The Power-Pole Micro Anchor is no doubt one of the coolest innovations to hit the kayak fishing market. ‘Best In Show’ winner of the ICAST 2013 New Product Showcase, the Micro Anchor brings the proven ‘swift, silent, secure’ anchoring technology that dominates the larger bass boat market to the ultralight world of kayak fishing. The Big Rig from Jackson Kayak, our premier bass fishing model, was designed from the ground up to integrate the Micro Anchor and give you the ultimate kayak angling experience.

 

The team at Power-Pole and the team at Jackson Kayak worked closely together as both products were being developed, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. Combining the super stable and feature laden aspects of the Big Rig with the instant, quiet remote anchoring abilities of the Micro, lets you put yourself where you need to be catch fish, and stay there as long as you need.

 

In this article and video we’ll show you how quickly and easily you can unbox the Micro Anchor, screw it onto the pre-installed inserts on the stern of the Big Rig, and hit the water to catch some fish. At the end of the article there are also videos on how to install the Micro Anchor on the Kilroy and Cuda 14 using adapter brackets from YakAttack.

 

The Big Rig comes with 4 pre-installed molded in ¼-20 inserts in a recess on the stern that is sized for the Micro’s mounting bracket. No drilling is required. The bolts that come from Power-Pole are too long, so you’ll need to replace them. All you need are 4, 1” long, ¼-20 screws, available from a local hardwear store, or from the Big Rig Power Pole Mounting Kit in the Jackson Kayak Store.

 

This does cover up the anchor guide hole, so if you want to still use it, or a rudder, you’ll need to offset it to one side. The right side is suggested since the left is already pre-rigged for the anchor system. The recess is sized for this, but you will need to drill just 2 holes for the outer bolts, while the inner can still use two of the ¼-20 inserts. The outer screws can easily be thru-bolted and tightened by reaching inside the stern hatch. If you want to use the rudder, you’ll need to raise the bracket up ¼” using either washers, or the spacer plate from YakAttack.

 

That’s it for the bracket. You can mount the main drive unit to the bracket using the axle hardwear from Power-Pole.

 

Also in the box from Power-Pole, you’ll find the emergency release ball and holder. This is tied to the release lever on the axle, then routes under the eyelets on the starboard side of the stern well, and up to the insert at the front right corner of the seat. Using another 1”, ¼-20 bolt here, mount the ball cradle into the insert. The cradle is rubber and pressing the bolt through is a tight fit, or you can open it up a little with a drill bit. Cut the cord at a length to where it is tight when the lever is locked and facing away from the paddler. The goal here is so that if there’s a situation where you need to collapse the pole but you can’t reach it, you can pull the ball/cord, releasing the main drive unit, allowing the whole system and pole to fold towards you.

 

Now it’s time to power the unit. The standard wiring harness comes with the unit from Power-Pole. There’s also a wireless battery pack accessory (coming soon from Power-Pole) that plugs directly onto the motor unit, eliminating the need for any wiring.

 

If you’re using the standard wiring harness, you have the option of cutting a notch into a hatch and running the wire through it, or using a dry cable pass-thru like the one in the Big Rig Power Pole Mounting Kit.  Using a ¾” spade bit or hole saw, drill a hole where you want to locate the pass-thru. We suggest just aft of the stern hatch, on either side, or into the side wall of the stern recess. Once drilled, insert the threaded side of the pass-thru, and secure with the plastic nut. Keep the wire seal end of the pass-thru unscrewed and open.

 

The harness comes with bare wires on the end, and an in-line fuse. Feed this cable through the pass-thru, inside the kayak, and up to the front hatch. Putting the battery here helps balance out the weight of the drive unit, and provides easy access. Once fed through, you can crimp the fuse in place on the positive lead using the heat shrinkable crimp provided by Power-Pole. Twist the pass-thru to seal it up on the cable once all the slack is pulled into the kayak.

 

Until the Power-Pole battery is available, there are many battery options available, but we suggest the Battery Box Complete Power System from Kayak Fishing Supplies. It comes in a dry Pelican case, with a plug ready to go. All you need to do is loosen the set screws, and tighten them down on the positive and negative wires from the wiring harness. The positive wire goes on the larger pin, preventing you from wiring it backwards.

 

Now, let’s secure the battery. There are many options here, but we suggest using the Big Rig Battery Management Kit in the Jackson Kayak Store. Install the battery tray by pushing one end under the front foam pillar. Unbuckle the battery strap.

 

Set the battery box on the battery tray, power receptacle facing towards the bow, and secure it with the buckle strap. If you want to provide better grip on the box or any other battery unit, apply some of the Volextra strips that came in the mounting kit to the raised ribs on the battery tray.

 

Secure the front of the battery by wedging the front foam pillar on the front of the battery tray, up to the underside of the bow hatch. Plug the power cord into the battery.

 

You should see a green light now blinking on the main Power-Pole drive unit. Check the remote control for proper function per the Power-Pole instructions. You can mount the optional hard mounted controls from Power-Pole using the self tapping screws they provide if you like.

 

That’s it, head to the water, install the Micro Spike and you’re off and running. The Micro Spike stores easily inside the Big Rig, or in one of the rod troughs for transport.

 

One of the awesome features on the Micro Spike is the ¼-20 female stud on top. This lets you mount any camera using various methods. The quickest is the screw in GoPro mount that comes on all of our kayaks. (add to store, link) You can also add a threaded stud like these from YakAttack. Our camera of choice of course is the GoPro for incredible quality, wide angle, and remote controllable video and photography. You can mount easily with the stud and the GoPro Tripod Mount, or mount around the bar using the GoPro Pole Mount. The latest GoPros are easily controlled with their Wi-Fi remote, or the GoPro App on your iPhone.

 

With all the fishin’ and Micro spikin’ you’re about to do, the battery power will eventually need to be replenished. That can be done with various battery chargers from Kayak Fishing Supplies or your local auto parts store, or I’ve personally been using the solar panels, Sherpa power packs, and the Guardian Charge Controller from Goal Zero. You can also get their 8mm Power Supply and plug that into the Guardian to turn it into a wall charger.

 

Here’s the YouTube video that walks you through all of this on the Big Rig. Enjoy.

How To Install a Power-Pole Micro Anchor on the Jackson Kayak Big Rig

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnpU9a757XE[/youtube]

 

In addition to the designed-in integration on the Big Rig, YakAttack has developed adapter brackets that let you mount the Micro Anchor on the Cuda 14 and Kilroy. Links to those videos are below.

H0w-To Install the Power-Pole Micro Anchor on the Jackson Kayak Cuda 14

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f-abOuIelc[/youtube]

 

How-To Install the Power-Pole Micro Anchor on the Jackson Kayak Kilroy

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq16oSohpTg[/youtube]