Intro to Sandbar Camping & Fishing

Scouting The Site

After successfully landing the boat, the next step is to scope out the area. Is the ground flat enough for a tent? Are you able to set up camp far enough away from the river in case of rising water? Is it mosquito infested? Do you need shade? Is there a spot for a fire? Again, you can't be too picky when it comes to camping outdoors, but the goal is to enjoy your time and not be miserable while you're out there. Last but not least, can you fish from this spot? 

To make the most of the trip, you want to be able to throw some lines out while you are at camp. 

Camping Gear

There are many different ways to go about choosing the right camping gear for your trip. But the biggest concern will be what you can realistically and safely fit in the boat. Obviously, kayaks or canoes would lean on the lighter end of backpacking gear, but motorized vessels provide more capacity and options.  

We run a big deep-V boat, which easily carries all our stuff. However, the extra size and capacity make it not so great for loading and unloading at the sandbar or even loading back on the trailer. So we do our best to find a happy medium when packing. I suggest the Two Tote Challenge. One tote for cooking essentials and one tote for your camping gear. 

For a comfortable sandbar camping experience, here are some important items to pack…

• Tent – Remember smaller is better. You won't always have a lot of space. I highly recommend looking into a cot       tent. They are a game changer for sandbar camping!
• Sleeping pad/ Sleeping Bag
• Chair
• Camp kitchen - While not necessarily needed, it sure makes life a lot easier. 
• Fire starting essentials 
• First Aid kit – Your boat should already have this (wink wink)
• Plenty of bug spray and sunscreen! 
• Dry bag for your clothes
• Cooking stove/dishes/utensils 
• Trash bags – Leave No Trace!

Food & Water

A case of water bottles sounds easy enough, but we prefer to take our 5gal Gatorade jug and fill it up at home prior to the trip. The insulation keeps the water fresh and cold for several days. It also provides enough clean water for drinking, cooking, washing dishes, or even rinsing some fresh fish filets. Most importantly, there are no plastic bottles to worry about.

Now for my favorite part… Food! This is where you want to think outside the box! Anything that can go on a grill or wrapped in foil over a fire is always awesome. But there are times when you don't have the more relaxed space for gourmet food. In this case, packing some oil and breading to fry up your catch is the best way to go! 

Taking Care Of Business

S#!* happens. We all know this. But knowing how to properly take care of business is a must. The rule of thumb is to find a spot several yards away from camp. Dig a hole, do your business, cover up with sand and mark it with a stick if possible for others. Now when it comes to TP, the proper thing to do is to bag it when you're done! You should store your toilet paper in a plastic container to keep it from the elements. But a good tip would be to add a roll of doggie bags to your arsenal to discreetly dispose of your used TP. From there, you can easily throw it in your camp trash to pack out. And maybe throw in a bottle of hand sanitizer. 

Fishing

Now the best part of the trip…the fishing! During the dog days of summer, we like to take the boat out at sunrise, fish all morning, then come back to camp for lunch. This is a good time to throw some lines out while you shade yourself from the summer sun.  Another good time to cast a line is in the evening before and after supper while you relax by a nice fire. Using the NiteStyx makes it super easy to keep an eye on any bites. Then when you're ready to hit the sack, just flip on the bait clickers and be ready for that 2 am wake-up call! 

Some items to have on hand while sandbar fishing..

• Rod holders. You want something that can easily shove down into any ground. But strong enough to hold the rod.
• A headlamp is key! The bugs are going to be horrible, so the blue and red light options on the WST headlamp a     so nice! 
• Extender Net. It might sound funny or not that important, but a net can be useful in a few ways while on the       sandbar. You can net like normal.  Or when you finally catch your fish, but you need to take a moment to get the hook out or even snap a photo, you can easily keep the fish healthy in the water while you prepare. 
• Fish grips. Not all fish holds require these, but when you get into that monster, they are great to have! And also another option for keeping the fish healthy and in the water if you don't have a net handy. 
• Scale. You never want to be caught in that situation without one. Especially when it could be your personal best! Along with your fishing tackle, the scale should be accessible. And a key tip to weighing any big fish safely from shore would be to use a weigh sling or the net. This helps take the stress off the fish and gives you more control of the fish and an accurate weight.

Now that you have the information you need, I hope you’re able to get out and enjoy a new adventure and catch lots of memories!