So I’m weighing my options to get on the water and off the bank. I’m an experienced kayak fisherman from growing up in Florida. But we live in Iowa now and it gets windy here. Dang windy. I’m just curious what you all do on the windy days? Stick anchor? Anchor trolley? What’s your method to be able to stay positioned and fish?

Wind is a problem for kayaks. I have a stick anchor, an anchor trolley, and a drift sock. I've never found the stick useful, as it doesn't stay put very well. The anchor trolley is good for staying in one location, but it's still hard to keep from getting turned around unless wind direction is constant. I find myself actually using the drift sock most often.

I fish current a lot and drift fishing has become a way of life on the water.

I use a rig very similar to a drop shot. Drop straight down and keep your presentation as near vertical as possible. Maintain bottom contact. You’ll need to play with weight based of how fast the wind is pushing you. You want your lure in the strike zone as long as possible and as vertical as possible. A little scope is fine but not out like a 45* scope.

Once you scope out too much reel in and drop straight down again and repeat the process.

You will find at times that you can cheat and cast the rig a little forward so that when you track bottom your vertical for a longer period of time.

Your lure is not stationary, it actually swimming from the current/wind. You want to maintain bottom contact so either reel up or let line out to maintain. You will impart natural action to the lure while it’s swimming by doing so.

Let the wind work for you and take a ride while fishing.

If it’s shallow, stake out pole attached to your anchor trolley.

If it’s not shallow enough and you have ground to cover, try a drift sock with an anchor trolley.

When you get to a high percentage spot and in deeper water, I anchor because my kayak is paddle only.

I have a boat now so I can be picky on conditions to take my kayak out, so I try to pick days where the wind is less than 10 mph.

Awesome. Thanks everyone same things I used to do. I never did care for my stick anchor lol. Loved my anchor trolley though. I’ve never tried a drift sock!!!

I have used a soft sock a time or two with my old Kayak. They can definitely slow your drift down. I think a Kayak motor is the way to go now. I have a stern mounted motor and foot steering. I can hold position fairly well with my feet and fish heading in the wind. A tail wind can screw that plan up though.

A bow mount motor with spot lock might be the best for control.

Another reason why I’m thankful for spot lock and a heading sensor. But even with those tools, fishing in strong winds is difficult in a kayak.

Rope & mushroom anchor and/or spotlock!

Anchor trolley w/small anchor for me. But if the wind is not constant from one direction you will still get turned around a lot. 10 mph does not seem like strong wind, but on a kayak it can make everything more difficult. Staying put w/o a trolling motor w/spot lock is my biggest challenge when fishing from my kayak.

One thing no-one has mentioned is: choose your battles. I live a couple blocks from a 3,300 acre. Live near the NE shore, and of course the prevailing wind around here is from the SW. So I may choose to launch at another part of the lake that keeps me out of the wind more, or a bay, or fish a stream instead if the wind is too strong. There's always someplace that works.

IF you’re fortunate enough to be near water. My closest lake is near an hour’s drive.

On 2/26/2026 at 5:44 PM, Joedodge said:

What’s your method to be able to stay positioned and fish?

Just my paddle, that's all I got.

It's a PITA sometimes but it sure beats the shore.

I'm in the midwest, an hour west of the Windy City.

I've been fishing out of a kayak for 10 years and just bought an Autopilot 120 to deal with the wind.

There were several days last summer where I didn't go because of the wind, I fish a lot of quarries so using an anchor barely slows you down a lot of the time.

I use a grappling anchor with trolleys on both sides of my kayaks. I also have a drift sock. I also pedal to keep in place. I take my boat if it's going to be really windy.

Wind sucks. I have a no-go limit of 10mph. It’s awful even then.

I just let mild wind push me. I have no anchors.

10 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

Wind sucks. I have a no-go limit of 10mph. It’s awful even then.

I just let mild wind push me. I have no anchors.

Here that would mean fishing maybe twice a year!

I use to carry an anchor and use an anchor trolly but now I have a motor with spot lock. Spot lock is really a life saver in the Kansas wind.

Im from central Iowa. I use to live in MI and boy it does get pretty windy over here in Iowa. I fish out of a 10ft Pond Prowler. I only go out on Fridays when I don't work and anything above 15mph I stay home and fish ponds. Invest in a spot-lock trolling motor. It won't solve the problem but makes it much more manageable.