QRAS setup - a little different than most

Hey All, contributing to the community here by posting my new anchor quick release setup.

I made a yoke type connection to the grab handles on the back of my kayak, connected to a quick release snap shackle, connected to 100ft of 1/4" line and 10ft of chain, connected to a folding anchor.

I have a length of paracord connected to the snap, and a length of poly connected to the ring to retrieve my anchor line. I also included a small float for the upper end of the anchor line of I need to release.

Gonna try it out tomorrow - launching at Bay Point in search of a dino. 

bigger buoy might make for better visibility and locating. mo bettuh

With some chop in the mix and it would be hard to locate your floatie. Let us know how it works out for you and good luck 

Thanks for the feedback - I was kinda thinking the same. This little guy came with the anchor - but I can see myself getting a bigger one for sure. Stoked to give it a go today!

Good luck out there! Hopefully the QRAS works well. I’ve spent a lot of time on anchor out of McAvoy’s. In my experience, the chain is unnecessary, all you need is the 5lb grappling hook anchor to keep you anchored. So if the chain is a pain, know you can ditch it and it’ll still work fine. On days where the current is really ripping I don’t think that little float will stay above the surface. I use a boat bumper and sometimes it gets close to being submerged due to how hard the current moves. Also, you should use a clam cleat if you want your anchor to be truly “quick release”. I was out there once and my yak suddenly turned perpendicular to the current, my boat bumper float got sucked under and the line automatically released from the cleat and my bumper/anchor was never seen again. If it didn’t I would have been tossed from the yak and who know what would have happend to my yak. Must have been something giant rolling down on the bottom. Last week I saw a huge tree branch out in the current. Shits real. Tote’s QRAS exactly as designed has worked perfectly for me out there. Good luck man!

That anchor looks small. I was running a 8 pound anchor with chain and just upgraded to a 15 pound anchor. When the tide is ripping it might be hard to stay put. Unless you got a really small kayak.

+1
I also attached some lead balls to the chain to weight it down as well. 

Good luck out there! Hopefully the QRAS works well. I’ve spent a lot of time on anchor out of McAvoy’s. In my experience, the chain is unnecessary, all you need is the 5lb grappling hook anchor to keep you anchored. So if the chain is a pain, know you can ditch it and it’ll still work fine. On days where the current is really ripping I don’t think that little float will stay above the surface. I use a boat bumper and sometimes it gets close to being submerged due to how hard the current moves. Also, you should use a clam cleat if you want your anchor to be truly “quick release”. I was out there once and my yak suddenly turned perpendicular to the current, my boat bumper float got sucked under and the line automatically released from the cleat and my bumper/anchor was never seen again. If it didn’t I would have been tossed from the yak and who know what would have happend to my yak. Must have been something giant rolling down on the bottom. Last week I saw a huge tree branch out in the current. Shits real. Tote’s QRAS exactly as designed has worked perfectly for me out there. Good luck man!

Thanks! Do you launch at McAvoys or the regional park next door? I launched at the park this morning.  Wind came much earlier and stronger than forecasted, and it was super choppy, so I called it pretty quick. Wasn't feeling a swim today, haha. Didn't get to test the setup, but looking forward to seeing it in action.

Definitely gonna get a larger float.  Was thinking it looked a bit small, and after all the comments, seems like a good idea.  A regular boat fender is a good idea.

 Not sure what a clam cleat is, but with the snap shackle, just a light tug on the paracord and the whole anchor comes free.

 

Yeah, I launch from McAvoy’s, if you don’t have a trailer they usually don’t make you pay, just don’t park in a trailer parking spot. Definitely get a bigger float, once you disconnect that little float is gonna get sucked under and you’re going to have to wait for slack tide to get it back- maybe. Be sure you let out another 15’ or so after your anchor hits bottom or else it’ll for sure get sucked under in a heavy current. I’ve been out there where it’s moving so fast my boat bumper almost goes under. The clam cleat is just a wedge type thing (you can get them at west marine), the idea behind the design is that it will automatically pop free if your float slides up to it when something fouls your anchor line. No thinking, no moving, it just pops free. When it happened to me, by the time I figured out what was happening, it had already popped free and I looked just in time to see my boat bumper go under. Could have been in some serious shit if my line didn’t free itself. Thinking about maybe going Wednesday afternoon out of McAvoys to fish the outgoing…

Yeah, I launch from McAvoy’s, if you don’t have a trailer they usually don’t make you pay, just don’t park in a trailer parking spot. Definitely get a bigger float, once you disconnect that little float is gonna get sucked under and you’re going to have to wait for slack tide to get it back- maybe. Be sure you let out another 15’ or so after your anchor hits bottom or else it’ll for sure get sucked under in a heavy current. I’ve been out there where it’s moving so fast my boat bumper almost goes under. The clam cleat is just a wedge type thing (you can get them at west marine), the idea behind the design is that it will automatically pop free if your float slides up to it when something fouls your anchor line. No thinking, no moving, it just pops free. When it happened to me, by the time I figured out what was happening, it had already popped free and I looked just in time to see my boat bumper go under. Could have been in some serious shit if my line didn’t free itself. Thinking about maybe going Wednesday afternoon out of McAvoys to fish the outgoing…

Yikes, that sounds scary.  Def gonna get a larger float before I go out there next time.  Do you connect the anchor line directly to the clam cleat?  Do you use an anchor trolley or similar device?  My goal is to keep this setup as safe, simple, and effective as possible - I appreciate the feedback from the veterans on this board, especially from someone who fishes the area that I would like to get into! 

