Protect your gear!

[cjac]

Hey all,

Sounds like a lot of us added new gear to the mix in the off-season. I know I did.....

It's important to protect you gear and investements, as it's not cheap! I deal with theft in my job, more at a retail level, but theft has no boundries, fishing gear is not excluded. Check out your insurance policies, both home and boat, to ensure you have sufficient coverage.

The key is to provide back-up of what you own. I try to keep a folder with receipts, and I also have a separate online file of digital pics of my gear. Take pics of your gear, rods/reels, tackle boxes, electronics on the boat, etc....and hope you'll never need it. If the time comes you do, you'll be glad.

Here's an old example of what I do (bass reels, sorry...), line stuff up and take a pic. In this example I really should include my boat Reg ID to further associate it to "me", which I chopped off, but you get the idea. If my stuff is stolen, at least I have some back-up for the amount of what I lost.

Take pics, send the link to your insurance agent, and hope you'll never need it. I just looked at my file and they're two years old, there's a few bucks (understatement) not represented for sure.

I'll be updating mine, so that's the reason for me posting.

[Scott M]

Great advice. I started making a digital photo file when I asked my insurance agent about it. I mean, the insurance agency doesn't get a lot of people like us that have multiple rods for multiple species, loads of guns, camo clothing, boats, 4 wheelers, multiple fish houses, electronics, tackle (what's the cheapest you can buy an articial lure with treble hooks for, 8-9 bucks?). I don't even want to know how much that stuff is if I had to rebuy it all. After ball parking what my stuff was worth I upped my coverage.

[MuskieSlayer]

Very good advice. I took pictures of all my gear several years ago, but before I got the muskie fever. Needless to say, I need to take some new pics. Thanks for the reminder.

[Deitz Dittrich]

cjac- This post needs to be in every forum in my opinion! When I was a young dude, I was getting ready for my first tournament. I wasnt old enough to drive, and wanted to get a head start.. So I packed our family van that my dad was going to give me a ride in...

The low lifes went in through the side window and took everything. For a 14 year old kid, 4,000 in insurance claims was not believeable, I only got a portion of that. But I guarentee thats what I lost, I knew every lure, rod, reel that I owned... I had a paper rout(star tribune) from 4th grade on.

Now, not only do I take pictures(EveryYear), I invite my insurance dude out to my house to inspect for himself!

[setterguy]

Yup I too have a file with all my outdoor gear, my agent was a little taken back when I told him what it would cost to cover my rods! I have all the pictures uploaded at photobucket in case the casa goes up in flames.

[Esox_Magnum]

Same here pics and a detailed list to our ins company every year. First year we turned in the list our ins lady couldnt belive. She still don't understand but writes us a ryder policy to cover it.Good idea though about posting them online just in case something happens.

[b1gf1sh1]

yeah i been hit by the thief before. my grandpappy Amos left me all his lures, boat, rods and that when he passed on(i'm the only fishing nut) and the gear got taken from my garage. i never even used the stuff, i was saving it for sentimental value. insurance gave me a slight amount to what i thought it was worth but i did'nt really know what was there. still, i just can't help but think ol' Amos was fed up seeing it in the garage and just had to use it. that'd be just like him. can just see him tip toein' in and snickerin' as he ran away with it. i miss that old man. always made me smile. nice post cjac.

[MUSKY18]

Great post Cjac. Everyone knows the saying "Don't know what ya got, til its gone" and I don't even want to begin to think about how much it would take to replace all of my gear.

[Rebel9921]

Excellent posting there, Chris... Looks like I'll need to do all that myself... A PERFECT opportunity for me to get all of my Girls into a group picture (Nothing too sleazy tho) LOL...

[10,000 Casts]

What do you guys have for deductables, I can't remember what mine is but I know that it is really high.

Every year, I'll spot a customer in the rapala isle with 2 baskets of cranks... Or the guy that is looking at a trolling motor reponds with, I had a 70 LB PD until it was stolen.

Yep, unfortunatly theft is a fact of life. Sad... Muskie guys Especially need to insure their gear and document it. I could see the adjusters face when you tell them, $24.99 each for those spinners, $16.99 for those and so on. $140 net, $100 each for the tackle boxes, $50 hook cutters, $230 each for the reels and so on.

[HugoBox]

Chris -

I agree with you and appreciate the reminder. Its also a good idea to talk to your insurance guy to find out what you're covered for. I actually pay a little extra for more coverage. Besides proving to the insurance man you're not a liar, the photos would help you know what you needed to replace. As much as I think I know my gear, if you asked me to list all the bass, walleye, and 'ski gear I'd probably come up way short - normal people don't have 500 crankbaits do they?

Don't let the wifey see the pictures - when she sees all that stuff together and does the math at $10-$20 apiece its tough to explain!!

-erik