Do you carry and use an anchor?

[dsiekman]

Out of more than 50 trips I made last year, I took the anchor with me only 2 or 3 times. The way I fish, I rarely use one. If I bottom fish for catfish, an anchor helps. Also learning from my Tampa experiences, if I want to fish on a very windy day, having an anchor will help hold position. On the day before the CBKA tourney last fall, I paddled in Eastern Bay under very windy conditions. The anchor helped a bit.

A few weeks ago I posted a temporary anchor trolley design I made up for my Slayer Propel. It attaches in less than a minute and does not require drilling any holes. http://www.snaggedline.com/showthrea...hlight=trolley - see reply 18.

I bought the prepackaged version from Hobie but was not overly impressed. It seemed like the screws were too short and I had to make some mods to get it to fit. It also would not line up with the preset bolts on the starboard side where I wanted it. Had to mount it to port.

[Mmacro]

Dsiekman, when it goes bad with an anchor line it goes bad fast. Often a boater gets only one chance to cut the line before the water swamps the boat. I want a knife that I know can cut that line with one pull. Slicing two or three times is not fast enough or an effective cutting action for a crisis situation.
I've measured all the "oh crap" moments I've seen growing up whitewater kayaking in the Carolinas and the extra factors of anchor lines, rod leashes, braided lines, etc... I see kayak fishing. I ask myself what's the worst that can happen: the kayak is swamped by fast current, or I turtle in bad weather in water I can't see in.
I have seen a canoe wrapped around a car sized boulder in a matter of seconds by the force of river water. I've seen a kayaker get caught unaware up at Have de Grace after dropping anchor and almost had his boat pulled under by the current... One chance to cut the line.
I think about how I'm going to cut braided line and anchor line from around my legs or arms if I turtle in bad weather. A flat edge cutting surface means I have to saw my way out blind, meaning the cutting surface requires attention and concentration to keep from cutting myself. A hook knife will let my work blind and not worry about cutting myself. (It's not just the blunt tip, it's the exposed flat blade)
And personally I think the pulling power of a hook knife is much more powerful than a pushing/sawing motion of a traditional knife.
Check this knife out...
BO02BO320.jpg

[Mmacro]

This is the me we were issued in the 82nd Airborne... The hook blade is a "switch blade" design so you could push the button and the hook pops out.
colonial-knife-company-r51-hook-large.jpg

[dsiekman]

Dsiekman, when it goes bad with an anchor line it goes bad fast. Often a boater gets only one chance to cut the line before the water swamps the boat. I want a knife that I know can cut that line with one pull. Slicing two or three times is not fast enough or an effective cutting action for a crisis situation.
I've measured all the "oh crap" moments I've seen growing up whitewater kayaking in the Carolinas and the extra factors of anchor lines, rod leashes, braided lines, etc... I see kayak fishing. I ask myself what's the worst that can happen: the kayak is swamped by fast current, or I turtle in bad weather in water I can't see in.
I have seen a canoe wrapped around a car sized boulder in a matter of seconds by the force of river water. I've seen a kayaker get caught unaware up at Have de Grace after dropping anchor and almost had his boat pulled under by the current... One chance to cut the line.
I think about how I'm going to cut braided line and anchor line from around my legs or arms if I turtle in bad weather. A flat edge cutting surface means I have to saw my way out blind, meaning the cutting surface requires attention and concentration to keep from cutting myself. A hook knife will let my work blind and not worry about cutting myself. (It's not just the blunt tip, it's the exposed flat blade)
And personally I think the pulling power of a hook knife is much more powerful than a pushing/sawing motion of a traditional knife.
Check this knife out...
[ATTACH=CONFIG]11225[/ATTACH]

very good points. Granted, I was cutting 1/2" line which should never be on my kayak (not that I wouldn't pick it up from another boat, piling, fouled anchor, etc. The blade is standard on one side and serrated on the other. That said, it never hurts to be prepared...or to carry two knives! Where did you find the one you posted? Love it!

[dsiekman]

This is the me we were issued in the 82nd Airborne... The hook blade is a "switch blade" design so you could push the button and the hook pops out.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]11226[/ATTACH]

My concern with a closing knife, even with opening assist, is that it requires action other than just pulling it out of the sheath. As you said, every second counts.

[dsiekman]

This is the me we were issued in the 82nd Airborne... The hook blade is a "switch blade" design so you could push the button and the hook pops out.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]11226[/ATTACH]

Thank you for your service!

[DOGFISH]

I rarely use an anchor. However, I do carry one for safety concerns.

[Capt C-Hawk]

I always have one on the yak. It's a necessity for catfishing and at times even for shallow water stripers. I try to use a stakeout pole, but sometimes the bottom is too rocky to stick it. Handy for croakers too. I have the folding anchor in a bag that has 25' of line with a float and snap for quick release.

[jhoss]

Here's my set-up. I like using an anchor when I need to hold where there are fish. When you have tide, or wind this can be very helpful. I use a dive spool (amazon.com) which is made to be immersed in saltwater and holds like 150 ft. of line. I like to have my anchor in the back so if there is current my back is to it. This way you are essentially casting downstream to the fish -which tend to face upstream, into the current. I used to have the dive spool clipped directly to the seat, and then going through the anchor trolly, but after almost swamping my boat when I got the anchor hung up in swift current as I was retrieving it alongside the boat, I moved to this set up which quickly releases, so you can fight a fish or whatever (by simply unclipping the blue cord) The yellow float then allows you to retrieve your anchor after you're done landing your monster. 3.jpg4.jpg6.jpg2.jpg5.jpg1.jpg

[Mmacro]

Yea, I wouldn't carry the orange one in a yak... But it's pretty fast since its technically a switchblade (push the button and out it pops).
The other knife is generaly sold out (out of production now). But you can find them here and there online. They were very popular.