To carry gear?

I found a spot yesterday that will be a hike and a half to get to but looks well worth it.. I need to reduce what I carry.

Right now I have a tackle box, and a shoulder bag... Then add two poles and a bucket of eels and it can be a bit tough to go all that far...

Im thinking I can get some plastic cases and put them into a backpack. Keep my tacklebox in the car, and only take what I need rather than everything..

The backpack would hold everything in my shoulderbag as well (camera/pliers/drink etc) so that problem would be eliminated as well

Anyone have any other decent ideas or know of any "plug backpacks" that are reasonably priced out there?

I got this one from Cabela's and love it.
http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jhtml?id=0017144015515a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnString=No=80&hasJS=true&Nty=1&Go.y=0&Ntx=matchall&Go.x=0&Ntt=backpack&N=4887&QueryText=backpack&noImage=0&_D%3AhasJS=+&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jhtml.22&Ntk=Products&returnPage=search-results1.jhtml

I fit everything I need in it and hang everything else from it.

Medium Aquaskinz bag (had the same size Van Stall bag before this year). Take only what you NEED. There is no need to carry a takle box, eel bucket, 2 rods, and a shoulder bag. Go with less gear and concentrate on using each plug or eel to its fullest potential. I carry 5 - 8 plugs with me at most. There is really no need for more. If you don't use a certain plug on back to back trips, don't bring it on your next trip out. Keep doing this until you are down to one surf bag if you are afraid to go cold turkey.

http://www.aquaskinz.com/newbagfull.jpg

You already said it - reduce what you carry. I can't see any need to carry a tackle box anywhere 'cept on a boat or in your truck.

Get a good plug bag and put in what you need. Get a camel back or a canteen for your water. Bring one rod and sapre spool or reel and consolidate your eels into somehitng which allows you to work a beach.

I have been very negligent on getting the last bit of consolidation down but you can't effectively work an area if you need to go back every few casts to move your tackle box, cooler, rods and spikes, lunch pail, and 5 gallon buckets.

You really want everything with you so as you work the shorline you just move as needed and fish instead of chasing gear....

I carry a shoulder bag with at most 12plugs (canyon) which holds extra leaders as well
On my belt I have pliers, knife
2 lights around my neck
A rope with a snap to clip fish to me when wading

throwing eels, I switch to a small belt bag with 3 plugs and pre-tied eel rigs with a couple of leaders for plugs, and a small eel bucket with rag attached with a piece of twine.. same stuff on my belt

Everything else (boga's, camera, etc.. is overkill imho.. keep it simple...

before my ex made me a nice surf bag i used one of the big plano tackle holders and tied a rope around the handle so i could wear it across my sholder. It worked good and the rope was used for dragging fish if i hooked up. I use a mesh bag instead of a bucket for my eels, it reduces what i carry by a ton and they stay alive in there just fine with a handful of seaweed. I tied it to either my belt or my tackle box. The only drawback to the mesh sack is that ya get kinda messy on the legs, if you wear waders that wont be a problem. Drink goes in my cargo pocket alond with all sorts of other crap.

I do alot of hiking to spots also.

I carry 1 pole and 1 plug bag which has plugs and extra leaders.Only other equipment is a flashlight,pliers and a length of coiled rope.I bring Korkers when needed.

Since I don't bait fish I don't have to worry about that aspect.

Overall I try keep it simple.Less is better sometimes.

Shimano tackle backpack if I'm really on a trek

Demo bag on my belt with 8 tubes, my pliers and leader
5 slot shoulder bag with too much s---
I think I'm gonna get a water bottle holder for my belt but I don't get thirsty at night
light around my neck
I thought of putting a rope on my belt but that is probably one way to keep the fish I want away, if I'm gonna keep one it better be close to the truck.

Walked a few miles the other day with just a medium Aqua skinz bag and 2 rods. The medium bag holds plenty of plugs and jigs. Also a little pocket for leaders and snaps. Room for pliers and a few other needy things.

(1) Rod, (1) reel and (1) BW Surf bag... holds plenty of plugs, has a pocket for swivels and leaders, pliers are attached to the side, and I use the other side for a flashlight. If needed, I carry korkers to and from my spots... it makes a 1/4 mile trek on the rocks a little easier.

