Thomas Reardon Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 I'm interested in kayak fishing on the river more , i usually park the yak and get out and wade because my 15 lb grapple anchor doesn't seem to hold well on the current in the fox river where i usually fish. ive been looking into getting a parkNpole from yak attack or a stake out pole to anchor with instead but they are $80. Does anyone have any experiences with these on the river? do they work? would be nice to use the kayak more to cover more water without having to get out every time i want to hit a spot . do they work in strong current? Has anyone tried to make one? how did you do it? Ive been thinking about using a broom handle or peice of PVC and attatching a large nail or railroad cleat in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Kral Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 I dont see why it wouldn't work. The fox is a pretty soft bottom for the most part, some areas might be tough. I tried using conduit and some other things before with my old Coosa, but didnt work well. I know they are not cheap, but spend the money on the fiberglass pole, it has a nice point, and its tough. It wouldnt take long to snap a broom stick or pvc, and to wear down the point. Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 One trick I heard of was using a golf club with the head removed. Obviously have to be pretty shallow. I haven't tried it, but if it worked you could have a pretty cheap supply from garage sales. If a 15# anchor isn't holding your yak in place, I'd say you shouldn't be trying to anchor in that spot anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dodge Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 I have to agree with Jude. 15# should be more than enough. I have also used a hand clamp attached to a cord to hold me in an area. Clamp it on to a tree branch, root, rock, or whatever. Not sure what people might think of the safety of that, but I have yet to see any problems with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Apologies if this strays a bit off-topic ... I kayak the Fox quite a bit and normally drift with the current and cast at targets. When I'm picking apart an area I come upstream towards it and tuck the nose in behind structure or along the shoreline when possible to cut the current and hold for a few casts. A few swipes of the paddle here and there can usually keep me in position. I use a 5lb mushroom anchor to hold in mild current. I don't recommend trying to hold in strong current. A kayak can be jerked and tipped or swamped if things go wrong, costing you gear or worse. Any more I rarely anchor. I enjoy the freedom of being completely mobile on the surface and the stealth it provides. I don't ever get out of the kayak to fish. Only to stretch now and then, but even that's rare since I'm too focused on fishing. My preferred CFS for kayak fishing the Fox is 1,200 CFS or less. Dupe is around 120 CFS or less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Reardon Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Thanks for all the feedback guys! I like the clamp idea Terry! I might try that first before I break down and buy a fiberglass pole. I guess the spots I have been trying to anchor off on may have been too fast? My thinking was to anchor off in the faster moving water below slack water areas that I want to fish without putting the boat into the slack water itself so as not to frighten off a potential fish? Im assuming you guys put your boats at the down stream portion of the slack water you are fishing as well? but float in the slack water with the boat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Kral Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Like they said, 15lb should be more than enough, and if not, probably not a good place to anchor. Also, make sure you use an anchor geared towards rivers. Mushroom anchors tend to slide along the bottom. Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 As you pattern where fish hold you can either drift by and cast it or give it a wide berth and re-approach it from downstream, hold and pick it apart. I can't imagine having a 15lb anchor in the kayak. I'll bet conditions are a bit more lake-like where that river Chug Bug action is taking place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericg Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 As you pattern where fish hold you can either drift by and cast it or give it a wide berth and re-approach it from downstream, hold and pick it apart. I actually tuck in to the shore below the target and rest my foot on a rock or log to hold the kayak in place so I can pick apart the spot as long as I like. I use an anchor only in ponds. ericg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 I'll bet conditions are a bit more lake-like where that river Chug Bug action is taking place. Not really. I usually try to fish the downstream end of the slack area as I pass by. Then I turnaround and and if I have to "park" in the slack water, it's at least in a section I've somewhat fished. It seems that most of the fish ares on the upstream end of the slack water anyway. Maybe it just seems that way because I can fish it more thoroughly. Maybe because active feeding fish are up there waiting for dinner to float by? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Reardon Posted May 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2014 Your right I think i misspoke, looking more closely at my anchor i think its a 5 lb anchor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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