Flipped the yak on the American

I was planning on fishing the AR at Howe Sunday morning, went to Sac state and walked to the Guy West bridge to see the water conditions and if any NCKA'er was there. Saw a kayaker but did not like the look of the river so I decided to fish further upstream in the barbless section. After drifting roe with a few drift boats and only me getting no love, I decided to anchor up and throw a quickfish, and take a much needed break from paddling. Well my anchor got stuck and my zip-tie safety did not break so I ended up flipping my kayak. I somehow managed to not let my two rods (roughly $900) sink to the bottom of the river. However I did loose my brand new pliers, knife, some tackle, and my nice net. FYI flipping a kayak while juggling two rods, a paddle, and tackle box is hard.

It was my bad I tried rushing pulling my anchor, the current put me sideways and I flipped. After I got to shore and was putting my stuff in the car I realized that not a single powerboat even tried to help me, but they all watched and had plenty to say.

It makes me wonder what kind of self centered society we live in where on a river that claims several lives every year, fishing is more important then checking to see if someone who fell in can get out alright.

Glad to hear you are OK Ryan, with minimal gear loss.  Best to keep gear minimal on the river as everyone swims eventually.  I hear ya on the lack of help from others, pretty sad and pathetic.  I can't stand to be around the crowd of loudmouth jerk-offs on busy days on the river.  Hang in there, NCKA bros will always lend a hand.   

Happy (and sorry) to hear the only thing you lost was some gear! The river is a dangerous place for sure. Pulling anchor when you're sideways is probably the most dangerous thing that you can do on a fast flowing river, except maybe getting hit by a tree.  next time make sure to put some floats on or tether your gear for anything you can't lose.

I was in the barbless section a couple weeks ago and my anchor was making me real uncomfortable so i just tossed it and went back to chase it down afterwards.

2X's for me this year.  Same losses plus one pole on first swim (heading upstream in a eddy and then hitting the current, pushes the front sideways, current hits you broadside, high centered, over.  Other hit a barely submerged tree in rapids and went over but what was the worst was the anchor  I had sitting on the back went over the upstream part of the tree and got stuck causing me to stop dead in my tracks upside down in current.  I didn't lose my new pole that time because miracously the anchor rope made a twist around the reel handle and there was so much pressure from the yak and current that it was stuck half way between the tree and the kayak.  I was able to right the kayak but unable to release the rope.  Fortunately both times I was with Mr. Matt so we were able to free it and slide out of the current.  Minor losses but major lessons learned. 

I've done that sideways action a lot trying to set up anchor in current (I anchor and fish with kwikfish primarily) as well as trying to pull up.  I resolved the pulling up anchor by always using the quick release, flipping a uturn and paddling as far upstream as I can and then on the slow drift down bringing in the rope until I am exactly vertical over the anchor and then snap it free and quickly to the surface.  I use a mushroom and I imagine it would be the same with the claws, but if you drag yourself upstream on the anchor you both dig the anchor in deeper and face the risk of drawing and wedging the anchor into an obstruction (another lesson learned by me and Matt.)  Have not had another anchor incident.  I'm a total QRAS guy.

Glad your okay and glad you posted.  The water can look like slow moving glassy water, but on anchor you can feel the power.  That is partially why I stopped hitting the mouth of the AR.  It is really sketchy water plus with all the power boats, and real lack of camaraderie, a flip over there would be a disaster across the board.

This should be visited by anyone who is going to anchor up.
It's much easier to deal with a stuck anchor when you aren't attached to it.

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,16289.0.html

Sorry to hear about your gear and those folks that didn't help you out Ryan... some people are just messed up like that, it's just stupid how they don't seem to care that a dangerous situation occurs in front of them and they stand there in awe  , okay *cool off*.  Tote's tutorial is very nice though, I used that tutorial to rig my QRAS on my T120 and I will put up the same thing on my Revo.  Glad to hear your safe and sound brother, hopefully I get a chance to fish the AR one of these days and we can hook up.  Tight lines.

Pern

first like to say glad to see you are OK
next you gotta get a GOPRO sorry about the gear you lost but to play that back in      S L O W M O T I O N would be awesome 

I'm glad to here your ok. even at $900 its better to loose gear and face the wife later then not let her see you again.  Stay safe.

Glad you are ok Ryan.

Ryan

Glad you are ok. I don't anchor in current because I don't have the knowledge or skill to do so. Hopefully this will give newbies an idea of what can happen.

Scott

That sucks dude.  Glad you're ok, what section of the river were you fishing?  What a bunch of assholes, I bet they were the same guys who kept screwing with me and Erik.

Thanks guys. I don't feel that I was in any danger as Kat and I regularly practice self rescue, so I feel I was well prepared. I am/was upset that not a single boater even asked if I was okay or needed help.

what section of the river were you fishing?

I was upstream of Rossmore.

next you gotta get a GOPRO sorry about the gear you lost but to play that back in      S L O W M O T I O N would be awesome 

If I did not loose it on the flip  I do agree I need to get one, if only for the slow-mo flipping

Tote, steveis lost and Pern

I do have a QRAS. I was in-line with the river flow when retrieving my anchor. But the anchor was stuck and I tried popping it up with a quick pull, hopefully to free it or break my zip-tie on the anchor. Neither happened and instead the bow of my kayak dug in the current, when that happened it put me sideways and flipped me.

That sucks dood! Ive never anchored in the river, but it seems like QUITE a task!

Good to hear you're OK. Safety first & f*** those kind of people who would just sit & laugh while someone could potentially be serious trouble.

You were anchored from the BOW? With the anchor release system we are usually anchored from the stern of the kayak. Anchoring out in the middle of a fast current is a recipe for disaster.  Glad that you are Ok. You need a bracket on the rear of the kayak so you can run the anchor line down and the tag end on a clam cleat that can be released easily within seconds.