Boat must haves!

[Bassoholic23]

Happy Thanksgiving SU! With Black Friday around the corner I figured I’d reach out to hear what other people have as their top 5 boat tools or items that just make a fishing trip easier/less frustrating. Mine in no particular order are:

1. On board battery charger

2. a good pair of scissors 

3. Texas tackle split ring pliers

4. A plug knocker lure retriever/and hopefully soon a pole version retriever for trees and low hanging branches 

5. and this may come as a bit of a surprise but a good lunch box, mine has a dry top portion where i keep a charged extra phone battery and snacks and a insulated bottom storage for a cooler and drinks.

Let us know what makes your fishing trip easier!
 

[bassbass]

Gas pedal

[thastickybandit]

Wet wipes/toilet paper

[Kyle1387]

If.youre getting a plug knocker get a 44 mag lure retriever. Best in game 

For me I definitely need a good file for hook sharpening. Can't tell you how many times I roll hooks on logs/rocks

[swimbaitrookie]

1 minute ago, thastickybandit said:

Wet wipes/toilet paper

the good stuff too, not the rest stop variety

[swimbaitrookie]

13 minutes ago, bassbass said:

Gas pedal

damn handy feature... I'd go for a trolling motor on the yak

[Bassoholic23]

A halfway decent rain suit that never leaves the boat has saved more than a couple outings for me.

[Dirty Diesel]

Extra set of trailer wheel bearings, nothing ruins a trip faster than being stuck on the side of the road!

[FishDr]

Some good stuff out there.  My list would include the following:

1. A good PFD that's always worn - I have an NRS Chinook and it goes on right before I launch my pontoon and comes off when I'm done for the day.  I've never needed it, but it gives me (and my family) some peace of mind.
2. A decent set of needle-nosed pliers and a pair of wire cutters that are strong enough to cut through any of the hooks I use.  This has come in handy for both unhooking unfriendly northerns and for getting a hook out of my waders that was still attached to a bass, but, luckily, hadn't attached itself to me.
3. A float for my camera - when I put the camera in the 'toon, I clip the float onto it.  That way, even if I fumble it and drop it in the drink, it doesn't sink (tested this in shallow water).
4. For my pontoon fins, a set of D-rings on the back of the pontoon - when I get off the water the fins get clipped into the D-rings, ready for the next trip.  I started doing this after I left one fin somewhere between my house and the California Delta, 35 miles away, early one morning.  Fishing with a single fin was no fun, especially when the wind came up.
5. A 10' 3/8" rope leash with clips on both ends.  I can use this to tie my pontoon up to cover, the shore, or drag it along in shallow water behind me.  I've also used it to tow in a friend who had wicked leg cramps and couldn't get back to shore.

[NEbucketmouth19]

8 minutes ago, FishDr said:

 

1. A decent set of needle-nosed pliers and a pair of wire cutters that are strong enough to cut through any of the hooks I use.  This has come in handy for both unhooking unfriendly northerns and for getting a hook out of my waders that was still attached to a bass, but, luckily, hadn't attached itself to me.

I carry a small pair of basically bolt cutters. They'll cut through most hooks like butter and in a pinch can get through a 12/0 beast hook. I bought them mostly for my kayak. God forbid I ever need to paddle back 2 miles to the launch with a Beast Hook in my hand but thats why I got them lol.

[MattGbaz]

Superglue, duct tape, and 100+lb braid. These Can basically fix any problems that happen to you on the water.

[urbanhick]

A jack, small piece of 2x4, and a lug wrench to fix the inevitable flat on the trailer.  Net, Fishgripper for the toothy stink logs, the stuff the Boat Police require to avoid being hassled, SPF 100, (sun gives me a rash), Hook file, small bolt cutter just in case, Pliers, line cutter, head lamp,  a couple scales and a small clamp on phone holder to take pics and video.  14 setups and at least 100 swimbaits because I will only use a couple lol.

[El_Weruso]

A plug retriever is needed at all times, just lost an OG Baitsmith mag and wish I had one of these since I got into swimbait fishing 

[FishDr]

Don't forget the "crying rag" - not only does it come in handy for wiping off your hands, or camera lens, or find use as an emergency plug, bandage, etc., it will likely be needed when you inevitably dump the potential PB, or fish of a lifetime, or state record, or only bite of the day and want to have something to cry/scream/sob into.  I have one clipped to the oar tower on the pontoon and also keep one in my shore-based fishing bag.

[chefchris]

Can’t believe no one mentioned extra tm prop, or at the very least a TM shear pin, nut and washer! 

on the crawdad I broke a shear pin about 200 yards from the launch and had to paddle back with the emergency paddle against the wind, not fun 

I now carry a spare prop. Mounted under the front piece, tm shear pin, washer and nut and screw driver and socket/ratchet to swap everything out. 

add also add, emergency paddle, extra fuses for electronics, ignition and tm. 

duct tape, emergency whistle, first aid kit, sunscreen, bug spray, rain jacket/gear, hand pump. 

another must have for me is a couple pairs of contact lenses. Nothing like not being able to see if one falls out.