What's some things you need to bring while going fishing?

Toilet paper is always a must. I hate to have to surrender a good sock.

Besides that I keep a few tools, extra plugs of both kinds, rain jacket and pants, acouple pair of sunglasses and sunscreen. That stuff doesn't leave the boat.

Before we hit the lake, ice, drinks, few beers, and atleast 2 cans of skoal

Loggerhead Mike said:

Toilet paper is always a must. I hate to have to surrender a good sock.

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Amen!


Beer x2. Sometimes x3.
Dry bag for items in pockets
Flash light, Always out at night.
Paddle for Plan B.

11 oz. Lead weights to shove in the belly of the fish :LOL2:

Don't blow this off as overly cautious:

airhorn or nickeled whistle to summon help
cell phone charged up and Kleenex in a sealed zip bag!
handgun
Throw cushion and fire extinguisher if using an outboard engine

I never had to summon help or put out a fire in 6 years of boating on rivers and lakes in VA. But I ran into drunks in pairs on several occasions at boat ramps and river side boat slides and a few motorcycle trash passing through. Glock is 9mm or 40 caliber is a good choice: reliable, a lot of plastic and not likely to rust and simple to operate.

Rule 1: get back home safely!

=D> man these are great! I would add one thing to mine. A couple of feet of copper wire just in case a wire gets burnt or cut into, I've had that happen twice and wish I would have brought electrical stuff. Not really saying its likely but if it did I would be ready next time :mrgreen: Maybe an extra spark plug and spark plug wire too. These are just extra things that I would carry in mine.

I typically fish by myself and all day...well as long as I can before I'm too tired to be safe.

What I take is dependent on where I fish.

If I fish at Harper's cove, I'll load a separate cooler with some food. Fruits and a sandwich or two. And drinks...mostly water and maybe one Dr. Pepper (I am borderline diabetic so I have to take a little extra precaution). Bottle of ibu's and bottle of tums. And a separate cooler for fish should I decide to keep any. Ice in both and I'll keep a couple frozen bottles of water for the minnow bucket. That and tackle. I use different tackle for different lakes or rivers.

Now if I fish the little river, same thing as above but I don't take as much water unless it's the middle of summer. And that river is lined with houses and resorts so if I need food, I park/tie off and go eat something nice. Don't have to take much to fish there. Cooler full of ice for the fish (and I normally keep my limit and no more).

If I fish local (small lake is 5 min from the house....actually I'll fish on my lunchbreak sometimes because work is 2 min from the lake). Don't take much other than cooler full of ice and a bucket of minnows. Crickets (or grasshoppers if I can catch them), worms, and a variety of lures. The lake is notorious for Crappie just completely shutting off and then Bream will take over. Not uncommon to go fish over there in the fall, get a half limit of Crappie, they quit for a while, then limit out on bluegill, then a couple channel cat, a bass or two, then finish limiting out on crappie....all of this happening in about 2 hours time. So you need lots of different baits. And a stringer.

Now the big river just up the road from the house (10 min) I take stink bait, worms, artificials, minnnows, chicken livers, and hoppers, depending on what I'm after. Catfish down there love stinky bait. The stripers LOVE the big inline spinners I make and the crappie like minnows. Also there's sauger in there that I've never caught before...that will be my next venture, but only this winter. That's about the only time they can be caught there.

In the boat at all times:
first aid
small tool kit with essentials (prop tools, screwdrivers, adjustable wrench, and ratchet/socket/extension enough to get the carb off).
Anchor
if I travel and stay overnight, a battery tender
extra prop if I'm fishin' the little river (rocky). I don't keep an extra cotter key. The nut won't come off unless I'm running 10 miles without it...which is very rare.
PFD's
various rope

The trick is to keep enough to get out of a bind, but not so much as to have to carry an entire tool box with 500 lbs of tools. I'm blessed to have somewhat minimal mechanical knowledge so I can typically McGyver the little stuff as I need to...and I'll help fellow boaters do the same if the need arises. Nothing ruins a boating trip faster than breaking down on the water. Especially if a storm is brewing nearby and you're out in the middle (been there...done that).

another boat to carry all this !

ifish4redd said:

another boat to carry all this !

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LOL Right On.

