Essential Catfishing Tools: The Obvious, and Not So Obvious
Posted by Spencer Bauer on 8th Jul 2021
Fishing requires gear, and all of that stuff adds up fast. Before you know it, those various little things you throw in your tackle box quickly turn into a giant tangle of seemingly junk. I believe in taking what you need, and just a little more. It makes the fishing experience not only more efficient, but significantly more enjoyable. These are what I deem the most essential catfishing tools.
Line Cutters
Lots of things can cut fishing line. Knives, scissors, the bottom of the boat when you’re hooked up to the biggest fish of the day. Yeah, that last one still stings a little. I generally have a wide variety of cutting tools around me at all times. Mainly because if I forget to put them back where they belong, I can quickly grab something else to streamline the rigging process. A simple alternative is to carry them on yourself. Whisker Seeker makes a slick belt clip for their braid scissors, that makes them difficult to misplace, even for absent minded individuals such as myself.
You don’t technically need grips for catfishing. You also don’t technically need a fishing pole to catch fish. You also don’t technically need a brain to write fishing articles. However, all three of these make the experience much better. Fish grips are excellent tools for saving your fingers and hands from abuse and lacerations. They also prevent many fish from flopping out of an angler’s grasp and landing hard on shore or the bottom of the boat. It’s good for you and good for the fish.
Bait Knife
Just like when it comes to fishing line, there’s lots of things you can use to cut your baits. Knives are the most used, and most versatile. Some anglers use scissors or shears for this as well, but they do not work as effectively for dicing up larger baits such as skipjack, carp, or the biggest shad. A bait knife also allows you to cut different types of baits more effectively, such as cubing or filleting the bait fish.
Pliers
A good pair of fishing pliers serve many purposes, which is a major part of what makes them essential. You can use them for removing hooks, cutting line, fixing reels, and can even allow you to stir your dip bait if you are in the boat and forgot to grab a stick. Please wash them off though, mainly for the sake of others in the boat. Also, in case you forget them in the backseat of your truck.
Rain Gear
You need rain gear if you fish in the rain. Fine, I’ll quit being Captain Obvious. It also conveniently functions well as an extra layer in case it cools off, which it undoubtedly will if you are on the water long enough. They also make a wonderful wind breaker for gusty days. A quality rain jacket and pants reduce the number of layers of clothing you need to bring, and make packing for a fishing trip that much easier.
Honorable Mentions
TP - You could make the case this is a #1, it just depends on how long you’re going to be on the water.
Scale - While it isn’t essential to making your time on the water great, it does help make the memories of your fishing trip a little better. Especially when you’re telling all your buddies how big the catfish you caught was. You can still stretch the truth a bit. We won’t tell anyone.
Head Lamp - Not all of us fish at night, however most of us will at times start the fishing trip before the sun comes up, or end the trip after the sun goes down. There’s even times where you get back to the ramp at sunset, and you’re forced to check over everything in the dark. A hands-free headlamp makes all of this much more efficient, and you’ll be much less irritated about dealing with it all in the pitch black.
Fishing gear can make the trip better, or more complicated. Limiting it to the essentials helps prevent you from getting bogged down while outdoors, and the increased efficiency makes it a little easier to get out there. Getting on the water is the most important part!
Fishing requires gear, and all of that stuff adds up fast. Before you know it, those various little things you throw in your tackle box quickly turn into
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