TexasKayakFisherman.com

I have a new to me Pelican Castaway. Looking to upgrade the seat. What are my options. What works better a stake out stick or a anchor? Or do I need both?

a stake-out stick is best for salt fishing, and an anchor is fairly pointless - in deeper water with waves, you probably don't want to anchor a kayak, and a drift sock is great for fishing a kayak in the coast wind.

I have an anchor, and honestly, have never used it, always have it with me in lakes, and never take it to the coast.

A trolley is a nice feature, letting you position an anchor or drift sock anywhere along your boat, and also making it easy to deploy either from inside the boat.
Paddling with others, a trolley will also let you lash someone's bow line and move it to the stern of your boat so you can tow them without getting out of the boat.

chiefmike wrote:I have a new to me Pelican Castaway. Looking to upgrade the seat. What are my options. What works better a stake out stick or a anchor? Or do I need both?

Can't really help ya on a seat, everyone has their own needs and desires on what makes a great seat. Get one that supports your back and your PFD doesn't hit it.

For shallow water the stack out stick is simple and quick. Depends on how you use it to anchor but it has it's limits. Anchor trolley will make either the stick or an anchor work better if you learn how to use them correctly.

If you will be anchoring in water deeper than your stick can reach then an anchor is a better option. But again, learn how to use it correctly. There is more to it than just dropping it into the water, letting it hit bottom and tying off. Also match the type of anchor to the bottom you will be trying to set your anchor in. Research how to use anchoring devices correctly and you will answer your own question and decide for yourself what will work best for YOU. May have to have more than one type of anchor if you fish different areas with different bottoms. Anchoring devices are like fish hooks. Don't limit yourself to only one bait because you like only one kind of hook.

Spend the bucks for a really good seat. It is impossible to get a seat that is too comfortable.

I found an anchor of sorts to be better for me than a stake out stick. My general area is the Corpus/Rockport shallow water areas or Lake Amistad. I never get out and wade fish. I also fish over lots of different bottoms during a trip. My eventual choice was a 5# dumbell and a lite rope with a zig Zag cleat. It could be set tied short to act as a drag anchor or given scope to act as a longer term anchor. I seldom sit in one spot longer than 15 minutes so 100% holding power was not important.
What I found on anchors/stake out sticks is that it is just as personal as what shoes you wear and where you fish can cause different systems to be better.

Agreed. X2 with Texnomad. The older you are then the more important the comfort seat will need to be.

Much depends on where and how you fish; the stakeout stick works better for some and the anchor for others. Since I normally fish skinny water, a plasti-dipped 8# mushroom on a 3' line works best -- for me. I just ease it over gently and get out to stalk the fish. But if we don't fish the same way it may not work for you. I use the short line with the mushroom 99% of the time, but at times I use a Bruce claw or a grapple on a long line, or a stakeout stick, instead. The anchor trolley will be an asset whichever system you use.

I don't know enough about seats to address that part of the question. Just go as comfortable as you can afford. And remember; the elevated seats also raise your center of gravity, affecting stability. If stability is a concern for you, keep that in mind.

hipshot wrote:... If stability is a concern for you, keep that in mind.

Sitting up high is also a wind load. If you're planning to paddle very far, especially at the coast, it matters.

I plan on using a stake out stick this year at the coast. Personally I use a 3# folding grapple anchor with about 2' of chain attached. It hold on every type of bottom I have used it on and I have it rigged where the chain is hooked to the bottom and zip tied to the top of the anchor. If it sticks all I have to do is pull hard enough to break the zip tie and the anchor flips over and releases. As for seats. I am upgrading this year to a kayak with a framed seat. Comfort is important.