I checked out some of your Youtube videos - looks like you've definitely put in the work to get that spot figured out!  I would love to tag along with you one of these days and learn some of your secrets.  I think I've got kayak and gear mostly sorted out, but a good look over from someone who has some experience would definitely be helpful.  Plus, knowing how to identify when and where to put my line, and what to put on it. 

Random question - I see a lot of folks using a forked end pole holder.  I can't for the life of me find one that mounts on a boat though - they all have spikes for pounding into the ground.  Does someone make one that is compatible with Scotty or Ram mounts?  Or do I need to get creative and customize one?

Thanks for your help! 


 

I followed Tote’s QRAS exactly and it’s been absolutely perfect. No trolley, it’s simple and perfect. Maybe it’s my phone, but the pics aren’t coming up on the tutorial. That’s a bummer because it’s a great DIY tutorial. http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=16289.60

However, there is a decent pic of the system on the last page of the thread. I don’t have any pics of my own system right now. I forgot I had my YouTube linked lol, glad you liked those shitty long ass videos haha. I’ll let you know next time I’m going out, my hopes of getting out Wednesday already got smashed so maybe Tuesday now, I really don’t know. But IMO this is the best time of year for sturgeon, so I’ll be going any chance I get.

The homies baitnbeer and Chewy4 showed me the ropes out there. I put in a shit load of time out there and skunked a lot before I started figuring it out. I use a wire leader (18”) and 6 or 8oz pyramid weights- the bait HAS to be sitting on the bottom for a Dino to eat it. Also bait buttons work well for keeping my grass shrimp on the barbless hook.

As far as rod holders go, I think the best thing is to somehow prop up your rods directly in front of you with the base of your handles kinda by your crotch. That way when you get a bite you are already loaded for a hook set. You have to constantly stare at your rod tips, if you miss the bite your hook will be bare and you’re out of the game. Especially if there’s a bunch of shaker stripers around, they will peck your shit clean and your hook won’t have anything on it and you won’t even know it if you’re not constantly watching. I’m almost always a weekday guy, DM me your number and I’ll text you when I plan to go, because it might be a day or two notice.

This was a long time ago on my first kayak and it was my all time favorite way to have my rods. Having that rod holder sideways like that was the perfect thing to prop up my rods on leaving the handles right where I could quickly grab them and set the hook. Hopefully this clarifies what I was trying to describe. I’m going to figure out a way to duplicate that for my Outback.

I followed Tote’s QRAS exactly and it’s been absolutely perfect. No trolley, it’s simple and perfect. Maybe it’s my phone, but the pics aren’t coming up on the tutorial. That’s a bummer because it’s a great DIY tutorial. http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=16289.60

However, there is a decent pic of the system on the last page of the thread. I don’t have any pics of my own system right now. I forgot I had my YouTube linked lol, glad you liked those shitty long ass videos haha. I’ll let you know next time I’m going out, my hopes of getting out Wednesday already got smashed so maybe Tuesday now, I really don’t know. But IMO this is the best time of year for sturgeon, so I’ll be going any chance I get.

The homies baitnbeer and Chewy4 showed me the ropes out there. I put in a shit load of time out there and skunked a lot before I started figuring it out. I use a wire leader (18”) and 6 or 8oz pyramid weights- the bait HAS to be sitting on the bottom for a Dino to eat it. Also bait buttons work well for keeping my grass shrimp on the barbless hook.

As far as rod holders go, I think the best thing is to somehow prop up your rods directly in front of you with the base of your handles kinda by your crotch. That way when you get a bite you are already loaded for a hook set. You have to constantly stare at your rod tips, if you miss the bite your hook will be bare and you’re out of the game. Especially if there’s a bunch of shaker stripers around, they will peck your shit clean and your hook won’t have anything on it and you won’t even know it if you’re not constantly watching. I’m almost always a weekday guy, DM me your number and I’ll text you when I plan to go, because it might be a day or two notice.

Right on, thanks for linking to that post!  I was thinking about the clam cleat and had a vision in my mind of a chock / pad eye on the back of the kayak to keep it pointing down stream, but wasn't putting together how the reel and float factored in with that setup.  Makes sense now - super simple and safe.  I could probably even use one of my grab handles as a chock for that too. 

Good copy on the rod holder too - mine is track mounted pretty far outboard, so I might need to install a Scotty mount somewhere amid-ships for that to work well for me.  I still think a Scotty mount for a forked rod stick might be a million dollar idea tho - never know you need something til you see it in a tackle shop, haha.

Thanks for the invite to join you sometime - I will shoot you my number for sure!