How Do You Prepare 2024

BocaGrande reply :

I always find myself debating on fishing or not, mainly because the work thats involved in getting ready. I usually get home from work around 3pm, and find that some days are just right to hit the water. I haven't had much luck from the banks lately and really want to get on my kayak. But what happens is, I get home and start thinking about throwing the kayak up on my car, strapping it down, pack up the fishin buddy, choose what rods to bring, how much tackle to bring etc.. and it turns me off.. so I stay home.

How do you guys prepare for an "on the fly" trip? The lake I'd like to go to is about 5 miles from my house, so not too far. What do you guys do?

BocaGrande reply :

Sometimes it's just a hassle

scaleface reply :

I go fishing . Doesnt take me long to get everything together .

Ratherbfishing reply :

Your situation sounds ideal to me. When it's hot and humid like it's been, almost NOTHING can talk me into going out but otherwise, it's not a tough decision. The best way to go "on the fly" is to always be somewhat prepared. That means, for me, having a "special" box with a cross-section of baits I might want to use and having 2 or three rods/reels prepped and ready to go. As far as loading/strapping down a kayak goes, find the easiest system possible for carrying it. If it's a pain, it's gonna be easier to look for excuses not to go. The more work that is done in advance will make the the day of the trip that much less painful.

the reel ess reply :

I have a Chevy 1500 pickup so it's pretty easy. Straps are in the truck. If I think I might go, I'll leave all my tackle on the back porch and strap the kayak in the bed of the truck the night before. I even have a cable and lock if I feel it's needed, but usually not. I don't carry a fish finder or any other electronics. I always keep the rods I think I'll need rigged up for what I think they'll bite. I have a crate that holds 4 and the kayak holds one. I'm usually going to a reservoir 2 miles away. Then I throw a few bags of plastics behind the seat and paddle away. I can go from unprepared to on the water in 30 min.

I have a real boat that's too big of a hassle unless I'm going to a big lake. I have to crank it in the yard with the water hose attached every so often to ensure it still runs.

Ski213 reply :

I keep a certain amount of stuff literally at the back door. If I want to go its ready to roll. If I'm gonna take the boat out there's a couple bags with all the tackle I would typically carry for a tournament and more rods. Those bags are also always ready to go. I know exactly what you're talking about and that's why I get that stuff ready to go out again as I bring it in from the last trip.

Ersteman reply :

My Kayak trips are planned and I put the kayak on the car the prior night.

I also get my rods and tackle ready the night before, so the day I'm fishing, I don't waste time.

I tried a few 'on the fly' kayak trips but ended up forgetting items(pliers or drinks) and it ticked me off.

I'm a planner by nature though, so planning works for me.

Even if I don't know when the next kayak trip is, I still take a day to get some things ready just in case, b/c I like to be ready.

Choporoz reply :

On 9/11/2015 at 12:16 AM, BocaGrande said:
I always find myself debating on fishing or not, mainly because the work thats involved in getting ready. I usually get home from work around 3pm, and find that some days are just right to hit the water. I haven't had much luck from the banks lately and really want to get on my kayak. But what happens is, I get home and start thinking about throwing the kayak up on my car, strapping it down, pack up the fishin buddy, choose what rods to bring, how much tackle to bring etc.. and it turns me off.. so I stay home.

Huh....??? I do not understand.

Maybe try golf?

I don't start getting ready when I get home for work. I'm now prepping a river smallie bag for a float trip on Saturday. My kayak bag and crate are always ready --- first thing I do when I return is get it ready for next trip. I may need to modify slightly depending on where I head to, but it takes just a minute.

In March I put trolling motors, batteries, tackle boxes, rods, paddle, crate, anchors, rain gear, net, etc in the car. Its all in there now and will be until Thanksgiving. If I know that the wife will be busy after work, I put the kayak on the car before going to work and toss a pair of shorts and sandals in the car. If it seems hard, then maybe....idk....what was the question again?

BassinLou reply :

My sling pack is always ready for situations like those. I have a designated outfit for bank fishing so i just grab that. Bass fishing does not have to be so cerebral. I know guys that freeze in their tracks trying to figure out what to take and throw. Geesh... just go fishing!!

