BigBendFishing.Net

Figured this might be a fun discussion:

Outside of fish finders, GPS, powerpoles, and trolling motors what would be your must have fishing accessories on the boat?

3 simple things come to mind immediately for me: long shanked hook "getter-outers" as we call them, a good drift sock to slow our drifts over the honey hole, and an old school bait bucket to help keep pinfish alive overnight on longer trips.


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I like to carry a rod and reel with me.

Apalachee Inshore wrote:I like to carry a rod and reel with me.

Might want line and a hook as well


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Cast net. Magical dimensions for obtaining 4 inch mudminnows (aka candy for reds & trout) in St Marks Refuge: 7 foot, 1/2" mesh, 3/4lb weight per radius foot. Almost impossible to find that size/spec net locally. I hafta order mine online.

GaryDroze wrote:Cast net. Magical dimensions for obtaining 4 inch mudminnows (aka candy for reds & trout) in St Marks Refuge: 7 foot, 1/2" mesh, 3/4lb weight per radius foot. Almost impossible to find that size/spec net locally. I hafta order mine online.

I'm not a big net guy but the one I throw is 7 foot and I couldn't tell you the dimensions past that, but whatever they are I catch mudminnows. That's just something I've never gave a lot of thought to.

To give a serious answer to op I'd say I always carry a 5 gallon bucket or two. It serves as a mini livewell, trash can or emergency toilet.

My wife bought me a little latching dry box. Wallet and phones go in it before we head out. Nice addition.


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I bought a cheap complete tool set from Harbor Freight that I keep on the boat, because you never know...
I need to get a first aid kit but I do carry various size bandaids.

A spare prop, prop wrench, thrust washer, and cotter pin. I keep all this in a plastic basket stored in my front hatch. I also never leave without my cast net. I carry a 8' 3/8 mesh good for most baits. And third would be my little lithium jump box. Amazing little battery jumper that has come in handy more than once.

I used to carry a toolbox full of tools but could never keep them from rusting to the point unusable. So now I make sure my Sea Tow membership up to date. That's what I pay for anyway in case something breaks down.

Yes to toolbox with good tools, and don't forget your dipnet. If you are under 16 ft., make sure you have at least one throwable life preserver. If you replace anything on your boat as preventive maintenance, keep the spare part somewhere on your boat.

Get one of the gray colored tackle boxes that keeps stuff inside from rusting. Like magic. Besides usual tools, buy a compact set of bolt cutters that will fit into the box. When you jam a hook into yourself or friend and have to cut a hook off you will need one. Or, you will be sitting in the ER with a complete stretch 30 or mirrolure hanging from your ear.
Also, does wonders to cut the ghost crab trap off your prop.
These examples I give are real, which is why I carry the bolt cutter.

EJ


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A nice watertight first-aid kit, a spare hand held 2way radio, and per the wife, a set of light weight rain suits for the fam. Enjoy your new boat Rb!

flatsbroke22 wrote:A spare prop, prop wrench, thrust washer, and cotter pin. I keep all this in a plastic basket stored in my front hatch. I also never leave without my cast net. I carry a 8' 3/8 mesh good for most baits. And third would be my little lithium jump box. Amazing little battery jumper that has come in handy more than once.

To pile on to that. I keep the same but also some prop grease, zip ties (can be used as a hose clamp in a pinch, or even just to hang my diver down flag), some larger girth fishing line in case i need to clean my motors "pee hole" and jumper cables. Ive had to jump my main motor off my trolling motor batter more than once.

A cheap 1 inch helm pad. This has really helped my knees and back greatly, especially on those long runs thru choppy water. I got mine at Sams club for less than $20. I think it is designed for use in front of the kitchen sink. Several towels also.

I like a boga grip (or a cheaper version) for handling toothy fishy or other fish I just don't wanna touch (sailcats). I also like to always have my mullet cast net. It may not be everyone's idea of fun, but catching a mess of mullet when the trout bite is slow sure beats the heck out of going home empty handed.
Another good thing to keep handy, especially this time of year (scallop season) is a gig or spear gun for flounder. They are much easier to gig at night, but I've gotten a handful during the day when the conditions are just right.

I have a pair of Knipex compact bolt cutters. When I started fishing a lot in Jacksonville, a friend told me to make sure I buy a quality pair of cutters that I could use with my weak hand to cut a big ass hook if I ever hooked myself. My dad, being a mechanic, had lots of options for me to try and Knipex ended up being the best for cutting big ass hooks using my left hand. I then WD-40 the heck out of it, wrapped in the blue shop towels and then vacuum sealed it and put the whole thing into my tackle box. No need to worry about rust that way. An extra step perhaps for cutting something in having to open up the bag, but the cutters stay rust free that way. So, for y'all that want to take tools with you, and they're not tools you need all that often, vacuum sealing them with a paper towel or shop towel and some WD-40 or CorrosionX will keep your tools rust free much longer.

Other must haves for me.......a hat...sunscreen....my tagging kit....I almost always have a bucket and my cast net, though why I bother with that I don't know since most of the bait I catch are the most unfortunate bait fish in the world for me to actually catch them....and some sort of float to hook my keys to and the little waterproof case I keep my license and used to keep my phone in....