QRAS Question

Why is it that all the QRAS setups are off the stern of the kayak, so you are facing down current? A setup off the bow that allows you to face up current would give you a better view of the debris that is flowing towards you and see if your anchor buoy gets dragged around by underwater debris caught on your anchor rode as happened in this thread:

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=41659.0

Is there any advantage to having the QRAS setup off the stern?

It is hard to fish facing up team in current without hooking your anchor or having your line run under your kayak.

It would kind of like fishing a stream with your back to it so you could keep your eyes out for any bears in the area.
You want to be facing where you are fishing.

Wow, I was just about to post exactly the same question.

It seems to me that facing upstream would be comparable to trolling, which seems plenty natural to me. And I don't see why you'd be any more likely to snag the anchor if it in front, rather than behind. Still not getting it...

I often cast straight ahead so the kayak blocks some debris from hitting my line. That would have me right on top of my anchor line. It is the same in a PB. Anchor in the front, fish the other way. It's just in a PB your seats face backwards.

I just posted a version that works with an anchor trolly in the DIY section.

Wow, I was just about to post exactly the same question.

It seems to me that facing upstream would be comparable to trolling, which seems plenty natural to me. And I don't see why you'd be any more likely to snag the anchor if it in front, rather than behind. Still not getting it...

My thoughts exactly. The only time I would fish anchored is soaking bait for sturgeons, so I would not be casting. I would only be watching the tip of my rod, just like when I am trolling.

From my experience............

It does make me nervous to have my back turned to the current especially this time of year, thought about a rearview mirror setup.

I have caught 3 sizeable (50#) sturgeon and various smaller ones.  I have never dropped my anchor during those fights and found that the fish invariably stayed downstream of me, probably just the current or maybe it pulled downstream as the path of least resistance.  If you're facing upstream you'd fighting a fish behind you, unless you dropped your anchor which IMO just complicates the day unless it's truly required by a really big fish. 

Also with currents your line/bait is going to go downstream of your position no matter where you drop/cast it, and if you're fishing in fairly shallow water not casting is gonna put your bait pretty close to you, maybe only 10 feet away.

Just my experiences.

One other note on dropping your anchor to fight a sturgeon,  if you stay on the anchor when it runs you fight it back in to your anchored point resulting in a tired fish which has been pulling against you and your anchor.  If you drop your anchor during the fight you're just pulling a free floating kayak towards a swimming fish and the fish will at the yak allot sooner and hotter.

Wow, I was just about to post exactly the same question.

It seems to me that facing upstream would be comparable to trolling, which seems plenty natural to me. And I don't see why you'd be any more likely to snag the anchor if it in front, rather than behind. Still not getting it...

My thoughts exactly. The only time I would fish anchored is soaking bait for sturgeons, so I would not be casting. I would only be watching the tip of my rod, just like when I am trolling.

Aren't you facing downstream anytime you anchor and fish? Unless you have a bowrider and fish up front. The only difference is anchor in front, fish at the back or anchor in back and fish at the front. I don't see what the concern is other than the size of the boat and it's harder to look back.  I have a bicycle mirror on my glasses so I can see debris and boats approaching from behind.

Most sot kayaks handle better facing up current. With significant current, you'll get speed-wobbles when it's facing backwards.

Most sot kayaks handle better facing up current. With significant current, you'll get speed-wobbles when it's facing backwards.

speed-wobbles    Never tried it ... just sounds funny.

From my experience............

It does make me nervous to have my back turned to the current especially this time of year, thought about a rearview mirror setup.

I have caught 3 sizeable (50#) sturgeon and various smaller ones.  I have never dropped my anchor during those fights and found that the fish invariably stayed downstream of me, probably just the current or maybe it pulled downstream as the path of least resistance.  If you're facing upstream you'd fighting a fish behind you, unless you dropped your anchor which IMO just complicates the day unless it's truly required by a really big fish. 

Also with currents your line/bait is going to go downstream of your position no matter where you drop/cast it, and if you're fishing in fairly shallow water not casting is gonna put your bait pretty close to you, maybe only 10 feet away.

Just my experiences.

One other note on dropping your anchor to fight a sturgeon,  if you stay on the anchor when it runs you fight it back in to your anchored point resulting in a tired fish which has been pulling against you and your anchor.  If you drop your anchor during the fight you're just pulling a free floating kayak towards a swimming fish and the fish will at the yak allot sooner and hotter.

I guess we have differing opinions on what counts as a really big fish. I would have definitely released the anchor for a 50 pound beast.   

I have zero sturgeon fighting experience. My only previous really big fish were my thresher fights, where I was towed in circles for about an hour each. So I would have released the anchor for any fight just so I can keep my bow pointed at the fish, if only for safety. I have no qualm with having to paddle back to my anchor after fighting, and hopefully landing a fish.

By the way, I just noticed the fish in your avatar was a sturgeon.

Most sot kayaks handle better facing up current. With significant current, you'll get speed-wobbles when it's facing backwards.

It helps if you hang a foot over the side.

Most sot kayaks handle better facing up current. With significant current, you'll get speed-wobbles when it's facing backwards.

It helps if you hang a foot over the side.

The water is a chilly 46 degrees this time of year.

Wow, I was just about to post exactly the same question.

It seems to me that facing upstream would be comparable to trolling, which seems plenty natural to me. And I don't see why you'd be any more likely to snag the anchor if it in front, rather than behind. Still not getting it...

My thoughts exactly. The only time I would fish anchored is soaking bait for sturgeons, so I would not be casting. I would only be watching the tip of my rod, just like when I am trolling.

Aren't you facing downstream anytime you anchor and fish? Unless you have a bowrider and fish up front. The only difference is anchor in front, fish at the back or anchor in back and fish at the front. I don't see what the concern is other than the size of the boat and it's harder to look back.  I have a bicycle mirror on my glasses so I can see debris and boats approaching from behind.

The direction I face would depend on which end of the kayak the anchor is deployed from. My biggest concern is with seeing debris coming downstream towards me this time of year. And since I do not wear glasses, and hence no bicycle mirror, I would have to constantly look back if the anchor is deployed off the stern.