Good Stuff... Thank you for the suggestions

I have no problems reducing the plugs I carry.. In fact.. That would be easy...
Although it is a scary proposition....

I think I do need to stop carrying two poles... That combined with leaving the box and shoulderbag in the car and just wearing a knapsack with a handful of plugs and the essentials would be a huge victory in my book....

Id love to get down to just that aquaskinz bag, but I dont think I could ever reduce to that point unless I am really near the car. But who knows!

loose the eel bucket and use a mesh bag. loose the 2nd pole and use a pole that does everything.

my new rule for this season is to go light enough so the walk back to the truck with a 50lber isnt a problem :D

wouldnt a mesh bag only work while wading? or do you just plop them in the water while casting?

Try a 1 gallon bucket from a paint store or if you know someone that works at a restaurant, have them save you a 1 gallon salad dressing or mayonaise jug. You can attatch a rope to the dressing jug and put it over your shoulder. If you adjust the rope correctly, you won't even notice it's there. put a small hole at the top of the bucket to let water out. If you put too many holes in the bucket, on a windy day the eels will dry out and die if you don't continue to dunk them. Also, with a lot of holes, if you wade deep it will fill up with water when a wave comes in, and empty as the wave receeds. If the waves are strong enough, it can knock you down or at least throw off your balance. Also, I feel it helps to spray paint the bucket black. I spray both the inside and the outside. The inside keeps the eels dark, and the outside keeps you from standing out as much.

I agree with a lot of what's been said. One rod. Take a versatile rod that can throw 3/4 oz plastic swimmers to 3-1/2 oz plugs. It won't do both equally well, but it'll do. If that limits you to a spinning reel, so be it. Some guys can throw the light stuff on conventional, most can't.

One bag. I carry one that'll hold "doubles", ie, two plugs a slot. Know the surf and wind conditions you'll be facing before you hoof it so you leave behind the stuff that'll land 5' behind you on a cast into a stiff wind.

I wear a waist pouch that has a large zipper pocket, and two smaller ones. In the large pocket, I stuff a file, a 50 yard wheel spool of leader material, a spare spool for the reel I'm using, a Leatherman tool, maybe a plastic bag of teasers, and a pair of good cutting pliers. In one of the smaller pockets, I carry a small Plano box of swivels, snaps and Breakaway clips. I carry a spare flashlight behind the last row of inserts in my plug bag, plus my hook removal pliers (needlenose). If I'm fishing a smaller conventional, like a Calcutta 400, in addition to a spare spool, I might carry a similar sized spare reel, like an Abu 6500, in one of the side pouches on my plug bag. I use a Canyon bag that has a side pouch large enough.

Another approach is to use a backpack. Put a selection of lures in 2 Plano boxes.

If I'm walking all that way and using spinning gear, I'm taking a spinning reel I have confidence in. That means a Penn 704/706 or a Van Staal. I'm not taking a chance on stripping the gears in some piece of Chinese junk and having to walk all that way and not fish.

Eben is right. Mesh bag is fine for eels for the night. No buckets. The only thing in my hands is my (1) rod, everthing else is on my belt or stays in the vehcile. I take a small aquasinz bag and a belt pauch (or a med bag) my mesh bag and rod. If I am going remote for a while (ie like a solo CH all nighter)...I wear a fishing vest that has saftey equipment...cell phone, whiste, first aid, space blanket, ect. All my leaders and goodies are ready to fish. No goofing around tying leaders on the beach at 2:00am when the bite is hot. Also, if you get a 50 will you take her? If so, better figure a way to hike this thing out before you get there. (make a carrier out of a rope and handle) so tuck this material someplace.
Think, and take your time.

1) One plug bag. Usually a large Aquaskinz or my trusty Surfcaster bag stuffed to the brim.

2) A fly fishing vest with two front pouches and a large rear pouch (like a backback but lighter). Front pouches will contain terminal tackle and leader and small things like soft plastics. Rear pouch might have a bottle of water, some snacks, a stringer rope, and a tape measure. If there's room, then a small scale, a small camera and my cell phone in a zip-loc bag. If I'm forgetful, I also carry a copy of a tide chart and pertinent regs in a zip-loc bag.

3) My flashlight is tied to a long piece of surgical tubing, which I can then carry safely around my neck.

