The bait has been bought and the new pole is filled with fresh lines, so everything is accounted for in order to enjoy a day on the lake, right? This is not necessarily true. While you may have many of the essentials required for starting your adventure, these five items should not be forgotten before leaving your home. Make sure to include these essential fishing tools to increase your success and your catches.
Nail Clippers or Small Cutting Tool
You bought that ultra-lite,8-pound test line for a reason … it’s not supposed to break. Many a hand has been cut learning this information. Pull on that short piece of line all you want … it won’t break easy. If it did, chances are you probably don’t want it anyway. Some fishermen develop the habit of burning off excess line with a lighter, but this has the potential to run into and weaken your knot. The last thing you want to do is weaken your line before a catch. Making a clean cut slightly above the knot is essential to overall success in getting your catch from water to your basket.
Small First-Aid Kit
If fishing line cutting into your hand sounds bad to you, think of what will happen when you get a hook buried in your hand. Even the most careful fisherman suffer these types of injuries sometimes, and it is important to prepare for them. Unless you are camping, a full kit isn’t always needed. Some essential items are something to bandage a cut, alcohol wipes to clean a cut and spray or lotion for insect bites usually will take care of most situations. Many days have been ruined by simple accidents that could have been treated onsite if the person was prepared.
A Rainbow of Options
The color of a bait can be just as important as the bait itself. Typically, a bait is more successful when it resembles the color of the water. For example, a bright lure used in a part of a lake that is shadowed and dark will often appear unnatural to a fish. When the sun is hitting a lake, brighter colors or silver, shiny colors become more attractive. Upon arrival to your chosen spot, you want to have the tools available to make your bait appear as natural as possible. Sometimes, people have gone from nothing to a full string of fish just by switching the color of the bait, rather than the bait.
Hold Your Catch
When you checkout at the grocery store, a bag is usually provided to carry your goods. Unfortunately, fish don’t come with such luxuries. If you plan on eating your catch, it is important that you are able to transport the meal back to your home. A simple, cheap stringer fits easily in a tackle box and is really the only item required. Even if you plan on cleaning the fish when the day is done, it is still necessary to keep them fresh and in water until that happens.
Dear Diary
No, it isn’t necessary, but having a paper and pen to record important notes sure is helpful. Everything from color of bait, weather conditions, and directions to certain spots can be recorded to make your next trip successful.
