Canal Shoulder Bag

[Saltheart]

I typed this up under the Ditch Bag post but I guess he means if you are ditching a boat that is sinking. Anyway , not wasting all that typing

Bare Jigs, I like ball big hooks , no less than 7/0 8/0 if you can Mustad 34184 or 5.(the long shank ones , I forget if they are 34184 or 5 and I'm not going in the cellar to look. I carry 2 to 4 OZ some preffer 3 to 5 and even 6 oz.

Tied up bucktails (smilin Bills) , 3 and 5 OZ.

All kinds of tails. My favorites are 8 inch Curl tails, 7 inch Fin S Fish, Shad bodies , like 5 and 8 inch, big rubber eels and/or sluggo's (Got Striper's makes the best for the canal , also he makes fish about 7 inches with split tails. The rubber he uses is tougher ) Bring a lot and different styles and colors. You never know what will work today.

If you can get them , skin jigs and skins. I like 3 and 4 OZ.

Big spool of leader wire. I like 50 LB ande Pink. I sometimes use 60 LB Ande green.

Any assortment of surface plugs like swimmers, pencils and regular poppers.

2 lights I like the LLbean little one for hanging outside the bag and a waterproof focasable like a minimag inside the bag.

Scissors. I have a swiss army knife and a seperate pair. These are for braided line.

An assortment of large hooks and swivels in case you want to do eels.

I never chunk but if you do you need hooks , fishfinders , etc for that. remember many drift chunks at the canal , not just bottom fish them. A head lamp.

Mosquito repellant. I like the one that looks like a deodorant stick.

Tape measure. I also hook a boga grip style scale to my bag.

Good cutting pliers. I like nickel plated needle nose cutting pliers. I also carry a very heavy cutting pliers like a linesman uses , just in case I catch my own flesh with a hook and have to cut the hook.

A spare reel. Going for 100 to 150 yards every cast , sometimes you just screw up. Also you can sometimes lose a lot of line on one bottom snag at the canal so spare reel or go home.

A camera is nice. I used to carry one in the bag. I don't anymore but try to have one in the car.

Don't forget , you have to carry it. Its full of lead , get a good sturdy bag but not too big. Any more than say 20 or so pounds (jigs are heavy) full of stuff and you will start to regret it.

I'm sure I missed lots of stuff so others can fill in.

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