Catt reply :

I stay cocked, locked, & ready to rock!

NotnatsSamoht reply :

I pack and rig everything the night before while I'm excited about going, then it's all ready for when I got time. I also have 2 tackle bags and 2 tackle boxes all set up for different things so I can grab it and go easier.

senile1 reply :

If I had a lake only 5 miles from my house, there would be no excuses. I would be out there. Get your rods and gear prepared, stay prepared, and it shouldn't be too much trouble.

gardnerjigman reply :

I have a "quick" trip bag that I have loaded at all times. (it's actually the B.A.S.S bag). I usually only take 2-3 rods and base that on what water I'm fishing. Most of the time it's a bladed jig rod, t-rig rod, and top water rod. Other times I replace the top water rod with a shaky head rod. Those things will pretty much always get bit.

Don't stress out over it too much. It's supposed to be a fun, enjoyable event. Keep it simple and go catch some fish.

Paul Roberts reply :

Ah! I know this problem all too well. You are going to have to decide how deep you need to go to be satisfied. Oftentimes a bag of worms with hooks and weights in there, and a topwater or two, is a recipe for bliss.

Me, I bought my way out of it , by being redundant. I try for as little switching stuff from one bag or box to another as I can. I keep a boat bag, and a shore pack, each redundant with the other. For my fly-fishing I keep a full-sized and fully stocked vest, and a hike-in satchel. No pulling stuff from one to put in the other. That’s asking to forget something.

In each I’ve put together a number of “rigging boxes” for terminal tackle, and “technique boxes” for lures set up and labeled for GoTo techniques. I keep them ready to fly by re-stocking after each trip, if needed. Yep, there is maintenance involved -better done after a trip than trying to pick up the pieces before a trip. I then keep “seasonal boxes” that are more apt to be adjusted, fiddled with, prior to a trip.

It helps to know where I’m headed and how that water changes through the seasons. I know I’ve been outdoors too little when I arrive with spring gear (light) and see that summer (heavy) has already descended. If it's new water, I make educated guesses and make it a recon trip. If it's worth re-visiting, I'll be better prepared next time.

powerduster reply :

Whata bout bank fishing? Go there and fish and if you're bored after 30 minutes, then go back home.

NathanW reply :

My biggest motivating factor when I am feeling like that is how much I regret it when I don't go. I tell myself "If I don't do this I am going to regret it all week"

brown12687 reply :

My tackle bag and at least two rods are in my truck at all times.

papajoe222 reply :

Evidently, you like to fish, but aren't passionet about it. Nate's suggestion is the perfect answer. What I always do is look at what may need my attention and decide which is more important to me. Unless it's family related, fishing ends up getting it.

Senko lover reply :

Get my bag, get my water battle and snack, and bike about 1 1/2 minutes to the pond. KISS for the win!!

buzzed bait reply :

i do a lot of prep work to make sure i'm pretty much always ready to roll at a moment's notice

Bassguytom reply :

I also have an escape tackle bag always ready to go. I grab 2 rods my bag and roll. If I want to get on the water quick I throw the yak in the back of my 1999 F-150 I picked up 4 years ago just for driving to and from the lake with my yak. It has served me well for many other things also. If I want to go fishing I'm going. Sometimes I will put my vest and old sneakers on and head to the creek to wade some creek smallies. I guess what I'm saying here fella's is "my name is Tom and I am a FishAholic". Wow it felt really good to say that out loud. Anyway thanks for letting me share.

bigbill reply :

When I gotta go, I gots to go fishing. I'm worse than a beagles chasing a rabbit.

I fish from shore with 5 tackle boxes and 5 rod setups. But sometimes it's like moving or packing the car for vacation.

Now I have a quick fish tackle box. Just a few of everything. I grab my topwater and crankbaits setup and I'm gone. A fast short evening trip.

On the motorcycle I had a few lures with a telescopic rod under the seat. Cruising the back country roads looking for new places to wet a line.