Isn't it law where you guys live, to carry a certain amount of things?
(1) PFD(life jacket)- for each person on board,proper sizes
(2) 1- 50' buoyant heavy line
(3) 1- reboarding devise if sides are over 20"s
(4) 1- manual propelling device(oar) or 1- anchor and 50' of rope/chain etc.
(5) 1- bailer or manual pump
(6) 1- water tight flashlight or 3 flares type A,B or C
(7) 1- sound signaling device...whistle/air horn..
(8) navigation lights if boating at night or in reduced visablity...fog,heavy snow
(9) fire extinguisher if you have a fixed fuel tamk,inboard,cooking stove?
(10) now we need a pleasure craft license and boat liceinse
Theres a bunch more if you go further out to sea or have bigger boats but I need all of those things just to be law abiding.It's not so bad,they sell little kits that cover you for the most part.

A pee bucket! When on the water all day, it comes in handy!
We use a clorox bottle, with an opening cut in it. Any small bucket, cup, will do.
Wouldn't leave home without it!

I always bring my wife. That way I'll have some fish for the fry pan. =D>

All of what was mentioned previously, however with all the mention of toilet paper, nobody mentioned a water proof container for it. A couple of inexpensive containers that I have used are an peanut butter container, small Folgers plastic coffee can or a small Oxy clean container. The peanut butter jar and the Oxy clean container have lids that screw on, but the coffee can lid just snaps on. I use a giant folgers can for for other storage including a small first aid kit, hand wipes, hand sanitizer and the aforementioned can with toilet paper. One thing that was mentioned that I want to expand on is rain ponchos. I made sure te ones that I got are orange so they can be seen in case of an emergency. Alo the toilet paper container can beused to bail water if necessary.

i went to the sporting goods and bought a dry sack for my tp and my fishing licence.up here the are all electronic and once you buy the licence you print it out,and its way too big for a wallet so it stays on the boat in the sack.theres also a lighter in there.ive had to wait out storms on shore more than once,and a fire is always nice.

Munchies - PayDay candy bars, granola bars, jerky or nuts. I can just leave these in my tackle box from trip to trip. Almost anything else would melt in Texas.

I don't like my phone in a plastic bag. Since I use AT&T I bought a $12 Go Phone from Walmart. I pop my SIM card our of my good phone, put it in the Go Phone and I have phone service. If I fall in with my Go Phone, it's just $12 abd all I have to do to answer it is reach in my pocket.

The valet key for my car that does not have a built in door opener. Most other things, I keep in a waterproof Plano box in my tackle box.

Loggerhead Mike said:

Toilet paper is always a must. I hate to have to surrender a good sock.

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off topic but... this reminds me of a story. A friend of mine went camping. 2 guys. 4 girls. Each guy brought 1 roll of toilet paper. The girls didn't bring any. You get the idea...

I always carry a crappie measuring device as well as a "golden ruler" for measuring bass and other fish. Most of the lakes I fish have some restrictions as to legal length. It would not be good to be caught with an illegal fish. I also carry a fish scale weighing tool to know what the catches weight is. Also I carry a means of keeping my fish identified as mine vrs those of my partners... Helps in the count of a 'Number of fish check"
I believe the most important thing I bring with me is a "I'm not in a hurry today" attitude...Have fun, take my time and enjoy nature.

nomowork said:

Along with many of the previously mentioned stuff, I also carry a small rope step ladder in both of my boats. I had to climb back into my boat once and found it wasn't all that easy when you're in deep water. I was able to climb back on board once using the horizontal thingy (sorry, senior moment) on the lower unit but had to have someone sit on the front of the boat.

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Good advice. The one time I fill overboard in deep water, i remembered that someone in a forum had said to use the stabilizer on the motor as a step to help you get back on board. Next time I might let my friend tow me shallow water. A 69 year old heavy weight climbing back into a boat is not a pretty sight.

i managed to knock my prescription sunglasses off my head and overboard,i jumped in without thinking,and managed to grab them,but getting back in was difficult to say the least.fully clothed and soaked.i used my hydro fin to climb in but it wasn't easy.the wife was no help, :LOL2:

It's law to have a boarding devise,if your side are over 20"s to the water.
It might be like that in B.C as well,just saying.

bcbouy said:

...i used my hydro fin to climb in but it wasn't easy.the wife was no help, :LOL2:

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Especially since she started the motor when you were still in the drink lol.