Nice adventure eh. An anchor is one alternative. Another is to bring a teather and tie it to your belt, around yourself etc. I think you can cast better wading, but you can get closer in a yak and you can often place the wind behind you to make your casting easier.

There is trolling too which I always do when coming or going to someplace. I am frequently surprised with what I pick up.

An easy way to get into a yak is to place it on the water's edge where you have support from the ground as you enter the boat. Once you are in you can poll out like a skier (1/2 paddle in each hand). When you are deep enough, put your paddle together and away you go. Do the reverse coming in. When I do it I don't even get my feet wet. If you are big enough, straddle the yak and then sit down. With a foot planted on each side you won't tip over getting in.

jed