# What do you bring with you?



## RustyGoat (May 17, 2011)

What do you bring with you for a day on the water? I took my kayak to Indian Lake today and after the put in/ take out Ive come to realize that I bring way to much stuff with me. 

I brought the trolling motor but ended up just leaving it in the truck do to shallow water. Still had the battery for it though to run the fish finder. Im thinking if I ditch the trolling motor, mount, battery and a bunch of tackle and stuff that I can greatly reduce the weight and not have to spend 20 minutes loading and unloading everything.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Seems like you answered your own question? 

And I would agree less is more!

I used to bring 20 min with of loading and unloading. I've got gear enough to do multiple days of yak fishing. But how often do I do that? I just bring the essentials now.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Two fishing rods.
No more tackle than could fit into a shoebox.
Small cooler.

That's it. OK, maybe my little speaker also for some tunes.

But trolling motors and that kind of stuff belong on other boats, IMO. One of the reasons I like to paddle kayaks, is the actual paddling. Good exercise and therapeutic as anything I do.

And your kayak will be MUCH easier to paddle without all the extra weight.


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

I carry my tackle bag, which carries 4 Plano 3700 boxes, usually I have 4 rods, a bump board, net, dry box, water and the last time a portable fish finder. I'd like to cut down on the tackle, but I can't figure out what to leave behind. A lot of the places I fish, I've never fished before and I like to be prepared for any conditions. I've thought about putting together a small box or two with a little bit of everything, instead of taking everything. I would also like to get rid of the net too, but I want to get a pair of fish grips to replace it first.


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

Less is better. I take:

PFD
Water and a snack
3 rods
1 large plano box + 1 pocket size plano box for lures
1 med plano box with tools and spare tackle
Small tackle bag for sunscreen, larger tools, like a hook cutter, hook remover and license
small water tight box for keys and wallet.

I got the yak so I would have to paddle. I'd get a pedal drive otherwise.

I don't bring an MP3 player along with me. I want to hear the critters, the water and the occasional splash of a bass sassin' me.


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

The entire garage! 

I've gotten much better the last few years trimming what I bring, until I bought the wenonah canoe, now the skies the limit. I tell you the number one extra I'll never be without is a folding chair, nothing like pulling into a gravel bar in the shade added have a nice chair to chill in and have a cold one can't be beat, and if it's hot, I'll set it in the riffle and really chill.

Best advice is don't worry about it, if it makes you happy, so be it. Myself in the coosa I'll bring one rod, more than that just gets in the way for me, my soft tackle bag, boga grip's, chair, cooler and tunes and I'm good

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

Like Stuck said, If it makes you happy, bring it.

I don't think it's so much how much you bring as how well you organize it. I probably carry too much, but I don't like shifting tackle around for different situations, so I pretty much carry what I need to fish from March to November. That way I don't have to think about what I might be throwing from one trip to the next.

Outside of the the paddle and PFD, I carry one small bag with plastics and a few other things like first aid, tape measure, small tools, etc. Then I have a plastic craft tote that carries my plano boxes (I probably could get rid of 2/3 of that.), and a bag that has my food and beverage, jacket, etc. I'm down to three rods from 4-5, and one of those is usually a two-piece that gets retired and stowed at some point.

I really simplified for my trips when I used a bicycle for a shuttle. I was down to 2 rods and the small tackle bag, but I knew what I was going to be throwing come hell or high water.

A question for you electronics guys, which should probably be its own thread. Do they really help you catch fish? All I ever read are posts that says how the electronics were marking fish, but they couldn't make them bite. I know it's nice to find the depth, but can you honestly say that you wouldn't do as well just fishing without electronics?


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## RustyGoat (May 17, 2011)

If I was a river fisherman I could see not having a fishfinder as there isnt much need. I only fish lakes and reservoirs and being able to see the depth and structure is a huge plus. I look at the ff constantly while im paddling checking depth. If I see a nice hole or drop off Ill stop and through a few casts in that area. I rarely even pay attention to whether or not the ff is marking fish anymore, in shallower water the ff is only scanning a small section of water anyhow. Knowing the depth helps me choose which lure to throw. Trolling crankbaits doesnt work very well if it turns out that the water is only 2 foot deep.


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## gibson330usa (May 15, 2012)

Other than 2 rods and a paddle everything I bring fits in or strapped on a 18 can size cooler. I can drop it in the yak, strap it down and go. No ff necessary for the river floats.


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## flyphisherman (Jul 7, 2009)

I'll chime in on your question stream stalker......

My fish finder definitely helps me catch fish. I agree that the best place for them is on lakes and large rivers. It's a tool that gives you additional information....Water depth.....Structure.....Fish depth....Water temp. If you can use this information to give you an edge, then your finder is helping you catch fish.

I do a lot of trolling on big water and just knowing the depth is a huge help. Without knowing the depth I would lose lures very frequently. 

On rare occasion, I've marked a fish, or a school of fish, at a given depth and dropped my bait right down next to my transducer and caught it. Crappies are total suckers for this technique. I've found schools of suspended fish and just drop my bait right to depth I marked them and Bingo!!!

Could I catch fish without the finder? you bet.....but I feel the extra info really helps me put more in the boat. 

:T


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## inrll (Apr 6, 2012)

All day trip- 3 poles
my tackle bag (holds 4 3700's) 
*sometimes an anchor
9 quart cooler

Shorter trip- 3 poles
my tackle bag
*sometimes an anchor

In the tackle bag I have 2 3700 boxes
worm binder
sunglasses
sunscreen
hand towel
buff
10' of rope with clips on both ends for tethering
the boat to myself while wading


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## bjpatrick (Jun 18, 2010)

2 rods
Small Plano tackle box
A canteen of water
Sun glasses

I typically do not carry much but I'm only upon the water for 4-5 hours.


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## Bass Masterson (Apr 29, 2004)

Most of the time I bring:

4 rods
Push pole
PFD
Dry box
Knife
Small tackle bag with 3 small boxes
2 large plastic Plano boxes
Worm bag full of assorted tubes

All stored in a crate so I can carry the crate pull the kayak and load and unload in 5 minutes. 

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## Photog (Jun 18, 2010)

In my canoe I pack a small cooler, a couple tackle boxes (depends on my mood) two rods, PFD, oar and my homemade anchor which consists of a gallon jug filled with sand and water added.


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## Big Chief201 (Aug 13, 2010)

Here's my setup:

2 poles in rod holders in the front for trolling
2 small Plano boxes one with softs the other with lures
Cooler with ice 
2 drinks(water/Gatorade) 
Snack
iPod w/ headphones
Pliers
Off & sunblock
Seems like a lot but its really not that bad.



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## FishermanMurph (Jan 29, 2012)

2 - 3 poles
Small tackle box (Plano 4700)
Bag with bags of plastics and another smaller tackle box with worm hooks and sinkers
Small soft sided cooler
Anchor if lake fishing

I learned from the canoe to carry light and I carried that concept to the kayak.


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## toy boater (Aug 15, 2008)

I keep a large plastic storage box at home that I keep all of my kayak gear in, except for poles and tackle bag. Found it saves a lot of time when loading the car. Don't have to run around looking for everything and I don't forget stuff as easily.


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

Evidently the new must bring item is an inflatable Barbie!


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## inrll (Apr 6, 2012)

backlashed said:


> Evidently the new must bring item is an inflatable Barbie!


LOL Dubya Tee Eff?


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