Pulling up that anchor

I don't fish much lately but when I do I fish on the anchor allot, sturgeon, striper, shark, even catfish.

On those outings I feel like the most hazardous time is when I pull the anchor in deep water with a fair current.

The way I do it the line is in my hands and I end up pulling the yak broadside upstream against the current and many times the wind waves as well.

Once the anchor comes off the bottom it's all good but until then in a strong current it's a little rocky.

I've thought about some of the river anchor setups where it comes in and out right off the stern but with QRAS in mind and long rodes it just doesn't seem like a better idea for the anchoring I do.

Any advice or comments?

Bump 

Well thanks for the bump, you musta really been digging to find that one,

I was surprised that I didn't get even one suggestion or comment the first time around.

I try to paddle/position myself directly over the anchor and then give a strong jerk to pop it loose. Don't try to pull it loose from the anchored position.

I try to paddle/position myself directly over the anchor and then give a strong jerk to pop it loose. Don't try to pull it loose from the anchored position.

How do you do that in strong current?

I try to time it so I don't have to pull anchor during the strongest part of the tide. Sturgeon fishing off Sherman Island was definitely a challenge to pull the anchor. I've also been wondering what could be done to improve the safety factor. Maybe a line guide mounted on the bow to use just while pulling in line. I'm not sure how easy it would be to get the anchor line in the guide in strong current, but once in, your kayak would point bow towards the anchor instead of broadside.

I usually anchor off the stern via a quick release guide line. I back paddle quickly til I am past the anchor then quickly take up the slack then pop the anchor when I pass back over it.

What type of anchor is being deployed here? Pyramid, mushroom or?

Pretty sketchy in strong currents for sure.  ! If possible I'd Let out enough slack to get to shore or out of the riff , then yank it up. Yank and crank!

Using the QRAS I pop the anchor, paddle back to the buoy and put it in the kayak then paddle further upstream, past the point where my anchor is directly below me.
From there, as I drift back towards the anchor point, I pull the line very quickly into the kayak.
When there is zero slack I pop the anchor loose and pull the rest of that line into the kayak..
I keep the anchor in the kayak but toss the excess line over the side then reel or wind it back onto the line keeper (depending what you use to keep the line organized).
Yes you will lose a little ground during the process. But if you PRACTICE in a calm environment so you have the process down pat it won't be a big deal.
The biggest thing to making this work is don't have TMS (too much $#hit) on the deck of your kayak. Keep things clutter free and it will go a lot smoother.

Excellent topic - hard to believe it didn't get a notice the first time around. 

If you can't paddle back to your anchor in strong current I'd say you have anchored in too strong of a current, but that's just me. 

I usually anchor off the stern via a quick release guide line. I back paddle quickly til I am past the anchor then quickly take up the slack then pop the anchor when I pass back over it.

+1

Excellent topic - hard to believe it didn't get a notice the first time around. 

If you can't paddle back to your anchor in strong current I'd say you have anchored in too strong of a current, but that's just me. 

I didn't get the impression he was saying he couldn't paddle upstream.

How do you do that in strong current?

I was responding to your question, but my quote function isn't functional...

I could probably just not comment at all because I don't use anchors and have no experience with anchors in current other than reading about it here, but I thought it may be useful to point out that I don't think anyone should anchor in current so strong that they can't paddle against it.

Oh, my comment wasn't meant to ask how do you physically manage paddling upstream. I've never tried what he described and it seemed that in strong current you would drift back downstream before you could get enough anchor line in.

As far as not being able to paddle upstream, going backwards is not as easy as going forwards. Turning and paddling with your float as was described by Tote sounds easier than paddling backwards. I have always just pulled in my line like Dale described. As far as being physically unable to paddle upstream, it's probably a good idea to think twice about kayaking, with or without anchoring, in water moving faster than you can paddle.

Using the QRAS I pop the anchor, paddle back to the buoy and put it in the kayak then paddle further upstream, past the point where my anchor is directly below me.
From there, as I drift back towards the anchor point, I pull the line very quickly into the kayak.
When there is zero slack I pop the anchor loose and pull the rest of that line into the kayak..
I keep the anchor in the kayak but toss the excess line over the side then reel or wind it back onto the line keeper (depending what you use to keep the line organized).
Yes you will lose a little ground during the process. But if you PRACTICE in a calm environment so you have the process down pat it won't be a big deal.
The biggest thing to making this work is don't have TMS (too much $#hit) on the deck of your kayak. Keep things clutter free and it will go a lot smoother.

+1