Fried Lemons reply :

I keep my equipment in my car most of the time. I get off of work at 4 and go fishing directly after that so the preparation is mostly done the night before. I fish from the bank so for convenience I only ever take one rod out of my trunk. I decide based on the location and which techniques I anticipate using.

stk44 reply :

Get everything ready to fish at the end of each fishing trip. Then all you have to do is pack and leave. If you have to figure out which baits to bring, outfit your rods, etc, you waste a lot of fishing time and you will feel rushed instead of relaxed.

BassThumb reply :

Coffee, and preparing the stuff a day prior.

Big C reply :

I grab my ML Carrot Stix, whatever is tied on, and a back-up lure in my pocket.

RandyCompass reply :

I can relate... For me, I try to keep my equipment list on the short side, so it is easy to pack-up, leaving as much of it in the truck and boat as possible, and then have a cup off coffee or get a few minutes of exercise to wake-up :-). That usually will make it easy enough, and I'll be awake enough to take the next step and go. One other thing that works for me - look at some photos of big fish!

BassWhole! reply :

KISS

Grab a rod or two, and the knapsack with two 3600s and a couple of bags of plastics...

stepchild reply :

Reading all your responses, it makes me feel blessed about the situation I'm in. My family actually owns a cottage on a lake and the boat is parked at the dock. The second I get an itch to head out, I drive a half-hour to the cottage, grab my gear from the storage room, remove the tarp (and leftover water) and off I go!!

The only problem is that, with the boat already in the water, I'm restricted to a fairly small natural lake....which in the end, isn't that big a deal since I'm still out on the water fishing, which is the objective to begin with!

einscodek reply :

On 9/11/2015 at 12:16 AM, BocaGrande said:

I always find myself debating on fishing or not, mainly because the work thats involved in getting ready. I usually get home from work around 3pm, and find that some days are just right to hit the water. I haven't had much luck from the banks lately and really want to get on my kayak. But what happens is, I get home and start thinking about throwing the kayak up on my car, strapping it down, pack up the fishin buddy, choose what rods to bring, how much tackle to bring etc.. and it turns me off.. so I stay home.

How do you guys prepare for an "on the fly" trip? The lake I'd like to go to is about 5 miles from my house, so not too far. What do you guys do?

I think its your experience telling ya to sit tight.. mine does that at times too and I usually listen unless I'm just going there to experience nature and soak up the scenary.

If its sunny out (been lotsa sun in NJ lately) hot and humid and 3pm hottest part of the day

lugging around a heavy kayak for some potentially slow fishin.. errr

SudburyBasser reply :

On 9/11/2015 at 12:16 AM, BocaGrande said:

I always find myself debating on fishing or not, mainly because the work thats involved in getting ready. I usually get home from work around 3pm, and find that some days are just right to hit the water. I haven't had much luck from the banks lately and really want to get on my kayak. But what happens is, I get home and start thinking about throwing the kayak up on my car, strapping it down, pack up the fishin buddy, choose what rods to bring, how much tackle to bring etc.. and it turns me off.. so I stay home.

How do you guys prepare for an "on the fly" trip? The lake I'd like to go to is about 5 miles from my house, so not too far. What do you guys do?

I don't overthink stuff. I always keep two rods and a backpack of trays in the Jeep and I go fishing. What you're describing sounds like the run-up to the Normandy invasion.

Bass newb reply :

I take two rods minimum and a cooler, paddle, Ahab sup, tackle rack, water, and a small tackle box. If I want more hassle I can always take my fish finder and battery. I usually go if I feel like I can get 2 or more hours of fishing in.

Further North reply :

For the boat: When I back the boat into the garage at the end of each trip i make sure i am prepped to go before I head into the house:

Plug in battery charger
Re-rig any rods that I broke line off.
Re-stock any plastics I used a lot of (I keep an "inventory" of the stuff I use often).
Re-stock water bottles.
Write down anything else I need to pick up when I run into town the next day.
Put what I bought in boat when I get home.

For wading:

If I'm wading, I'm fly fishing...so it's a simpler version of the above - my bass, pike and trout sling packs are ready to go before I leave the garge when I get home
Hang waders to dry.
Put boots on drying rack.
Re-rig rod if a break off was the last thing before I left
Re-stock anything I used a bunch of (doesn't happen very often)
Make a list of anything else I need to tie, buy or grab from the house.
Put what I tied, bought or grabbed from the house in the bag next day.

