breaking off a snag

Make sure the front of your yak is facing the direction of the snag line (to avoid flipping) and put the rod horizontally towards the direction of of the snag (so that you won’t break your rod) thumb the spool and reverse like there’s no tomorrow.  If it doesn’t work, go to the opposite side and repeat steps.  Usually works for me.

... But now that I'm usually in a hobie it's easy.  point rod at line to ease tension on rod, thumb down hard on spool, and pedal away.

This!  It's been the safest and most effective way to break off I've found... and I don't even pedal.  As a bonus, about 50% of the time I get lucky and the hook comes free from the snag.

Or use a lure retiever. Or make something like this...

I think this is kind of deceiving, its done in air where there is less resistance the against the weight. The water would slow it down and it would not have the impact.
Just say'ing. 

If you can't get it out and braking off is the only option, here's what I do.
Get directly over the snag.
Point the tip at the snag and reel down as far as possible with the drag as tight as can be so almost the entire rod is submerged.
Thumb the reel and either pull up or let the swell break you off.
20lb leader isn't that much. Balance yourself properly and either it will break off or line will still peel off the drag. Always point the rod at the snag. NEVER pull straight back like you are setting the hook. Only bad things will happen if you do.

+1  I also put my legs on the sides to add stability.

If I'm hung up good and know i have to break it off I usually get a little ways downwind from the snag and then thumb down on the spool -- the attack angle is less so I don't feel as tippy as when I try to break off right over top of the snag. I run braid with about a 20' plus/minus top shot of mono fwiw.

Usually working it from a couple of different directions/angles though will get the snag loose. Best is to get back upstream/wind from where you snagged so you can pull it back out the way it went in.

cheers,
Brad

If I get snagged while trolling or mooching, I turn around, use the GPS features of my fish finder to retrace my route well past the location of the snag while letting out line, point my rod directly behind me, lock my reel and put my thumb on the spool, and try to pull the lure off the snag.  It almost always comes loose.  If I get snagged while jigging and I was stationary over the bottom when it happened, it's difficult to predict which direction will pull the lure off the snag.  I head off in a random direction a considerable distance, lock my reel and pull, and if that doesn't work, head off in a different direction.

If my line is running out relatively horizontally and straight behind me because I'm pretty far away from the snag, I think I'm relatively unlikely to tip over when the line breaks.  I don't like pulling straight up on a snag, because your kayak can lurch pretty badly when the line breaks.

If you're using a level-wind trolling reel, don't put your thumb on the spool next to the line carrier which shuttles back and forth across the front of the spool, because it can clamp your thumb! I made that mistake once, and jerked my thumb out just in time.  Put your thumb on the spool from the back of the reel.

Great tips!  This is an important discussion - our friend once tipped right of his yak when a snag he was cranking on suddenly came loose.
I also like to carry a solid cut-resistant glove!

First I will try a direction change, and bounce the rod tip to hopefully release from the snag. last resort, wrap line around net handle about 5 times and pull. Make sure your rod is secure in the boat.

If it's a single hook jig you're using, or sometimes even trebles, relase tension and WHIP the rod vigorously. Sometimes that will flip it off the snag.  Otherwise the suggestions above are best.  Paddle up the line past the snag and try again.  I have also put pressure on the line and paddles ircles around the snag and found the magic angler that way.

I you get bit, then stuck. It's often a fish that swam around a rock.  Give it free spool with thumb pressure at the reel the fish will usually swim off the rock.  Pulling hard on it could break the line or set the snag.

Bushy