on rocks or trees as easily as other types of weights. best of all, cut it loose if you do! I paint mine with rubber tool paint, and hook them to a retractable dog leash that is used to store the line. A quick lash on the deck, and you’re set.
Save a few bucks
I am a cheapskate. I like to use what I’ve already got if I can. I use a homemade anchor. I saved a liquid laundry detergent bottle, and filled it with sand. Talk about cheap! This way you can experiment with different sizes until you find out which works best for you. Just buy a different size bottle of laundry detergent each time you need more. If you don’t want to be as cheesy looking as I am with a sand filled laundry bottle anchor, you can still use this until you find out the weight you need. Once you have determined that, you can buy a store bought one.