If I want to take the boat, I back up to the garage, slide the hitch in, drop the trailer on and I'm out the door in 5 minutes.

If I'm wading, grab the right bag, waders, boots and rod (they are set up and pre-rigged in a rack on the side of the garage) and I'm gone even faster.

I've got fishable water all over the place close to the house - dozens of lakes, two major rivers and miles of trout streams - all within a half hour or less of the house...everything from brookies to muskies.

ned_riggins reply :

If im fishing from my boat its always ready to go, plugged in, gassed up, got all my rods with my favorite lures already tied up. It takes me 15 min from getting home to my boat being started in the water. If in shore fishing I just grab my spinning rod, my plastics box and a zara spook and thats all I take with me.

When I used to fish from a kayak it was way more difficult to have everything ready and I fished from shore alot more because I didnt want to deal with it.

Sam reply :

Boca, forget the guilt and hit the water.

You will be glad you did.

Fishing after a hard day at work or with your relatives can relieve stress and give you some time to unwind and look back on the day and say "#$@! it."

It really makes you feel good, even if you don't catch anything but a few dinks.

Life is too short to miss fishing time.

Bluebasser86 reply :

If I have an hour, I'll go fishing, even hook up to the boat and take it too. It doesn't take that long.

sierra_fishr reply :

Lucky. The nearest decent lake to me is an hour drive. haha

BocaGrande reply :

Packed all my stuff Friday night. Hit the water by 6am on Saturday. I am not a morning person lol. I got too overwhelmed with all the gear. Which bait to throw when and where to go on the lake etc. Hooked 1 decent fish and he jumped the hook right at my kayak. I think I'll stick with bank fishing for a while lol

ClackerBuzz reply :

i've pre-rigged 10 rods and packed lures for a specific lake the night before and got skunked.

i've also grabbed two rods and a fanny pack full of lures for a spur of the moment trip and killed it.

now i don't spend near as much time preparing. true fishing with all it's adjustments needs to take place on the lake and that's what i look forward to....being on the lake and in the moment

Bankbeater reply :

With work and family, I can't get out during the week. I usually that time to plan my weekend trip.

bigfruits reply :

id recommend taking a break from fishing and come back to it when you get the bug.

BucketMouth15 reply :

I'm a simple man. For just local fishing during the week I have a baitcaster and spinning reel with a tacklebox and plano box for soft plastics. Also I try to have my boat ready to go the day before. Granted my 10 foot aluminum boat doesn't take as much to get ready as a bigger boat.

Dye99 reply :

Simple.

Kayak in back of truck.

I leave 4 rods ( two spinning, two bait casters) In my ATAK.

yak attack blackPack, go pro and fish finder in back seat of truck.

Moments notice.

Try to store it all together, so you are not rounding up gear to go.

RB 77 reply :

On 9/11/2015 at 12:16 AM, BocaGrande said:

I always find myself debating on fishing or not, mainly because the work thats involved in getting ready. I usually get home from work around 3pm, and find that some days are just right to hit the water. I haven't had much luck from the banks lately and really want to get on my kayak. But what happens is, I get home and start thinking about throwing the kayak up on my car, strapping it down, pack up the fishin buddy, choose what rods to bring, how much tackle to bring etc.. and it turns me off.. so I stay home.

How do you guys prepare for an "on the fly" trip? The lake I'd like to go to is about 5 miles from my house, so not too far. What do you guys do?

I find the exact same happen to me when I start debating an after work yak trip. I either limit those to pre planned days or I just grab a rod and a pocket full of baits and go. KISS priciple for after work sessions.

Rhino68W reply :

On 9/11/2015 at 12:52 AM, Ersteman said:

My Kayak trips are planned and I put the kayak on the car the prior night.

I also get my rods and tackle ready the night before, so the day I'm fishing, I don't waste time.

I tried a few 'on the fly' kayak trips but ended up forgetting items(pliers or drinks) and it ticked me off.

I'm a planner by nature though, so planning works for me.

Even if I don't know when the next kayak trip is, I still take a day to get some things ready just in case, b/c I like to be ready.

