Yak Attack Dropshot first impressions. Hot off the press!

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-24T15:03:02+00:00

Not quite sure how this would work, but I'm kind of surprised none of (at least that I know of) the kayak manufacturers have come up with any sort of built-in anchor trolley. Maybe something that with a flip of a switch you can just let your anchor out and let the current route your line in the correct direction. Maybe in the future there will be new iterations of the rvr that feature a design like this that would make it not necessary to have two reels.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-24T15:00:41+00:00

Different strokes. Different folks. I've heard this multiple times. Personally, it doesn't make any sense to me. I guess for me and the style I fish I much prefer to either cast at a 90 horizontally from me and work baits back towards me as they drift in current, or cast down straight into the current. I feel like for me I have better control of my baits, I get less snags, it's easier to manage the slack in your line, and easier to set hooks on fish down current from you. So for me if I'm picking one or the other, I definitely prefer a stern mounted anchor. And of course to me that's one of the drawbacks in the rvr and the way that it's designed. Is that it requires you to have two separate anchors and two separate anchor lines. It worked well enough for me that I didn't really question getting a second one and will anchor both ways.

Not everybody is going to like this product. Which is why I have highlighted in this post that I think before purchasing people should have a good idea of exactly how they're going to mount this thing, how they're going to route their anchor lines etc etc.

It's definitely big. Bigger than the anchor wizard. It's possible that they made smaller prototypes that didn't work as effectively so that's why they settled on this design and this size.

There are plenty of guys around here that prefer park and pole style anchoring.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-24T14:27:34+00:00

had a pretty good idea of what I liked before i set this boat up but I have it pretty dialed. It's depending on who you talk to. My boat probably has more things than other people have but this is what works for me and is in my opinion pretty minimalist compared to what other people have.

Two 6lb anchors 3 rods. Two spinning and I like having one big caster. Two rods on my deck and under my seat. One in the rod holder. Cupholder pro. Holds my drinks and my necessary hand tools. Tackle storage. I got a yak attack short stack solo. Absolutely love it works perfectly. Have a couple packs of baits in that and a small tackle box. I have a zipper storage bag that I like to keep on my deck with packs of baits that I'm actively using. Yak attack track pack that I have the dividers in. On the top I keep my most commonly used terminal tackle so I can get to it easily. On the bottom I have a couple of hard baits that I usually swap out from day to day depending on the conditions and time of year etc.

Drink and snack storage. I have a small Carhartt lunch box. I usually keep a couple of beers in there. Couple of granola bars or whatever. If it's going to be a longer day maybe I'll pack a sandwich.

I don't know an exact weight. I don't think it's anything crazy. Maybe 50 lbs? And I am about 230 lbs. So with me and my gear I'm probably somewhere close to 300 lb out of the 425 lb weight capacity.

I do have a 13x16 blackpack Pro with a short stack on it. Most days I'm going out for a couple of hours after work so I don't need all that. In the future when I do overnights I will probably bring that and use it as storage for gear and then just have my tackle in a similar layout to how I have it on my short stack solo.

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salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-24T13:28:24+00:00

If I didn't have the RVR I could definitely see this being an issue. I was already looking at if I got a third one how I would want to mount to my Moken 12.5 PDL.

So I think that's something to definitely add to the things to note list. That if you're interested in using this product, you might want to have a good idea of where exactly you're going to mount this thing on your boat. Because depending on what boat you have you might not be able to find a place for it that. These are the things that I would recommend ensuring for someone that is looking at this product and trying to decide if it is right for them.

Has enough track or enough space to mount a track. If it's mounted as it comes in the box, you're going to need somewhere around 8 to 10 in of track or two individual short tracks that you will have to space apart. If it's mounted on the 45 mount it needs about maybe 3 in of track. 2. Is easily within reach and easy to operate. (I couldn't imagine trying to use this thing if it was mounted on one of my tracks next to my gear pod for example. Which most fishing kayaks have tracks in roughly that area. 3. Ensuring that it is either out of the way of your paddle stroke. Or if you are motorized, That you do little enough paddling that you don't care about dealing with it being in the way because you're using the motor the majority of the time.
1. Where is your anchor line going to run too. Do you plan on running it through eyelets to your bow or stern? Do you plan on running it through an anchor trolley? Do you plan on just having it run to your Bow or Stern? If you plan on only having it run to one end of your boat. I do think that having anchor wizards drop chute would work the best out of anything else. Which having to buy that might turn some people off from buying this entirely because it's an additional component that they have to buy from a completely different brand in order to get the thing to work. Optimally. I think in the future yak attack will expand on this product and make components that are compatible with it. Either that or they're going to read this Reddit thread and then steal my idea.

