Swaying when anchored

How do you guys keep from swaying back and forth in tidal waters when anchored.  Does anyone use a drift sock?  I have anchored in the American Sac and Montezuma  but always seem to drift back and forth.  I have a qras set up off the stern.  I have sturgeon fever now and don’t k ow if I’ll be able to detect a bite while swinging.  Thanks for any advice!

How do you guys keep from swaying back and forth in tidal waters when anchored.  Does anyone use a drift sock?  I have anchored in the American Sac and Montezuma  but always seem to drift back and forth.  I have a qras set up off the stern.  I have sturgeon fever now and don’t k ow if I’ll be able to detect a bite while swinging.  Thanks for any advice!

Yes, it’s a pita! If you hold the rod you will know if you get a bite. I don’t know how some guys use a balance beam though.

For me, swaying is part of the unique observation of rod tip that can help once you get used to the pattern...up down...up down...up down...oh...what's that?  That was strange...kind of a stall, or a bump, or a vibration in the pattern...better pick up the rod and wait...pump pump pu...set...stick!  Peel...zzzzzzzz...hopefully at least...

You'll know a sturgeon pump when you see it...boink boink boink...hope you geetum!

After reading Jack's solution I realize swaying is different then bobbing up and down in wind chop...

The only way to prevent swaying is to have your anchor line tied to the very center tip of your Stern.

Have a good eye.... and feel the force... softer rod tips help.... if it feels like a Log. Probably isn’t a Log. Prefer barbless big river hooks. Strong hooks bait stays on and so does the Log.

I have my qras setup so that it actually does pull off the very center of my stern and i still swing, sometimes I wonder if having it up a foot or so might help, presents a different angle for the current to push against. But what does work for me is to hang one foot off the side. Works like a charm, till my foot gets too cold to leave it out. Give it a try.

Thank you guys for the replies!  Consensus seems to be that it’s just part of kayak anchoring I guess.  I like the idea of holding the rods and I’ve tried the leg over the side with limited success.  I’m on a mission now and I’ll probably get it figured out over the next few trips.  Hope everyone has a merry Christmas

Anchoring from the bow and rudder down reduces the sway  on my Hobie Outback. Without the rudder down the sway is quite bad.

Anchoring from the bow and rudder down reduces the sway  on my Hobie Outback. Without the rudder down the sway is quite bad.

Forgot that part, the rudder is imperative for steady tidal positioning...

Anchoring from the bow and rudder down reduces the sway  on my Hobie Outback. Without the rudder down the sway is quite bad.

Maybe I’ll try that. I’ve always kept the rudder up to prevent any chance of anchor rope entanglement.

Anchoring from the bow and rudder down reduces the sway  on my Hobie Outback. Without the rudder down the sway is quite bad.

Maybe I’ll try that. I’ve always kept the rudder up to prevent any chance of anchor rope entanglement.

I prefer raising my rudder up on my revo 13 to reduce rocking around during swift current.

Have a good eye.... and feel the force... softer rod tips help.... if it feels like a Log. Probably isn’t a Log. Prefer barbless big river hooks. Strong hooks bait stays on and so does the Log.

That’s what we were using up in Portland last month!!! It was rock solid til an fn PB popped me off!!! And it was a good 50-70 yards to the left!!! Had been playing the Dino for 30-40 minutes maybe 20-30 but a Good Long time and it wasn’t finished by a LONG WAY... over 10 years ago with Baitnbeer on a PB I pulled a 66” one quickly seemed to easy... until we Put a Lassus on its tail then it exploded it was like a stick of dynamite went off!!!

Can’t wait to get on another!!! What a RUSH!!!