Kayakers, What Is The Max Weight You Use For Anchor?

[BassinNCstyle]

What is the max weight you would use for an anchor? I bought a 5lb fit prong anchor over the 3.5lb one they sell. Is there any pros or cons between the two?

[paleus]

I have a 3 lb collapsible claw anchor. More important than the weight is having enough line out to get the anchor to dig in and hold. A heavier anchor will be fine, just harder to haul in and adds weight when you are loading/unloading.

[J Francho]

Around 5 lbs.

[Darren.]

5lbs is the max I'd use. Dumbbells

do the best for me.

 

I mostly use my 7' AnchorPin as I

fish a lot of shallow water. If I'm in

open water, I use my trolling motor 

to keep in an area. Haven't actually

brought my anchor with me in 

a while.

 

If you fish shallow waters, consider

picking up a retractible dog leash

(26' at Harbor Freight for cheap).

[Jim Mac]

I use a 5 lb. barbell plate. I can't see ever needing a heavier one.

[MidTNKayakAngler]

The heaviest I use is a 3.5# claw anchor, but hardly ever let the claws out. A lot of the time either a 6' or stake out pole, in rivers and creeks I use a drag chain.

[BassinNCstyle]

The heaviest I use is a 3.5# claw anchor, but hardly ever let the claws out. A lot of the time either a 6' or stake out pole, in rivers and creeks I use a drag chain.

Never used a chain drag before, how do I make one? What size chain?

[MidTNKayakAngler]

Never used a chain drag before, how do I make one? What size chain?

 

I took some photos with my phone and will post up, but I have made 3 for myself. I go to a local hardware store and find the heaviest chain I can. I cut each of the 3 pieces into different lengths 3', 4', and 5'. So now I have 3 pieces of large heavy chain in 3 different lengths, the 5' weighs probably 6lbs. Then I go to a bicycle shop and get used bicycle inner tubes that the chain will fit into. Once I put each chain into its own piece of inner tube the length of the chain then I double over the chain and inner tube so the 4' piece is now 2', the 3' piece is 1.5', and 5' piece is now 2.5'. Then I zip tie together so it looks like once piece. I leave 1 link exposed on one end and that is my tie off point.

 

I don't use all at once, but most of the time I'll take the 1.5' piece and that will slow me down drastically in rivers and creeks, and hold me in a decent wind, or just let me drift ever so slightly. Most of the time I don't like to be anchored unless I'm fishing one small area completely, most of the time I like to ever so slowly drift.

[Darren.]

I took some photos with my phone and will post up, but I have made 3 for myself. I go to a local hardware store and find the heaviest chain I can. I cut each of the 3 pieces into different lengths 3', 4', and 5'. So now I have 3 pieces of large heavy chain in 3 different lengths, the 5' weighs probably 6lbs. Then I go to a bicycle shop and get used bicycle inner tubes that the chain will fit into. Once I put each chain into its own piece of inner tube the length of the chain then I double over the chain and inner tube so the 4' piece is now 2', the 3' piece is 1.5', and 5' piece is now 2.5'. Then I zip tie together so it looks like once piece. I leave 1 link exposed on one end and that is my tie off point.

 

I don't use all at once, but most of the time I'll take the 1.5' piece and that will slow me down drastically in rivers and creeks, and hold me in a decent wind, or just let me drift ever so slightly. Most of the time I don't like to be anchored unless I'm fishing one small area completely, most of the time I like to ever so slowly drift.

 

I've done somewhat the same thing. Helps to slow

down the boat well.

[Turtle135]

I also use a 5 pound plate from a weight lifting set. Sometimes, if the wind is really howling, I bump up to a 10 pounder.

 

I frequently anchor to combat the wind. If you are using your anchor to combat current be very careful. Some of my most harrowing moments on the water involved an anchor, a kayak and current.

 

I keep my anchor line on one of these dog retriever dummies. I can quick disconnect and leave the anchor line attached to the float.

 

[LunkerFisher]

Mine is 3# and works great even in the wind