Whats in your tackle box?

[Guest]

I would leave that monster backpack at home.. the more room you have, the more stuff you aquire.. its bad enough dragging a 60+ pound minnow bucket.. I dont think you'll appreciate another 100# of weight hanging on your back. A standard backpack has more than enough room.

My fiance hauls around one of them wire grocery carts to haul her junk, and the extra kid stuff(5 year old) to waters edge.. I have to admit it works good and saves a lot of hassle.

[Dennis Steele]

See guys,

I'm not against shore fishing. I am just to lazy to do it.

Look at all the gear a guy has to haul down that muddy river bank!

[DARK30]

Ok, sorry I brought up bringing beer to the river. A couple good (cold) German Lagers are nice and I only drink warm Miller when I'm trying to get a ride in Dennis's RP

[Guest]

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See guys,

I'm not against shore fishing. I am just to lazy to do it.

Look at all the gear a guy has to haul down that muddy river bank!

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Im lazy too! Thats why I tend to spend most of my time at places I can leave everything in the truck and get a good cardiovascular workout walking that 10' across a sidewalk to waters edge! Its just far enough away from the vehicle not to snag the truck when I go to cast!

If all that work wears me out, I can simply catch my breath(probably while smoking a cigarette) sitting in the front seat of my truck(10' from the rod)... regain my strength and unload my reclining lawn chair.

I'm sweating just thinking about it.

Those muddy spots are for you Minnesota River guys. You can have it along with all your mosquitos.. bug spray does no good, they lick it off and bite you anyhow. You guys bring 5 sources of light, I stand under a street light and not worry about it. You guys pack a sanwich in case you get hungry.. we order Pizza Hut and have it delivered right to the spot!

My dad said it best.. work smarter, not harder.

[DARK30]

I think you'll walking further now Dave with all this attention your secret spot is getting But the walk is a good thing.

[Guest]

I have more than a couple secret spots Many are still a secret... lots more spots out there to be found too. I can only cover so much water myself!

I dont mind the company of some people while fishing.. keeps it safer and makes it more interesting.

I do have a boat and I am not afraid to use it! There are so many spots to fish within a mile or 2 of every public access that gets overlooked its not even funny.

These metro folks seem to think there only walleyes and smallmouth around these parts and they will be done playing bumper boats by the walleye opener

[Random guy]

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call Pizza Hut and have it delivered right to the spot!

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Only a cat guy!

[DTro]

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A scale capable of 100# is a good idea.. I have bottomed out a 50#, and seen it happen on other fish.

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Last month my wife bought me a new pistol grip 65lb digital. I think Rapala or Berkely make it. I seem to have misplaced my 50lb.

Can't wait to put it to the test

[hanson]

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I dont mind the company of some people while fishing.. keeps it safer and makes it more interesting.

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I would have to agree with you there Dave.

I went down to Mill Ruins last summer and the plan was to fish well into dark. I parked my truck, tossed out a sucker minnow, and sat in the front seat w/ the passenger door open listening to the radio. I sat there and sat there and didn't have a bite yet. Darkness was approaching and a minivan pulled through and parked in the lot. This actually happens alot and usually another vehicle comes down later, and then they both leave. The minivan was parked there for awhile when 2 guys got out and started walking in my direction. I thought it best be time to leave so I packed up and turned the key in my truck to find out I had drained the battery to where it wouldn't crank the starter. Doh! Lucky for me, I had my deep cycle with that runs the livewell pump in my cooler so I was able to jumpstart the truck off the deep cycle battery. About this time, the 2 guys are at my truck wondering if I need help and the one guy kept mumbling about money for gas or something.

Long story short, they were both homeless and had been sleeping in the van by the river.

There is just something about downtown Minneapolis, late at night, off the beaten path, that gets me a little nervous.

[Guest]

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About this time, the 2 guys are at my truck wondering if I need help and the one guy kept mumbling about money for gas or something.

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Never know what a person may encounter at the river anywhere.. I think I am more prone to have someone walk up and offer me gas money after taking a look at my vehicle

Most folks are harmless, but I dont trust anyone I dont know.

I worry more about teenage thugs than anything. Some kids have poor morals and nothing better to do on hot summer nights. It seems there is far less of a chance for confrontation with the cutbait tools laying out in plain sight, and a few people in the group.

The police ask us on a regular basis if we have seen any riff-raff around. If we inform them we have, they do patrol very regularly.

[Blue Kayak]

Great topic, for a newbie like me it is fun to see what you more experienced anglers are using. I haven't seen a scissors on the list yet. I got a Sunbeam serrated scissors at a dollar store for $1.00. I found it much better for cut bait than a knife and board (at least for the fatheads I used at Cool Cats). Also useful for trimming line. It even has a bottle opener in the handle.

