This inexpensive, ingenious idea will make your life way easier.
Fishing from a kayak can allow anglers to access parts of a body of water that aren't accessible from shore or from larger boats. And, that can lead to some great fishing opportunities. Fishing water with little to no pressure is always a safe bet for landing some fish.
However, due to the lightweight nature of most kayaks, some form of anchor is vital to staying wherever the fish are. If you're looking for an inexpensive anchor to use on your next excursion, look no further.
All you need is:
- A cheap retractable dog leash
- Some plastic hosing
- A few zip ties
- A weight
The kayak fishing anchor shown in these pictures utilizes an old, vinyl-covered barbell, but feel free to use your imagination with whatever you have laying around the house. Retractable dog leashes can be found at most stores, but consider stopping at the dollar store for the cheapest option. They also come in varying lengths, so choose one that will allow you to use your anchor in the specific bodies of water that you fish.
Once you have all your supplies, take a close look at your particular kayak and decide where the best place to mount your new anchor will be. The idea is to use existing parts of the kayak to attach your anchor. This eliminates the need to drill any unnecessary holes.
With a little bit of creativity, you should have no problems at all with finding an ideal spot for your homemade kayak fishing anchor to be attached. Save yourself some frustration and make sure to thread the rope of the dog leash through the plastic hosing before strapping it down.
After strapping your plastic hosing to the best place on your kayak with the zip ties, securely fasten the handle of the retractable dog leash to an easy-to-reach spot on your kayak. The last thing you want to be doing is twisting and turning awkwardly to reach your new kayak fishing anchor when there are fish to be caught.
A simple press of the button on the dog leash will release your chosen weight and send it towards the bottom of the body of water you are fishing. Once it hits the bottom, you can then lock the leash in position to prevent drifting.
Despite the leash being retractable, it won't be strong enough to pull your chosen weight off the bottom of the body of water you are fishing in. The best way to pull in your new kayak fishing anchor is to release the lock and simply pull the rope with your hands. This takes the weight off the inner spool of the leash and allows it to gather the rope back in.
Once it's up, lock the leash again to prevent the unwanted deployment of your anchor. You'll want to stow your chosen weight somewhere inside the kayak once you are done fishing for the day, too.
As far as the weight is concerned, you will want to choose something in the three to five pound range. That weight is ideal for holding your kayak in place in most situations. Faster-moving or choppier waters will require more weight. You will want to choose something that will be easy to attach the rope of your leash to and something that won't tend to cause unwanted snags.
Although the shape of your kayak fishing anchor weight will have an affect on the likelihood of a snag, you will still want to always have a knife or some sort of clippers handy in case you need to make a quick release. This shouldn't be a problem for most anglers as knives and other tools are versatile pieces of fishing equipment.
This kayak fishing anchor is a great project for any kayak angler to undertake. It'll have the most use for anglers who tend to fish in small, calm bodies of water, but the general idea can be molded to fit any situation.
Not too shabby for a couple bucks and a few minutes of your time.
All photos courtesy of Photobucket/T Meinders
NEXT: CHECK OUT THIS AWESOME SPEARFISHING VIDEO FROM SEACARIOS
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