[sinker man]

1. What do you use for an anchor?
2. Any anchors you've tried that you didn't like?
3. Things you don't like about your current anchor/system
4. Do you ever stake out?
5. What with?
6. How often do you anchor up? a. never or seldom b. ocasionally C. fairly often
d.several times per trip
7. Any tips for your fellow yakkers?

I realize a few people are just getting started but if you've anchored up 2 or more times answer up and be heard. answers for #7 need not be serious. (If you can't help your fellow yakkers out, share a little humor! ) .

 

[fojoloy]

1- My anchor is a 2 lb. old cast iron window weight tied to 25 ft. parachute rope.
2- Don't like the fold ups.
3- No problem
4- No, but I have had enough big fish in a bag overboard to serve as a "sea anchor" effect.
5-N/A
6- C
7- When you see a big yacht or trawler bearing down on you and numbers start with NY or NJ---- pull or cut anchor line immediately---- HEAD FOR LAND ASAP

 

[sinker man]

.

7- When you see a big yacht or trawler bearing down on you and numbers start with NY or NJ---- pull or cut anchor line immediately---- HEAD FOR LAND ASAP

Another reason SOT'S are popular for coastal kayaking.
BTW I NEED A FIELD TESTOR . IF YOU ARE INTERESTED I'LL SEND YOU AN ANCHOR AND A COUPLE OF TROUT LURES . SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE THE MOST SUITABLE RESPONDER TO THIS LITTLE POLL. HA HA
GIVE ME A PM IF INTERESTED.

 

[sinker man]

Will Send Monday Via Snail Mail! Thanks For Your Participation.

 

[sinker man]

FOJOLOY,

Just mailed your super duper yak fisherman's kit minus the chute cord and appropriate weight. Confused yet? It should arrive by friday barring any mishaps . I had to show it to the mail clerk so they wouldn't have a bomb scare. Your job is to use it, tweak it, figure out the appropriate weight for the chum pot I forgot to mention, make improvements as needed, but mostly fish, fish, fish and provide some honest, unbiased feed back. If you start catching some fish we might even see about finding some grills that need field testing . HA! HA!

 

[fojoloy]

sinker man--- I can't wait to try it out. Evaluating and tweaking a new product is right down my alley. Will load the skillet with grease before I leave to go fishing. I am always optimistic.

Thanks, Forrest

 

[sinker man]

It's A Tough Job I Know, But I Have Faith In You. Let The Fish Be With You!

 

[ptorresb]

I've just started using a folding 3lb anchor and was not happy with it for 2 reasons:

1) It wouldn't hold up in strong current (channels)

2) It spins in the water and created twist in my anchor line.

I plan to try out an 8lb mushroom anchor I have.

 

[sinker man]

Pablo, hang in there buddy I think fojoloy and I might have a pretty good litlle anchor coming. I never have tried those folding anchors. I always felt that they were poorly conceived. An anchor that drags across the bottom will soon lodge in rocks , oyster beds or some other anchor eater. in swift water this poses a swamping hazard. You can only pull so hard before it gets to dicey. You also have to be careful in a kayak not to anchor in a place that is to swift. As stable as the tarpon 120 is you still don"t want to anchor in a current that you can't swim upcurrent in. If you were to get dumped by some freak accident you would be up the creek without a boat so to speak. It pays to keep an eye on the current, as it is going to change speeds and directions every time you anchor in saltwater. Also most kayakers neglect to bouy their anchor line. I think the ideal anchor system for inshore kayak is a 10' stern painterwith a small net float and a quick open snap hook. This would connect to a ring on the main anchor line. A float on the main anchor line, keeps it visible, and easy to dump or regain if you hook a big fish and have to follow it. Next a 25' length of parachute cord to the anchor. a backup 25'of paracute cord should be rigged the same way except that the float should be removable. The anchor.need not be heavy but it must be able to dig in and hold yet be easily retrieved if it hangs up.

 

[backlash]

I have a folding anchor and use it when the current is strong. Recently, I have found that using about a foot and half of 1 1/4" chain works great. Letting the entire length of the chain rest on the bottom will hold the kayak in most cases. When I want to drift with the current, I can adjust the amount of chain touching the bottom which controls my drift rate. Allowing me to drift or troll an area a little longer if I choose.

 

[sinker man]

Backlash, sounds like you have got it worked out. If you want to try out the one Forrest was testing just pm me an address to send it to. All I ask is you give me an Honest opinion on its plusses and minuses and what you would change.

 

[fojoloy]

backlash--- You will probably be able to give sinker man's yak anchor a better evaluation for swift currents than I, but where I have been using it, I only have positive reports on it. It's adjustable to a variety of conditions, simple and compact.

 

[backlash]

Sinkerman, I would like to help you on the testing, but I'm traveling quite a bit right now. I'm not sure how much I'm actually going to get to fish in the next couple of months. Thanks for the offer. TC

 

[sinker man]

I can understand that life can sometimes make it hard to spend time on the water. It will probably be fall before I can do any testing myself but I believe we have a design that will satisfy the needs of most coastal kayakers. It's adjustable in it's holding power and can be retrieved from places that would eat most other designs. Best of all the diy guy can scrounge the materials and build his own for little or no money. Total weight is only 1 1/2 lbs and it is easy to stow. I plan on posting the design for the benefit of all kayak fisherman. I also will post an alternative model using different materials for those people who might want to use different materials that they may find easier to obtain or work with.
AL