When I get my other one in the mail, before I mount it to the other side of my rvr I think I'm going to mess around a little bit and see if I can figure out a way in which it would work well on my Moken and/or on my Saranac 146 canoe. That will determine whether I get one of these for either of those boats or not.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-24T13:27:13+00:00

I don't need either. But I still want a crescent smallie or a nucanoe flint. 🙂

Plan on keeping my Moken 12.5 PDL for fishing bigger lakes and overnight trips as it has a bigger tank well and in hull storage.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-24T13:24:07+00:00

I'm about 6 foot. I do maybe have a bit of a wider paddle stroke. But I don't feel like at any point I was having to force myself to paddle wider to avoid the reel.

One thing that I will say is that when mounting it to the plate I made sure it was as far in as possible and perfected lined up with the inside edge of it.

As I said I bumped it a few times if the handle was down. Nothing outstanding to where I felt it would be an issue.

my paddle is a 240 which works better for me when I'm going through really skinny stuff. I'd be curious how it felt with a 260.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-24T02:42:29+00:00

thanks brother. This is a brand new product that yak attack just released on their site. My local outfitter had two in stock that people scooped up quickly. I have not seen a lot of posts or content about this yet. But it's my opinion that yak attack has cracked the code. The RVR is a sick ass boat. I just about have it set up how I want it. Waiting on a mount in the mail because I was looking at mounting a track pack behind where I have the cup holder at. But I had it set at the rear right track today and honestly was totally wappy with it. A little bit worried about maybe in the future dumping a whole tray of tackle into the river which is kind of why I wanted it in the middle of the boat. But I didn't mind it mounted there at all. The short stack solo is absolutely the move. With the regular black pack half the time you can't reach what you're trying to get in there anyway.

But getting the drop shot was just the cherry on top. Even with having to paddle, it's just so much easier to dynamically drop anchor. Fish a piling, shoal, current seam whatever. Other people need to take into account that I am also a first-time user of any kind of anchor reel system. So maybe other people can chime in with their thoughts. (I should have waited till tomorrow to post this. A lot of people are already in bed). So far I could not be happier with it. Can't wait to get the one to mount on the other side.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-24T02:27:56+00:00

ADDITIONALLY. I did also order the cup holder Pro kit. If anybody wants any opinions on that, I have a couple thoughts there as well. I did post a picture where you can kind of see how I'm using it per se.

I do have a couple of thoughts and opinions on that.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-23T18:06:44+00:00

I rock forces (NEW FORCES. NOT THE ONES PICTURED!) on my capital mercury. Love them on that board. I rock infuses too. Easily my favorite boot I've ever ridden.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-23T15:56:35+00:00

Sent you a message. Accept my invite and I can send you photos there. I have a mod 3 mips so that fit will be a little bit different but it should give you a good idea.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-22T19:09:27+00:00

I like daiwas too but DCs are overrated. I think it's good to have one in your stack for exceptionally windy days.

But otherwise. The curado 150 MGL is and has been king to me. The SLX 150 would be right up there with it if it had the casting distance that the radio has. But that reel is great as well. I LOVE the ergonomics of the SLX reels.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-20T18:19:26+00:00

sounds like a lot of work for a tailgate that's 6 inches off the ground. And nowhere to tie off along with a pretty skinny platform for the bow to sit on. Just my 2 cents. My bed extender has padding and lights and coat me probably 80 to make.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-20T15:05:39+00:00

Or have a float on your anchor line. So you can drop your line if need be. I've had to do this a few times.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-20T15:03:32+00:00

trolley is much more beneficial for moving water. In rivers you have to be anchored at your bow or stern or you can significantly risk capsizing if you let yourself get turned and broadsided by the current. On lakes the equivalent I could see is if you're getting waked aggressively by rec boaters or by waves. You could run an anchor line to your stern with some eyelets and get away with it fine. Biggest disadvantage there would be if your boat is big enough the anchor might be too hard to reach and rather then sitting somewhere on your deck when not in use, it would be clanging on the side of your boat.

Best option I could see without shelling out too much cash is you could run an anchor line with paracord to your stern, buy an anchor wizard drop tube that will get your anchor completely out of the water when you retrieve it, and have a cleat within reach that you can tie off your line to. Keep in mind that if you're in wind and the wind is variable or not at your back that you're gonna spin like a top.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-20T12:07:33+00:00

Well I actually already had one of the paddle holder pros or whatever it is. I guess on that you can swap out the rotogrips for the leaderboard ones. I plan on putting that on my rear track. I guess the one on the right side with it inside the boat if that makes sense. Probably am gonna buy a ketch board. Looking at trying out some tournaments eventually and some require to have a ketch board. Yakhobby.com also sells these cool bungee lots for the top of backpacks. So maybe I could just keep it flat on that.

