Ultimate Kayak Fishing: Would You Anchor While Kayak Fishing? - Ultimate Kayak Fishing

Would You Anchor While Kayak Fishing?
Last year at Prudence Island Jeff "The Riddler" said: "I don't need no Stinking Anchor" after he cut an anchor line instead of going over trying to recover it. On that trip we lost all anchors except for one - mine. Is anchoring safe? Where would you anchor and in what situations and areas would you leave the anchor in the kayak? Last night we had an eye opener in the "Shoutbox" - while talking to Silvesphere25 we where reminded again how dangerous it can be and how fast it can happen. I took the liberty to copy what we where talking about and I posted it here for everyone to check read http://www.ultimatek...or-dangers.html Please post your comments here after you read it. If you are not a forum member there is a link in the article that can be used to send me your comment and I will add it for you.

Let's hear it, should we anchor or not? I will continue anchoring, I do not anchor in moving water (at least not water moving very fast)

Nils

Wow, that's quite a story!

Thanks to SilverSphere for sharing it, and needless to say I'm glad he was able to share it. Its a good lesson for all of us.

I anchor up often in the early spring and very late fall, becuase its the only way to catch my favorite fish (tautog). They reside on rockpiles and catching them requires dropping baits straight down into the rocks. Drfiting for tautog only results in lost tackle.

I'd like to think I've learned a few things about anchoring in my kayak over the years:

The first is when to let go of the anchor. At most an anchor plus line costs $30 and its not worth risking my life for. If I can't get it back in the boat safely, I will just cut the line.

The second is setting the anchor. I carry a 1.5 lb folding grappling anchor with 50' of in expensive line and a sliding float buoy on the line. I would not even attempt to anchor in water more than 25' deep. I set the anchor by throwing it over the side along with enough rope that it will free fall onto the rocks, then I keep the line in my hand while I drift with the wind/current until the anchor sets. This way if I get into trouble I can just let go of the rope, circle around and try again. Once I get a good set and I'm happy with my location, I clip the line into the anchor trolley (with the float on the outside), send it up to the bow and tie off. I make sure that in a quick release situation the line remaining in the boat will pass through the anchor trolley easily.

The third is line scope. Unlike a danforth anchor where you need to anchor chain and line to lie at an angle less than 30 degrees from the bottom, a grappling anchor (on rock) will work at angles near 90 degrees. I will often anchor up in 20'-25' of water with only 30' of line. Every anchor I've ever fouled has been in a situation where I have let out more scope to try to improve my position. I firmly believe that most often it is the line that fouls in the rocks, not the anchor. While I do use the light weight zip tie/fishing line rigging technique to allow a breakaway with a firm pull, I don't believe that it is really effective.

Finally, when attempting to retrieve the anchor I first remove it from the anchor trolley. Just like setting the anchor, I want the line in my hand and be able to simply let go if I get into a position I'm uncomfortable with. Drop the line, circle around and try again.

Reading the story as it unfolded in the Shoutbox was a unique way to hear a tale that had us on the edge of our seats for the duration of the telling.
I found the rereading gripping too, and have posted the thread/URL to our main Kayaking forum here in Australia ...AKFF(Australian Kayak Fishing Forum), and inserted it into the safety section.
There are the beginnings of responses already and also other stories and even suggestions for averting disaster. Check-out the tube rope idea submitted.

Thanks Silversphere for allowing us to share.

http://www.akff.net/...a975d7cb3433363

This post has been edited by drewboy: 26 April 2009 - 05:18 PM

Here is a great idea for a safety tether between you and the kayak, kiwipea's idea is outstanding and a proof on how inventive we can be: http://www.akff.net/...t=26817#p283240


He's got some pictures on how to make this safety device using a short piece of 3/4 inch PVC, a length or rope and two Stainless steel clips...

Nils

Yep its me! I know 3 months have passed since my incident but i really havent had time to write or share new stories since i lost some gear and my paddle so i havent been out there again on the kayak. Got a newbie shore fishing story but will have to wait for another post.
Well most of you have read the basic story so ill try to keep it short.
April 25th
I Finally got a friend to let me borrow an anker (12 or 14 pound) so i can anker close to the reef without the current dragging me north west, believe me paddling back against 4 knot currents doesnt make your trip enjoyable. So off i went with little gear in a backpack, the extra weight in the kayak made it unstable but i still managed to make it to the reef and anchor.
After about a good hour of throwing chum and casting, jigging with very little sucess I though it was time to change location. I had originally placed the anchor in a matter that i could let it go with a float and come back to it in case i hooked a larger than expected fish. All was well untill i had to try to pull the anchor up, with such strong current i thought of paddling backwards in hope of being able to get a hold of the anchor line, no luck. Then i felt confident enough to turn myself around in the kayak so i could paddle with more efectiveness, big mistake, turning around was not the problem, it was this position that while paddling anchored made it very unstable. I had forgotten the waves and got turned over by a small 3 foot wave. No panic acording to me, as i looked up I noticed I was allready 6 to 8 feet from the kayak and moving fast. Unfortunately i was wearing a waist bag for my cel and other junk, another mistake! regardless of the PDF, my bag created a lot of resistance and i was not able to swim back to the kayak, so after 20 minutes, tired and knowing my kayak would not move i started moving back to shore with the current, another 15 to 20 min later (im guessing you loose track of time in these situations) a fishermen boat sall me at a distance and picked me up and helped me pull that nasty anchor out. So with a floating kayak filled with water (you know, ocean kayak "prism" hatches arent water sealed), a bad back ache, a little less gear including my paddle, only one shoe as well as a hurt pride, i pulled my stuff back to the warehouse where a friend feared the worst when he sall my lack of skin color once i realized where i could be if it wasnt for those fishermen.
My friends heres two pics that will give you an idea, yes it does not look like much distance fortunately.
As for advise this is what i´ve learned:
Never go out alone and dont use an anchor in deeper waters with current that can take you to Cuba. Use a radio or a waterproof cel phone. Do not use waist belts or "kangaroos" (try swimming against the current with one on). Have a line to attach your paddle and yourself (if necesary in high current waters). And as i read here DO NOT PANIC OR START THINKING OF YOUR LIFE! You are more likely to make it out alive if you are focused on solutions, A positive mental attitude is life saving. I personally never doubted on being rescued since my kayak fishing times are the same as most fishermen in the island, yet I did panic when i could not swim back to the kayak, that costed me a back sprain (not to mention my shoe ) When fishing in deep waters, let the coast guard know and if posible have a friend in the area if not escorting you( fishing, diving boats are common here). My next invention is to make a small sail so i dont have to paddle south (after all, here the wind blows usually southbound, and current is usually north west). I am also considering getting my hands on two double kayaks to rig into a catamaran, in order to take the my wife and a couple of friends that otherwise would not kayak fish with me on individual kayaks. Now if i could only find sometime to do all this!
Thanks NilsC, Don, and the australian guys for listening that day. I will find a way to get to the north of the island where theres no dangerous currents "passion island" and its little bay look fabulous for fishing. Well ill keep you posted as soon as I get my self back out there.

Silversphere,

It's good to see you in the sight again, we missed you. It's great to see that you're going back onto the water in a kayak. I hope that your future trips are safe and filled with fish.

I read the story and it's giving me another round of goose bumps. I'm glad you are still fishing with us down here...