Fishing in rivers, tidal estuaries, or anywhere else currents or wind push your ‘yak away from where you want to be can be an exercise in frustration.
I’ve had to fight currents fishing for smallmouth over rocky bottoms on the upper James River, and I know just what it’s like to suffer at the hands of a tide while trying to catch my limit of specks, too.
The solution is an anchoring system that matches the specific conditions you fish rather than a one-size-fits-most anchor recommended by people who’ve obviously never spent a day on the water.
Many of the recommendations you’ll find on the internet are simply ridiculous, and the products you’ll see reviewed are clearly designed for anchoring small boats or jet skis overnight.
But don’t worry – if you need a kayak fishing anchor, we’ve got you covered. We’ll demystify this topic and review a few of our favorite solutions.
Quick glance at the best kayak fishing anchors:
Related:
Best Kayak Fishing Anchors Reviewed
Seattle Sports Kayak Anchor Kits – Best Folding Grappling-Style Anchor for Kayak Fishing
Seattle Sports makes a folding grapple-style anchor just for kayaks, skipping the larger, heavier anchors and unnecessary floats more common for boats and jet skis. Instead, kayak anglers get exactly what they need without the clutter of things they don’t.
Seattle Sports offers two weights: a 1.5- and 3.25-pound option.
I’d strongly recommend the heavier option, especially since you’re not going to be running enough line (rode) to really set your anchor. In my experience, that’s more the rule than the exception, and you’ll be using the weight of the anchor in conjunction with the flukes to hold (or slow) your kayak’s movement.
The four flukes fold up against the shaft (or shalt) of the anchor and are held in place by a heavy metal collar. This kit comes with two carabiners, a ring to set up a trolley, 50 feet of nylon rope, and a stuff sack.
Seattle Sports’ anchor is pretty much a solid hunk of mild steel, painted to increase corrosion resistance. Even minimal care will keep it in fine shape for the rest of your life, though you will need to replace the line every few years.
Ideal for rocky bottoms where the flukes can catch and hold, this is a great kayak angling anchor for shallow rivers or tidal zones.
Pros:
- Comes with everything you need
- Good weight
- Works well
- Corrosion-resistant and durable
Cons:
Newport Vessels Premium Mushroom Anchor – Best Mushroom-Style Anchor for Kayak Fishing
Newport Vessels hasn’t designed this mushroom anchor specifically for kayaks, as the attached float demonstrates. Nevertheless, this 5-pound mushroom anchor works really well on sandy or muddy bottoms, catching and holding just as it should.
Due to its weight and shape, this anchor works well even if it isn’t deployed perfectly.
It comes with 30 feet of strong nylon rope, a stainless carabiner, a floating buoy, a stainless shackle, the anchor itself, and a carrying bag.
For shallow water and soft bottoms, this is definitely the way to go, and it’d be my choice anywhere a stake doesn’t provide the reach or security I need.
Pros:
- Good weight
- Works well
- Corrosion-resistant and durable
Cons:
Lindy Drift Control Drift Sock – Best Kayak Fishing Drift Sock
Lindy’s drift sock is ideal for inshore fishing from a kayak or other situations in which the current or wind is a problem, but the water is too deep to use an anchor.
Lindy recommends kayak anglers use the 18- or 24-inch in breezy conditions, the 25- or 30-inch in moderate wind, and the 36- or 42-inch in heavy wind.
This drift sock works wonders, dramatically slowing your movement and keeping you where you need to be without any struggle on your part. This sock also packs easily and weighs almost nothing – an added advantage for kayak anglers.
Please be aware that you’ll need to supply your own line for this drift sock, and I’d recommend a carabiner on each end – one at the shute and one to attach the line to your ‘yak.
Pros:
- Packs down
- Very light
- Works well
Cons:
YakGear YakStick Floating Stake – Best Kayak Fishing Stake
For really shallow water and soft bottoms, nothing beats YakGear’s YakStick.
In conjunction with a good trolley, this stick will keep you put in a tide, current, or breeze and allow you to orient your bow for optimal casting.
6’ 3”, the Yak Stick has the length you need to really stick in mud or sand, and it doubles as a very effective push pole when needed.
Made from hollow fiberglass, the YakStick will even float.
Pros:
- Very light
- Works well
- Durable
Cons:
YakGear Deluxe Anchor Trolley Kit – Best Kayak Fishing Anchor Trolley
While you can use any of the anchoring systems we review without an anchor trolley, you’ll really make your life a lot easier if you bite the bullet and add one to your ‘yak.
An anchor trolley is simple: it’s essentially just a length of line that stretches along the side of your kayak. On that line, you’ll run a metal loop that allows you to adjust the position of your kayak relative to your anchoring system.
That lets you change where your bow is pointed without raising your anchor.