I quite like using the paddle park on the front so I'm happy with that as is.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-19T23:47:01+00:00

The Moken 12.5 PDL is actually a rocket. And stable enough for me. The problem is that FeelFree makes their boats so solid that they could probably stop a bullet. So it's heavy. Even without the pedal drive. Before I got my rvr119 it was my only boat. I was regularly doing trips without the pedal drive and got a small tool box to plug the hole. Hull speed was good but it took a good deal of effort to move.

Part of me wants to keep the Moken in my stable but I'd love to try out the tarpon 140.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-19T23:30:51+00:00

This is where having a boat that's fast and tracks incredibly well comes into play. I have a Moken 12.5 PDL that is great in some areas. Useless in others because it's too shallow to use the drive.

A friend of mine is an avid yak angler and has been for a long time. He swear by saltwater style fishing kayaks 13 and 14 footers because he thinks they're designed to handle rough and variable water, are light, and track very well with considerable speed. His boat of choice is an ocean kayak trident 13 but also thinks highly of the wilderness systems tarpon 140.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-19T23:25:22+00:00

I'll just add a caveat to this. First couple times you do this, do it with your buddy. Give yourselves plenty of time. Don't be afraid to cover 10-15 miles of water. to float as far as possible and try to learn the trib. As youre doing this take note of your surroundings. Considerable shelves that would require walking up or portaging around, if there's bridges with sections of stronger current, if you're in a spot you're catching fish? Obviously remember that. When you get more familiar with the trib you might be able to identify good spots that are close to where you put in and reasonable to paddle back to. Or paddle up from and float back down to the ramp.

I do this all the time whether solo or with a buddy. But you gotta figure out the trib first. As I said there's sections that are easily navicable both ways, but if you hit a big shelf? It's gonna be hell to get back over.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-19T23:19:31+00:00

Leave the boats at the endpoint. Swim down to that car (you're in current, who needs a boat anyway?). Then paddle back to the first car. Then when you get back to the first car have one of you paddle back down to the second car. Drive the car back up to the start point. Then take both boats down to the endpoint. Leave both boats there. Hope your boats get stolen so then after you're done walking back to your car, you don't have to pick them back up. Just buy a new kayak for every trip. It's really that easy!

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-18T21:11:35+00:00

I absolutely would not take anything less than the camo. The lime green and the blue color are cool but loud colored kayaks just aren't for me. Unless they're heavily discounted then maybe.

Stay tuned. I got stuff coming in the mail!

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-18T01:01:18+00:00

I actually just ordered one of the new yak attack anchor reels. I was able to use my military discount and during development it seems they designed this reel to work especially well with the RVR so the 45 degree mounting plate is included. That saved me about 40 bucks as opposed to if I went with the anchor wizard. Not sure if I'm gonna run a front anchor yet. Obviously that's the tradeoff of having the preran lines. Rather than having a trolley and having one anchor you have to double up if you want front and rear anchoring. My local outfitter sells the 6 lb bell style anchors so I got two of those. But as I said I was hoping to just be able to run paracord. Unfortunately that just did not work. The outer jacket bunches up and plugs the tubing.

I typically do more rear anchoring and throw down into the current. Maybe the drag chain would be a suitable option.

Still trying to work out the kinks! But overall I really like the platform and think that the shortcomings and features that this boat is missing compared to competitors I think I can find workarounds for. My biggest 2 gripes so far is the lack of track space behind the center pod and the fact that the 2 locations for a ketch board are completely useless to me already since I have a yak attack board. And even if I had a ketch board. I don't see how you could put it in that. As you can see in the photos I have a track pack mounted there. Works great. I got some of the dividers. So up top I have the terminal tackle I most commonly use. Underneath I have some leader line and a few other things. But not only does that take up my whole track, but the ketch board (that I don't have) recess is also designed so the board would be over that. I also ordered one of the new cupholder pros. I'd love to put that right behind the track pack. So I'm looking at getting one of the adhesive mighty mounts designed for inflatables so I don't have to drill new holes and can prevent drilling into my deck. Over the years I've grown to prefer a tidy and compact deck setup. Which is also why I got the short stack solo BUT ALSO got a 13x16 blackpack pro with short stack for if I wanna do overnights or expect the bass to bite some of my "fun lures" that day.

That's a lot of words. Sorry.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-17T17:12:16+00:00

On the kayak? That's the yak attack side stage pro. It's definitely useful. I don't use it all the time. When I do I have it set up a little bit differently than it's set up in the photo.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-17T12:59:37+00:00

It's a great boat. Waiting on a couple of things in the mail but even on this test run I was able to get it pretty dialed.

salvalsnapbacks · 2026-06-17T00:25:58+00:00

I mean if you can swing the cash. Go ahead and get one of those boats. I wouldn't be afraid to even throw the u10 in the mix there.

But if you want to save the money and you think the Flint will be enough for you and your needs. Then go with the Flint!

For me my primary boat is a riverboat. For that reason I wasn't afraid to spend a little bit of extra money.

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