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SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: Drift socks  (Read 2037 times)

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Pinstriper

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Outer Southwest Portlandia
  • Date Registered: May 2015
  • Posts: 1043
A recent post of LCKA took a turn towards anchor trollies etc.

My limited experience tells me anchoring ranges from unnecessary to deadly dangerous, certainly as far as our bigger rivers go, and ocean. I think most would agree.

I also admit to higher risk aversion and find it quite enough to manage my kayak and rod at the same time, and feel an anchor is further complication that I don’t need.

But for lakes where you aren’t worried about current, even a gentle wind can push you around slowly. To date I have just let that kind of happen, to cover more water without effort.

It occurs to me in that situation, an anchor would help if I really wanted to still fish and hold one location. But I think I can get much the same benefit from even the smallest size drift sock they sell. I don’t think an anchor trolly is even necessary because one wouldn’t really care about keeping bow-on or stern-on to the wind the way current would matter. And without any need to worry about breaking off, the rigging could be as simple as a carabiner to a padeye within reach.

If the wind comes up to the point where it pushes me off the drift sock, it is probably getting pretty choppy and time to think about getting back to launch spot anyway.

The lakes I am thinking about are Hagg, Detroit, GP etc. as opposed to ponds (I am not opposed to ponds).

Please comment on/correct my thinking, any advice etc.


Let's eat, Grandma !
Let's eat Grandma !

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pmmpete

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Missoula, Montana
  • Date Registered: Jul 2013
  • Posts: 1989
If you use a drift sock, you should use it with an anchor trolley so the drift sock will be attached at the bow or stern of your kayak.  It's a lousy idea to attach a drift sock to the side of your kayak, because that would position your kayak at right angles to the wind and waves.  I prefer to position a drift sock at the stern of my kayak so it's out of the way of  casting, but sometimes due to the direction of the wind and the direction I want to cast I position it at the bow of my kayak..

If you have a pedal kayak, an alternative to using a drift sock is to pedal slowly in a generally upwind direction.  This has several advantages over using a drift sock to drift downwind.  You can control the direction and speed you are moving, you can hold yourself stationary over the bottom if you encounter a concentration of fish, and you don't have the hassle of de-rigging your drift sock periodically.

I sometimes use an anchor when jigging in lakes, but don't use an anchor in any significant current.  If the wind and waves increase, being on anchor can get kind of exciting. I prefer to run my anchor from the bow of my kayak with an anchor trolley so if the wind and waves suddenly increase to the point where being on anchor doesn't feel good, I can just pedal forward, take the tension off my anchor line, and pull up my anchor.  When I use an anchor for sturgeon fishing, it's in slow moving pools, and the anchor is on a release system so I can pop it loose quickly to play a sturgeon.
« Last Edit: February 08, 2018, 09:41:20 AM by pmmpete »


PetitPoisson

  • Rockfish
  • ****
  • Location: Victoria, BC
  • Date Registered: Aug 2017
  • Posts: 105
From what I've read, you really want the trolley to move the drift sock anchor point to either the bow or stern in order to maximize it's effect.  If the sock is attached to the mid point of your kayak, the wind/current will turn you sideways and your boat will act like a sail.

My kayak is currently in storage (upside down) under the travel trailer.  My anchor trolley is in the garage waiting to be installed and the drift sock is packed away patiently awaiting it's first use...  So I speak with no personal use of this combination but I've read an awful lot on it before actually purchasing these items.

Hobie Oasis (Le Phoque)
Hobie Adventure Fish (yet to be named)


  • Visits from AZ
  • Location: Ferndale, WA
  • Date Registered: Mar 2014
  • Posts: 146
I use one, when jigging in the wind. Anchor trolley moved to the bow, so I can see the waves coming at me. I don't particularly like surprises.
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2015 Wilderness Thresher 140


Low_Sky

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Anchorage, AK
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 521
I use one, smallest size they sold at the Bass Pro Stores (I think it's a 3' diameter).  Yes, you want a trolley to run it up to the bow or stern.  I have mine on a pigtail with a float and I feed it through the trolley ring and stick the end in my quick cam release.  If I need to quickly bail on the sea anchor I pull the tail and let it go, and come back and pick it up by the float later. 
2016 Hobie Revolution 16
2014 Perception Triumph 13