A STAKE-OUT POLE MAKES ANCHORING [1]
IN SHALLOW WATER QUICK AND EASY. PHOTO: JEFFREY FORTUNA
1] Not only does the Rod Pod provide access to the hull, but pre-rigged divots accept Scotty’s universal mounting system.
2] An integrated handle in the bow and stern.
3] Rubber flaps on the bow protect rod tips or cradle a resting paddle blade.
PHOTOS: OLD TOWN CANOE AND KAYAK [2] [R IGG ING] STOP IT! [3] K Stability is the Predator’s strongest suit.
Even on the choppy ocean, I was able to stand and fish with confidence. In calm wa- ter I could pretty much do the hokey-pokey. I walked from bow to stern, balanced on one foot and turned myself about. I was even able to stand on the bow hatch. Back in the seat, I paddled straight without fighting the boat and turned easy circles while paddling with one arm. I know it’s a 13-footer but even so, she’s surprisingly nimble. Back at the launch fielding questions from more curious kayak anglers, one of them asked me, “Why didn’t Old Town just call it the Predator? Why Predator 13?” In addition to our Predator 13 test model, there is a 12-foot Predator MX. The MX is shorter, of course, and features a more round- ed hull that Old Town says is better suited for river fishing. Both Predators are available now in yellow, tan, camo and urban camo.
RIG RIGHT TO ANCHOR YOUR KAYAK BY DREW HAERER
ayaks are at the mercy of wind, current and waves. To stop your kayak from drifting and swirling, start by installing an anchor trolley. This pulley system keeps the bow or stern pointed into the cur- rent and wind by shuttling the anchor line forward or aft, like running a flag up a flag pole. The first step to installing an anchor trolley is getting the best components. Malibu Kayaks pro-staffer
Nick Dyroff recommends high-quality pulleys and hardware. Using machine screws, he mounts a Har- ken 29-millimeter Carbo-Cleat pulley 12 inches from the bow and another 12 inches from the stern. Then he installs a padeye on the hull 15 inches behind each pulley to keep the trolley lines from cross- ing. Dyroff runs 550 paracord through the bow pulley, then through the padeye and finally through the stern pulley. He ties a loop knot into each end of the paracord and clips each loop to a six-inch bungee cord that has a molded locking hook at each end. The bungees are then clipped to a two-and-a-half- inch nylon ring or high-quality mountaineering carabiner. “The bungees keep the trolley line tight,” he says, “and keep them from slapping on the hull.” There are many ways to stop a kayak. In shallow water, nothing beats a stake-out pole, which can be
stuck into sand, mud or between rocks. In deeper water, a six-pound grappling anchor will hold most kayaks. Rivers and creeks with heavy current and rocky bottoms are perfect for a one- to seven-pound sash weight clipped with a carabiner to 50 feet of 3/8-inch polypropylene rope. Clip several weights together to adjust the weight to match water depth and current strength. River rat Eric Boyd of Foothills Angler Guide Service uses a drag chain to slow his descent down North Carolina’s swiftest rivers. Boyd’s drag chain consists of an 18- to 24-inch piece of half-inch steel chain clipped to a 16-foot retractable dog leash with a carabiner. Boyd runs the leash through the ring of his anchor trolley and bungees the handle next to his seat. “You can also run the leash through a padeye on the deck and zip-tie the handle to your seat,” he adds. To dampen noise and minimize snags, Boyd wraps the chain in rubber bicycle tubing. “The chain hangs up in the rocks and deadfalls but it can be freed with a quick tug,” he explains. To control how a kayak drifts, use a 17- to 24-inch diameter drift chute. Fasten the brass ring at the end of the chute cords to a carabiner with six to 12 feet of 3/8-inch polypropylene rope. Clip the free end of the rope to your anchor trolley or a deck loop and let the drift sock drag in the water. However you anchor your kayak, be careful. Letting the kayak turn sideways in the current can cause the boat to flip over. Losing hold of the anchor rope will cause you to flip out, curse, then paddle home. Get your anchoring right and you can get on the fish in any conditions.
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