After winning the New Product Showcase award for Best Boating Accessory at ICAST 2020, the new Minn Kota Raptorâ„¢ shallow-water anchor continued to earn praise after the first few professional bass tournaments of 2021
With three tour-level fishing events in the rear-view, Minn Kota pro team members who made the switch to using Raptor have been thrilled with the performance and durability of the new product, which features Active Anchoringâ„¢, a revolutionary patented feature that “reads” the bottom and continuously adjusts and adapts to the conditions to keep the boat pinned in place
In February, the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Redcrest Championship was held on Lake Eufala, and legendary angler Kevin VanDam went into battle with two 8′ Minn Kota Raptors on his transom.
“The most impressive part of the Raptors is the Active Anchoring feature. It is incredible how responsive it is,” add VanDam. “I had a marshal and a cameraman in my boat during competition and even as we shifted weight around from the back of the boat to the front and side to side, the Raptors adjusted so quickly and effectively that we just stayed completely pinned right where we planted the anchors. The adjustments happen so quickly and quietly you’d never even know it’s happening.”
“Another thing that stood out was how incredibly rugged they are. Just so solid on the back of the boat.” added VanDam.
In the same month, the Bassmaster Elite Series held back-to-back events on the St. Johns River in Palatka, FL and the Tennessee River in Knoxville, TN. Bassmaster Elite Series pro Seth Feider also walked away from his first tournament experience with Raptors impressed with the ability of the Active Anchoring feature to securely hold his boat.
“The Active Anchoring feature gives me peace of mind knowing that I’m never going to move when anchored,” said Seth Feider. “No wind or big boat wake will cause me to lose my hold. They deploy super quiet, which was helpful when sneaking up on shallow fish in the first two tournaments.”
In addition to Active Anchoringâ„¢ the Minn Kota Raptor features the unique Auto-Bottom Modeâ„¢, which enable these shallow-water anchors to automatically monitor the type of bottom condition you are anchoring into and applies the perfect amount of pressure to ensure a tight hold.
“Gone are the days of deploying a shallow water anchor and finding yourself drifting off in the wind and waves,” said Bass Pro Tour angler Bryan Thrift, who took a Top 10 in the Redcrest Championship.
“With Minn Kota Raptor’s unique Active Anchoring technology, when a wave lifts your boat the Raptors fight back and deploy deeper to make sure you maintain a solid bottom hold in any situation.” added Thrift.
Raptor is engineered to stand up to the harshest conditions, giving anglers the ability to confidently hold their boat securely in place even in any situation. Simply stated, Raptor is designed with durability in every detail:
- Active Anchoring – continuously monitors anchor hold and adjusts automatically to changing conditions
- Auto-Bottom Mode – senses bottom hardness to ensure the right amount of force is delivered for a more secure hold every time
- Retraction Force – ensures spike removal in all bottom types
- Multiple Control Options – features Wireless Remote, Wireless Stomp Switch or Foot Switch, i-Pilot or i-Pilot Link Remote, Mobile App or the ability to control right from the Humminbird ® fish finder
- Wide profile and heavy-duty pivot points – help to reduce wear and maintain longer stability
- Unique pump design – keeps Raptor holding tightly when stowed, eliminating the need for special covers or bungee cords to keep your anchor secure while running or trailering
- Extruded aluminum mounting bracket – adds strength while reducing weight and dramatically simplifies installation
- Warranty – Raptor carries a five-year limited warranty on all anchors and brackets – plus a lifetime warranty on the spike
Learn more about all of Raptor’s shallow water advancements.
With tour level events set to resume in late March and shallow fishing still the favored approach, boat control will remain a top priority and anglers will continue to rely on their Raptors to hold them in place.
Bassmaster Elite Series pros that have the new Raptor shallow water anchors mounted to the stern of their boats include Brandon Palaniuk, Seth Feider, Chris Zaldain, Keith Combs, Matt Herren, Greg DiPalma, Lee Livesay, Carl Jocumsen, Bill Lowen, Brad Whatley, Garrett Paquette, Chad Pipkens, Bob Downey, Chris Groh, Wes Logan, as well as Major League Fishing pros Kevin VanDam, and Bryan Thrift.
Minn Kota’s Raptor shallow-water anchor is available in 8- and 10-foot lengths as well as a variety of options and colors. Raptor models can be purchased from authorized Minn Kota retailers starting at $1,499.99.
Minn Kota’s shallow-water anchors are backed by a comprehensive 5-year warranty plus a lifetime warranty on the spike for years of reliability anglers can count on.
For more information on the new Raptor shallow-water anchor, visit MinnKotaMotors.com/Raptor.
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