I liked Ralph's pail and rod holder. I got a milk crate and cut 4 PVC rod holders and tied them to a milk crate for my kayak. Then I found out it worked great on my daughter's sled for ice fishing. I'll probably use it for shore fishing for cats this summer. I got the milk crate at Home Depot for less than $3.00.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Kayak, you'll want a cutbait knife, too, unless your scissors can handle hacking up pretty big baits.

[Dennis Steele]

Oh ya scisors, Got have them and I always carry a spare. Cutting that 80lb test with my teeth is how I lost the front two!

OK not really.

I like those forcep/scissor combos you get at Walmart. However they don't stay sharp for more than a season cutting Power Pro.

[Random guy]

I now own a fillet knife! I had to go to the store and actaully buy a small fillet knife, now thats just messed up.

I can see how having a couple of guys when fishing some sections of river bank can be a good plan. Makes me think of the Deliverance movie and banjos.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Wow, thanks for putting that thought in my head, Jon. I was just a little leery of getting mugged, now you throw in that

[I Da Man]

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The trash bag seems to be forgoten way too often

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You should see my live well in the summer! Waste Management comes by every other day!

Ralph, boat fishing is a little differant that bank fishing or even fishing close to home. I normally run 8 miles from the landing. I have at least one backup of everything that needed for safely getting home in the dark.

I've only been caught in a heavy fog once. If my gps would have gone out...I would have no choice but to wait until the fog burned off in the morning. That's not a fun night in my book...'specially if I'm with Dennis....he snores.

PS Dave might have a few teenage thugs in the area he fishes...I worry about pirates!

[DARK30]

You don't have to downtown to run into goofballs on the river. One morning near Henderson, I came across a guy sitting by a smoldering fire where his old truck was stuck up to the axles. Lots of beer cans and no fishing rods around. He was weird...kinda reminded of the Charlie Manson type. Before things got too friendly, I said I was late for something and had to leave. Man, nothin freaks me out more than the people from the 3rd floor!

[Blue Kayak]

Pepper spray might be a good idea when shore fising. I'd even try it on a bait.

Does anyone use floats or bobbers? I read about someone using balloons for cat fishing. He liked balloons because you could easily control the size and they are inexpensive. At night you could put a light stick inside.

[Ralph Wiggum]

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Ralph, boat fishing is a little differant that bank fishing or even fishing close to home. I normally run 8 miles from the landing. I have at least one backup of everything that needed for safely getting home in the dark.

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Don't worry, I'm just giving you dump, Brian Heck, you needed the GPS to get to Mill Ruins, I can imagine you'd need lots of help in the dark on the water

[Ed Carlson]

Jon you got a good list going and a great cat box in the making. I would add a good hook file system, the new Rap file is sweet and a all around usefull deal.

Silicone sleves for rigs too, either air tubing or even better Phelps Tackles Glow sleves.

Weighted Pole Floats, and non-weighted pole floats. I use the 8-12" most often. The new Lindy Lighted Pole float is a good deal for night sets with 3-ways and slip drifts. Cork'n Sucks Eh!!

Always more but that is what I would add...so far.

[hanson]

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Silicone sleves for rigs too, either air tubing or even better Phelps Tackles Glow sleves.

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Your a genious Ed! Phelps Tackle Glow Tubes on a plain hook were my go-to presentation for URL crappies for many years. Now I have another way to use them. Sweet!!

[Guest]

We dont have much use for floats around here. I'm not saying they wouldnt be effective, but we dont come across the situations where they would be needed or desired too often.

Floats are a really bad idea if your shore fishing with other folks. The current will sweep it downstream which will cause problems with other *pegged* baits.

[rushing]

* Various hooks

* Various pre-rigged sinkers(I tie a short leader and clip on swivle, which makes it easier to change sinker wieghts without having to re-rig everything or incase the wieght gets snagged, all I lose is the sinker)

* Pre-rigged leaders with hooks(wrapped around a walley rig tube, makes for easy and fast night time re-rigging)

* Extra line

* Swivles

* Little red beads

* LED lights for the rod tip

* Folding fillet knife

* Small pocket tool(Saves the day/night when need to repair a reel)

* TP (anwser the call of nature or great fire starting material)

* Matches/lighter

* 50lb scale(would love a bigger one but not in the budget)

* Small tape measure

* Disposable camera

* Headlamp

* Small flashlight

* Needle nose pliers

* One Giant slip bobber

* and some times wrist rocket sling shot

* and sometimes a hand crank radio

Sounds like alot but most of it fits in my one tray folding tackle box. The box and the rest of the junk goes into my catfishing backpack.

Along with my rod, a collapsable chair, and a minnow bucket crammed with bullheads.

I mostly shore fish and often go out all night so with some drinks and some snacks it usually makes for a comfortable and prepaired outting.

Yeah you sure don't need to be in a downtown area to run into wierdos alot of the wierdos are my fishin buddies.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Okay, I gotta ask what the sling shot is for.

[rushing]

Basically anything with glowing eyes peaking out of the woods. Bigfoot, Lions, Ninjas, Skunks...man I hate skunks.