This^^^

bkohlman reply :

I have a "Go Bag" always ready to go with an assortment of my go to tackle. I usually take 4 rods with me, 2 spinning and 2 casting. 1 of the spinning rods is for panfish.

HeavyFisher reply :

If I'm going fishing after work I dont really think about what I'm going to bring, I'll grab the basics....1 spinner, 1 bait caster, and a box filled with top water, cranks, worms, and small swimbaits. I always have one plano box with a random assortment of stuff I take when I'm in a rush to just get to the lake.

Dtree11 reply :

I have a mini trailer that I use for my Kayak. Not only because my Kayak is a 36" wide and 80lbs. But, the loading and unloading is quick. If you would like to be more avaliable to fishing "on the fly", I would suggest getting a small flat trailer. By small I mean 5x8 -250lbs trailer. And this is what I store my kayak on. Every night, when I am done using my kayak, I leave it straped (loose) in with my poles and tackel already on it. This means when I get home at 5:00pm, I can be, on the water, fishing at my local lake with in 30 mins.

rivafishn reply :

I have a subaru outback that I keep my fishing gear in almost all the time so all I have to do is throw the kayak on the top and go. I have a set-up where the rods run along the roof, so they are not in the way for whatever I have going on. I am also lucky that I have water only minutes from my house, so I can load up and be on the water in short order.

Fin Stalker reply :

I keep my stuff in order and ready to go. I too fish from a kayak so I limit my tackle on purpose. I never carry more than 5 rods and two 4700 Plano boxes and most of the time it's 3 rods and I leave them in my kayak. Years ago I noticed that I tend to use the same stuff almost every time on the water so my basic kit stays the same so there is no thought about what to take with to go "on the fly". If I decided to go fish right after work tomorrow I can be loaded and ready to go in about 10 min. My Planos are in my crate now rods are in the hull and my PFD is stowed in the bow hatch. No jacking around, back my truck to the garage door slide kayak in bed grab crate strap it all down and roll. One of my honey holes is 3 miles from the house. If you keep your stuff organized and ready to go it makes quick trips easier and more painless to pull off. Something that I started to do recently is stowing everything before I get back to the launch that way once I get there I'm not sorting things out as I try to get loaded up to go home. I will keep one rod out and fish my way back then stow that rod just before I land my kayak.

Paul Roberts reply :

Depends on how much I'm fishing. If a lot, I'm downright anal, and well prepared. If not, I forget stuff, and am outta touch.

yugrac reply :

I am ready to fish within 1 day after my last outing, I put the battery chargers on when I get home, take them off that night or next morning, Any rods or gear that need attending to is done early the next morning before work or at lunch. The closest lake to me is 45 min away, and is a poor example of a fishing lake, 1,200 acres of carp and catfish. I work until 6 pm and makes it 6:30 before I get home so after work trips are not really do-able. Sundays are my only real option, some Sat. afternoons, I work on Sat mornings so thats tough too. Wish I got off at 3 and had a lake that close!

bassinhole reply :

I had a similar issue for a while. My bass boat has to be stored about 20 minute form my house at a self storage facility with no available power. So keeping my tackle and batteries in it is not an option. When I take the bassboat out I usually pick it up the night before a trip and install the batteries and get my tackle organized so it can be loaded quickly the next morning.

My situation makes it very difficult to plan for an evening trip after work. In order to spend more time on the water I did some thinking. The solution I came up with was to be prepared. Similar to the way A preper keeps a bug-out bag; I keep a tackle bag stocked with a few of my confidence baits. I always have rods rigged and ready for the drop of a dime. I picked up a Kayak and suspended it form the ceiling of the garage. Now when I want to take an evening trip or find myself with a couple of free hours on a weekend I didn't initially intend to fish all I have to do is back up the truck, lower the kayak and go.

Making preparations to go on an outing every time you get back from an outing makes it easier next time.

If you can analyze the the time you take to prepare for a trip and figure out where the inefficiency lies, solutions become very clear.

Things that helped me were:

-Organizing tackle storage

-Rod holders

-Mounting the Kayak on the Ceiling (Gets it out of the way when not in use too!)

-Keeping a bag ready

-Knowing my options (Keep looking for bodies of water nearby friendly to fishing)

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