Boat Bag Essentials
You can take it with you.
When you’re out on a skiff your boat bag is your magicians’ kit, your source of angling sustenance, your lifeline when things go awry on deck. For a while you can get by with all kinds of stuff hanging from a lanyard around your neck, pockets bulging with a couple boxes that hold a limited selection of flies. But unless you’re dialed in to the area you’re fishing – and like really dialed in – you’re going to need more. Here’s the breakdown of what goes in my bag. First off, you’re wearing polarized sunglasses, right? Great. Do not fish without them. Stow an extra pair in your bag. That way when you drop your original pair into the ocean, or a hinge breaks, or a nosepad comes loose, you’ve got a backup. Next up: pliers. These can be hardware-store needle-nose jobs, or fancy aircraft aluminum deals. Either way, they need to have side-cutters for cutting heavy mono and wire. Throw an extra cap in your bag. Caps are even easier to lose than sunglasses; just a bit of wind or boat speed can deep-six the one you’re wearing. A backup is easy to pack and invaluable if you do lose yours. I’ve fished with guides who’ve lost their caps to the wind.
When you’re out on a skiff
your boat bag is your
magicians’ kit, your sour
of angling sustenance, your
lifeline when things go
awry on deck.
Capless, their fish-spotting abilities suffered greatly. Tuck an extra reel – not just a spare spool – in your bag. The sea environment is harsh and it’ll bring out the weakness in anything with moving parts. Reels are especially susceptible to failure under stress. Plus, a well-made reel is a beautiful thing, a marvel of engineering. So you’re justified in buying an extra one (or half-dozen) to take along on your next trip. It’s always sunny and warm in the Caribbean, but bring along a rain jacket for those days when it’s not. This can be the same shorty rain shell you use when wading for steelhead, or the one you wear while walking around town. But bring one. It’s a bit surprising how cold you can feel in an ambient 80 degrees when you’re soaked with seawater and cruising at 20 mph. A handkerchief or a Buff is sort of a necessary luxury. It keeps the sun from burning your neck, cleans your glasses, wipes sweat away, and takes basically no space at all in your bag. Handkerchiefs were a minor revelation to me, and I now pack a couple every time I fish. Another item you’ll appreciate having along is a set of fingerless gloves or those sheaths that protect your fingers from line burns. I really like the latter, the finger-style strippin guards, but anything will work. Including that white 3M medical tape, which should also be in your bag – it’s amazingly useful stuff. Throw in some sunscreen, and some bug dope if you’re fishing mangrove-y areas. You should also pack extra leaders or leader-building materials, everything from butt to tippet. If you’re at all prone to seasickness, try some ginger supplements or ginger candy. (See the related piece on seasickness in this issue.) As for the bag itself: This is super-subjective; everyone is going to have his opinion about the ideal bag. Some quick guidelines, though — make sure your bag has an external spot for your pliers and a waterproof (or at least water-resistant) bottom. There are tons of other features to the best bags, but these are key. So many companies make great boat bags that we’re not going to recommend one over another; check out the features on various bags and choose whichever one pushes your buttons. Pack it thoughtfully and your angling life will be bliss.
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