4) Obvious to many, but I have my plyers in a sheath on my wader belt.

I used to use the mesh bags for my eels, but I found most of them would die as I walked along. Also, they would get all nasty from the slime getting wiped off in the mesh, and then it would pick up sand and just become a big mess. That and the fact that I would get eel slime all over my waders, jacket, or wetsuit.

Do you guys using the mesh bag ever run into them dying prematurely?

I use 1 rod, this year I went down to an Army Navy store, they have all types of bags....some pretty cheap....bought a few different size canvas bags that have a belt loop...bought some tubing at home depot, cut to length,....thats it....just load them up on a belt, have 2 free hands and plenty of storage for everything....

I'm going to use my intern Bart - have him drop me at the waters edge and then valet park.

I love the small Aquaskinz bag on the belt. It hold all my leaders and teaser rigs (all pre-tied), spare emergency light and other knicknacks. Pliers are on the belt...this way I can swap plug backs and still have the stuff I'll need regardless.

Things like the cell phone, keys and money clip go in a cargo pocket of my shorts.

I've got a big OR waterproof bag that holds everything else. It stays in the trunk of my car, and I just take it with me if I'm in someone elses buggy. Sometimes I'll throw it over the shoulder and drop it when fishing less travelled areas.

-spence

A 10 tube surf bag (bronco/canyon/aquaskinz) that holds plugs/tin and rubber slung over the shoulder. A good knife...good pliers...headlamp... some water and a couple of power bars. :claps:

Plastic mayo jug with holes punched in it. Attach a piece of mono to the lid. Throw a few eels in and some ice and make a loop of some rope to string the bucket on your wader belt. Eels will last all night and you can move at will.
I've used this system for 15 years and it works well.

They can dry out in the mesh bags, but Im usually near water when fishing ;) , so they get dunked every 45min/hour. Its convenient, because its clipped to the belt.
http://ctfisherman.com/data/364surfbelt001-med.jpg
Id rather do the soft cooler bag w/ ice than a jar

Mostly I use a small jig bag. its about 4 wide X 8 long X 4.5 deep. A long wide shoulder strap. I also carry my pliers in my back pocket where I can get them easy.

For the beach I carry a plug bag and a pail for the eels.

Sorry for hijacking this but IMO the best eel bag is one of those old school cheapo trout bags with the metal straps sewed into the two sides of the opening to keep it closed (doesn't actually work to keep it closed so use one of those big black paper clips to do so). Your eels will stay lively in here as long as you give it a dunk every now and then and you don't have to worry about their slime being scraped off cause the bags have nylon inside.

get a mid sized plug bag with a pocket in the front with pre made leaders,pliers,camera and extra spool filled with line. use one rod so choose it wisely. you can use a mesh bag with a draw string or a cheap soft side cooler with a lunch pack freezer block to keep your eels cold keep a wet rag in the bag to keep them moist. wear breathable waders. wear a head lamp and keep and spare bulb and set of batteries and a small back up light in your plug bag.

I'm going to use my intern Bart - have him drop me at the waters edge and then valet park.


:rtfm: :rotf3:

What works best for me is a soft sided cooler pack with a zipper top. You can fit up to 15 eels inside one, just make sure to have some some of ice to keep them cold and occassionally flip it over to drain out excess water or eel slime. I like to bring plugs with me and usually limit myself to 4 that i store in the front zipper pouch of the soft cooler bag. Plastic water bottles can help keep them seperated. I also attach a hook file to the cooler.

From here i wear a belt with pliers and a scale on it. Occassionally i'll bring water in a 500ml bottle attached to my belt. Leaders can be stored in a plactic bag in your dry top.

eels, plugs, Marlboro's & gum

don't take your cell phone.....I almost lost mine tonite

catch fish.....have fun :jump1:

U have to keep it simple or the trek will become to much work.Ditch has the right idea on the plugs u have to consider the conditions first.then u can limit ur selection IE: bright moon light dark moon dark.I never crried a spare spool as getting spooled is not a option.I stuff a extra light in the bag.rubbers jigs the usual plugs pliers all go in the bag.eels go in a tuperware drink container.with holes made for a rope.most times i don't use eels.another important thing is a six ft piece of rope to drag a good fish out if u need.A long walk with a heavy fish is no fun.of course u could always just let em go.

