Quick Release Anchor System is crucial.

Having a QRAS saved my ass yesterday. 

When you soak bait on anchor in the lower delta as much as I do, I suppose it was only a matter of time until I had to use my QRAS.  I've been out there and seen big pieces of debris float by, and was lucky it never crossed my path, until yesterday.

If you ever anchor up in current, you need to have a QRAS.  It's a must.  Without it, I would have been screwed yesterday.  I was out with Chuwy4 yesterday in Suisun Bay soaking bait for Stripers.  It was a strong outgoing tide with debris floating by.  Nothing new though, the tide always rips through this area and you will see a branch or clumps of tullies float by, no biggie.  So I'm sitting there waiting for a monster Striper to munch my bait when I feel a sudden jolt hit the back of my kayak.  I turn around expecting to see a branch or maybe a sea lion, but when I turned around, I saw my anchor float (a big hull fender) moving up the side of my kayak. All of a sudden it stopped moving towards me, my kayak started to turn sideways.  Being perpendicular to current is not good.  All of a sudden, my anchor float quickly went under, followed by my keeper rope popping off of the clam cleat.  I was adrift in the current, no sign of my anchor float.  I paddled around the area, which was hard to do due to the current and never saw my anchor float again.  Some guys in a PB near me quickly jumped up and started messing with their anchor line while I was paddling around looking for signs of my float.  I suspect something was hitting their anchor line as well. 
Without a quick release mechanism on my kayak, I'm sure I would have flipped, and my kayak possibly been sunk.  I can only wonder what was down there that got tangled in my anchor line.  Visibility is about 18".  If you get flipped in the middle of Suisun bay in a strong tide like yesterday, your gonna end up a long way from where you entered the water.  If I didn't have a way to quickly disconnect my anchor from my yak, it would have been a very bad scene.  It all happened within 10 seconds.
So, thankfully Chuwy4 had an extra anchor set up in his truck, so I paddled back to the launch and got it. Then I paddled back out and continued to get my bait robbed by schoolie stripers.  On a more positive note, I didn't get skunked, I managed to hook one of those little 12" bait stealing bastards.  The weather was nice, glass the entire time we were out there and that is a rare thing in those parts.  If your going to anchor in current, have a quick release anchor system. 

Glad your QRAS worked correctly for you. Things sure can turn around quickly on the water.


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it was a body.....

Hey Jeff,

Having that happen underwater outta site must been some scary shit.  Glad you came thru safe.

Thanks for the report, I too spend a fair amount of time in that position, you can only look back so many times in a day and I've often had debris float past near me that woulda been a game changer had it hit me.

Besides the QRAS, I've thought about having a weak link in the line near the anchor, maybe some 30-40# braid.  I've had my anchor get stuck once where it got a little dicey before I got it loose, I definetly would have been better off if I had been able to break the line and lose a little lead. The other option of cutting the line seems like just leaving more junk on the bottom.

it was a body.....

 

Glad you're Ok Jeff!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Wow, scarry!  Glad that worked out. 

Great post Jeff.  I always use a QRAS when anchored in current but I'm sure there are folks who don't.  Hopefully your story will provide those who don't have one, to get this important piece of safety equipment.

I am smiling from ear to ear right now.
QRASRiGHtThEF#(kON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad you're OK.
Could've been a submerged log.

It's not common to have debris flow downstream.  As a rule you should always check behind you, upsteam, everyonce in a while when you sit on anchor. 

I am smiling from ear to ear right now.
QRASRiGHtThEF#(kON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad you're OK.
Could've been a submerged log.

Thank you for putting up the QRAS tutorial, Tote. Your tutorial saved my ass. Hopefully we run into each other soon, I owe ya some beer.

Thanks for the post. I'm now working on getting A QRAS!
Dave

It's not common to have debris flow downstream.  As a rule you should always check behind you, upsteam, everyonce in a while when you sit on anchor.

I'm always checking around me when on anchor. The area (Suisun Bay) we fish is just outside the shipping channel. There are huge container and tanker ships passing through all the time, along with all kinds of other boat traffic. Our heads are for sure on swivels.

I'm not sure what you mean by debris doesn't commonly flow downstream. I was in 35fow and water visibility was about 12-18". The debris that snagged my anchor line could have been anywhere in the water column.

I know some things don't "read" in the tone we intend, so Yester, please know I'm respectfully inquiring about the debris flow thing and not being a smart ass. So if you can teach me something about currents I'd love to learn.

And yes EWB, it totally could have been a body haha! In that part of the delta, nothing would shock me. I was thinking it could be one of those abandoned boats that are all over the place, or a car rolling around. Who the hell knows. I like to think it was a giant 1500lb sturgeon that was trying to catch me. Because word has gotten around the Suisun Bay Sturgeon community about how bad ass I am. Kinda like reverse fishing.

Caution rookie question... What do you all use as a anchor quick release. I have been attaching mine to the tack with a carabiner but I am wondering if I should setup something more sophisticated. Thanks in advance. I am glad your made it out ok. Hopefully your experience educates a bunch of us new guys so we do not become submerged debris ourself.

Best,
Phil

Dang glad it all worked out know I'm second guessing if I'd be quick enough to drop mine.

Pore I'm running a figure nine caribiner with a loop setup