5 MUST HAVES FOR BANK ANGLERS

Growing up I had the opportunity to fish many different bodies of water in

many different areas. I have fished rivers, lakes, ponds, and even oceans.

Almost all my fishing adventures came from the bank. Sometimes I

would hike into the location, other times I would drive right up to the

lake. Over the years and through these adventures, I have come up with a list

of my 5 must haves for every bank angler.

NUMBER 1: ROD & REEL COMBO 

The first thing on my list is obviously a double, but every bank

angler needs to have a quality rod and reel combo (or several). There are

many different options out there, from spinning and casting reels to one

piece, two piece, or collapsible rods. You want to have a quality set up that

can go with you wherever your adventure takes you. If I am only taking one

set up, it would be an Enigma Pack Master rod with a Lew’s Xfinity or Lew’s

American Hero reel. This provides me with the ability to collapse my rod

and store it in my tackle bag while I am hiking into my fishing location. It also

allows me to keep my rod ready to go if I am driving up to my fishing spot.

This setup is relatively inexpensive, yet it has good quality. If I am taking two rods

and reels, my second set up would be an Enigma Pack Master spinning rod with

a Lew’s Mach Smash spinning reel.

NUMBER 2: TACKLE BAG OR BOX 

The second thing on my list was just mentioned above, what is it you ask?

A quality tackle bag/box, without a quality tackle bag/box you will never be

able to stay organized and keep track of your equipment. I personally

prefer a backpack style tackle bag, this provides plenty of room for my

tackle, snacks, water, and any other accessories I might be taking. The

backpack style bag also provides me with the ability to keep my gear on my

back while I am hiking into a location, I can put my rods in the side of the

backpack, which makes the hike to the water much easier. I personally use

the Samurai Tackle Hotate Tackle backpack, this bag has plenty of room

for my gear, it includes specific spots for my fishing rods and is

comfortable for extended hikes.

NUMBER 3: BOOTS 

Next on my list is a great pair of boots, yes you heard me right boots. You

can fish in any shoes, sure, tennis shoes, sandals, or whatever you may like,

but for me boots must make the top 5. Boots are a very versatile piece of

footwear, yes, they are not always the coolest, or most breathable, but they

have other features I really like. Sandals are hard to hike in, boots are not,

tennis shoes get wet in the rain or snow, the right boots do not, sandals

and tennis shoes don’t keep your feet real warm, boots do. I fish all year

round, rain or shine, hot or cold, for this reason, I always want to have a

great pair of boots, which is why they made this list.

NUMBER 4: QUALITY HOOKS 

Number 4 on my list would have to be hooks. It doesn’t matter what

species you are fishing for, or what bait you are using, you must have a

good hook. You want a hook that is not going to be super expensive,

not going to break on you and is super sharp. I use Vector

Hooks, a hook company out of Quincy FL, making hooks for all of your

needs, from bass to catfish and panfish. Vector also makes an awesome

treble hook called the Tornado Treble. I use it on any bait that has a treble

hook. No matter what hook you use, you want to ensure it is quality and

won’t be losing fish due to a bad hook.

NUMBER 5: FISHING ROD PROTECTION 

The last item on my list would be rod covers. This is an item a lot of people

think is only for tournament anglers, or for guys who have

boats, but I can say from personal experiences that rod covers are a must

have for bank anglers. I like to use quality equipment including my fishing

rods and I want to protect that investment. Growing up I never used covers,

I damaged the eyes on my rods, got my gear all dirty and even broke rods

that got caught in trees. Since using covers, I can lay my rod on the bank

and even though the cover might get dirty the rod will not. If I hit a tree with

my rod it does not get tangled and I have not broken any of my rod eyes

since using covers. I use TRC Covers which have their unique differences

from the average rod cover. TRC Covers are dipped on both ends, which

prevent fraying, they have a tighter weave than most covers and they have

a foam inserts in the tip of the cover. This provides protection for your rod

tip and makes the cover float.

This is my list for my top 5 must have as a bank angler. Everyone’s list

may be a little different, you may add, or take away certain items, but

this list is mine. Baits are an obvious item that are not on this list,

they change based on your species or time of year. Quality clothing would

be something else you may want to add to your gear (something like an

Elite Anglr rain suit). The most important thing is to get out on the water,

have fun and catch some big ones.