I use one of these when hiking a good distance and dont want to have to backtrack for anything. Mine's an older model, has an rubberized interior.

http://www.manhattanportage.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=55&products_id=110

Chest pack under my surf jacket that holds an 8" by 10" Plano or other box for Yo-Zuri's and other lures and holds all my soft plastics, hooks, leaders, etc.

Then the small Aquaskinz or small Canyon belt bag on my wader belt (or both) with my pliers & knife on the belt.

Then teaser rigs and leaders in the pockets in my surf jacket.

Carry one rod and you are hands free (except for the rod) and don't have a surf bag hanging off you and bumping & swinging when you walk and fish.

eels, plugs, Marlboro's & gum

don't take your cell phone.....I almost lost mine tonite

catch fish.....have fun :jump1:
Good call on the cell phone :rollem: or at least put it in a ziploc freezer bag

1 rod and reel, plug bag with 10 plugs, leaders, pliers, and a drink. Pair of pliers and a small light. thats it. Don't need anything else.

I stopped carrying my cell phone this year... after I destroyed one last season.

Too many things can go wrong with the phone. Salt eating away at the components and charging connectors, sand in the cover (clam shell phone), wet hands on the key pad...

Plus every time it rings, I found myself digging it out just to find it wasn't worth answering the call anyway.

Leave it in the car... just make sure you have your keys secured somewhere on you before you lock the doors.

Ive lost a cellphone in the rocks at the canal
Ive also bounced my blackberry off the rocks more times that I can count...
Thats one of the things I kept in my shoulderbag


So I picked up a backpack last night, went thru my gear, consolidated my needs and everything I want fits in one large and one small plano box. The rest of the stuff can sit in the trunk. Its pretty light too... It was nice.

Im a little wary of the eel solutions, but for right now I am very happy with the backpack, rod, and an eel bucket.. :)

I ALWAYS carry my cell when fishing.I do turn it off though.It has its own secure waterproof pouch that goes right into the waterproof inside pocket of my waterproof jacket.

To many things can go wrong when fishing.

How're you going to get help if you're by yourself and hurt badly enough not to be able get back to your car or to someplace where you can get assistance?

Fishing with a buddy?What if he gets hurt?The time saved by calling for help could mean the differance between life and death.

In this day and age when we have the technology to save more lives than ever
and yes this includes the cell phone,why would you not carry it?

Its just as an important safety tool as your korkers.

Coat to to keep me dry only from the water cause I walk so much and work up such a sweat, I might as well go swimming, but it keeps the water out of the waders. Red headlight.
1 rod and reel. Depends where headed. May bring an extra spool.
Wader belt with pliers and a good, sharp knife that is easy to get in and out of the sheath, and at least one draggin strap. Just picked up a small Dexter Russell to replace my old one.
Leader wallet with pretied rigs and plenty of material (hooks, swivels,snaps,)to make or change additional leaders.
EEL BUCKET.- Go with the old salad dressin/ mayonaise jar deal. Use a shoulder strap from an old duffel bag for the strap. Drill holes in the top, but not in the bottom. That way eel slime doesn't drip out down your leg or in the car, or in the refrigerator. I tried the Aqaskinz eel bag last year after I buried my faithful old eel bucket at sea. My eels died way too quick, regardless of how frequently I dunked em. I keep em alive for a couple of days in my bucket, but they wouldn't make it through a nite in the bag. Don't actually spend much time in the water, so they are gettin dried out by the air/wind. Plus its a fother mucker gettin hooks out of that mesh, especailly when you got an eel already on that hook and its ticked you just stabbed it in the eye.
I carry a whole bunch of plugs in a large Aquaskinz bag, but never use any of them :poke: Need to stop carrying it.
My motto is to stay mobile. I carry and keep everything on me so I don't have to worry about stuff gettin washed away or have to go back searching for something, like a black plug bag in the dark or fog. If you do fish where you leave gear on the beach, I recommend using some reflective tape on your bag or bucket so you can find it easier.
The other solution is only fish where you can drive to, get out of the truck, walk ten steps, make a few casts, then get back in your truck, turn your headlights on, drive 25 feet, repeat process. That way you always have everything and don't have to carry anything.