The Best Anchor Poles For Your Kayak, SUP, or Canoe

Updated: September 2023: A kayak stakeout pole is a newer trend in kayak fishing that is a great alternative, or addition, to your kayak anchoring arsenal. We started using them about 7 years ago when we did a lot of shallow water fishing. Think Mosquito Lagoon, inshore fishing, or shallow lakes. Nowadays there are many names for these – kayak stakeout pole, kayak anchor pin, kayak anchor pole, kayak pole anchor, kayak big stick to push into mud, kayak jam in the ground stick (or something like that)

What to look for when choosing a Kayak Stake out pole?

For us, the most important things to look for when buying a stakeout pole are the length, weight, and material of your anchor pole.

There is really only one type of material that is suitable for use when you’re looking to anchor up in shallow water. That’s fiberglass. They are other materials out there, PVC, carbon fiber, plastic, wood, but these don’t do the job nearly as well. When you’re looking for a device to keep your kayak in place in tides or currents, it’s well worth the money to get a fiberglass stakeout pole.

The perfect length, diameter, and weight for your stakeout pole for most of us will be around 7 ft long,  3/4 inches in diameter, and lightweight material like fiberglass. However, it depends on where you are trying to do most of your fishing.

For us, we are using a stakeout pole in about 2-4 feet of water with a muddy or sandy bottom. That means we’re looking to get a stakeout pole that’s around 7ft and lightweight. Any shorter and you’re at risk of not being able to get a good hold, and any longer you’re looking at a potential to snap your pole.

The caveat to getting a longer stakeout pole is if you are looking at a combo stakeout pole and push pole. Make sure this is also lightweight or your arms will get tired quickly. Lots of companies make these for kayaks now and we’ll talk about them more below.

As for the weight, the only time we would recommend getting a heavier stakeout pole is if you anchor around a lot of hard-to-puncture bottoms or fast currents. Having the extra weight will help keep your pole down if the tide starts pulling.

Even though this is the cheapest option, this is a great way to see if you want to use a stakeout pole. This is also the one I use and you can see it in the cover photo of this article. It’s an excellent starting stakeout pole! The YakStick Floating Stake-Out Stick provides effortless and silent anchoring in shallow waters. Available in 6ft, stake-out sticks are a preferred anchoring method in shallow coastal waters as well as in shallow lakes and streams. The new multi-purpose handle design allows for a firm grip when pushing through a variety of hard bottoms and can be flipped around to be used as a push pole mud foot or push off.

This is a great push pole and stakeoutpole. It is lightweight, incredibly durable, and makes the perfect companion for fishing in shallow waters. All poles are made from formed fiberglass and UV stabilized, wear resistant nylon, aiming to serve you as long as possible. Reviews from Amazon even say they use it on a 15′ boat and it worked great!

The Shallow Water Anchor Pin is often referred to as a shallow water anchor, shallow water anchor pole, spud pole, cajun anchor, stake out pole, stake out stick, or spud pole. Each Anchor Pin is made of a strong Aircraft-Grade Fiberglass Rod and is a must for shallow water anchoring in every boat. It also comes with a rope lanyard and storage clips to mount on the side of your kayak or canoe. That’s a big plus in our book since space in a kayak is crucial.

It comes in two different diameters:

• 3/4” is more suitable for a duck boat, flats boats, or bay boat up to 22 feet.
• 5/8″ is more suitable for a smaller jon boat, flats boat or shallow water skiff (under 17 ft), kayak, or stand up paddle board SUP.

Much like its two-piece counter park, this anchor pole is great for all kayaks. The only real difference is it is all one piece. They have a 6ft and 8 ft pole and both float! Most reviews say it’s lighter than the other anchor pins they have used in the past and would recommend it. Fun fact, this is the pole I currently have and use.

What is a kayak stakeout pole?

A stakeout pole is used to anchor a kayak or small skiff without using an anchor. Simply insert the pole into the ground under the water to hold your place, and quickly remove it if you want to keep moving. It is the fastest and easiest way to anchor your small vessel in shallow water.

Should I use a kayak anchor or a kayak stakeout pole?

If you are consistently anchoring in more the 5 feet of water, you should use a kayak anchor. If you are anchoring in 5 ft of water or less, use a kayak stakeout pole.

How do I use my kayak stakeout pole?

Push your anchor pin through your kayak anchor trolley for best use. It’s recommended to not put your kayak stakeout pole through the scupper plugs.

Should I use an anchor trolley with my stakeout pole?

Yes! Using your anchor trolley is the best way to use your kayak stakeout pole. Once it is through the ring, you can maneuver yourself in the correct direction just like when you use your kayak anchor.

Check out our other articles about Kayak Fishing:

• HOW TO FIND KAYAK FISHING SPOTS
• KAYAK FISHING CLOTHES – A GUIDE ON WHAT TO WEAR
• BEST LIFE JACKETS FOR KAYAK FISHING
• HOW TO CHOOSE A KAYAK TROLLING MOTOR BATTERY
• A GUIDE TO THE BEST KAYAK AND CANOE CARTS
• TOP 5 KAYAK FISHING PADDLES OF 2021
• BUYING A USED FISHING KAYAK: 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
• HOW TO CHOOSE A KAYAK PADDLE FOR FISHING
• BEST FISHING KAYAKS
• YOUR KAYAK FISHING GEAR CHECKLIST
• KAYAK FISHING WITH GATORS