Story by Todd Goade | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
When it comes to getting our boats ready for the bass fishing season, we all get the main things like lures, line, rods, reels and electronics. Those are easy, since they are the primary tools of the job. However, there are a few items I stock in the boat each year that are underrated necessities—accessories I used to take for granted but that always come in handy.
Rod sleeves are a perfect example of an underappreciated fishing accessory.
You don’t appreciate the presence of a rod cover until the fish come up schooling all of a sudden and your favorite schooling lure is under that heaping pile of rods in the rod box. Being able to easily slide the rod out, slip the cover off and fire a cast out there in a matter of seconds to score a couple of extra keepers can be a difference maker. Not too long ago, I would have missed that small schooling window because it would have taken me minutes to wrangle a rod out of the box.
A lure retriever can be worth its weight in gold at the right time. I like the ones that you can just slide down your line instead of the ones you have to attach to a marker buoy. Obviously, saving money on lost lures is a huge benefit of a lure retriever. We all have those magic baits that just flat out catch fish. You might have ten others just like it, but there’s usually a particular one the right mojo. Fast forward to being in a tournament and you’re wearing them out on your magic bait, but then it gets hung up.
Breaking off that magic bait and having to tie on another one that’s not the magic bait can cause a complete momentum collapse in your day. If you have a lure retriever handy, you can slide it down there, get your magic lure back, never miss a beat and keep catching fish. I specifically remember losing a favorite crankbait in a tournament years ago because I didn’t have a lure retriever. It will never happen again!
I always keep a bottle of glass cleaner in my boat. These days we have so much glass in our boats—from big-screen electronics to sunglasses. A combination of water, sweat, sunscreen and road grit always seem to leave a film on the screens, leaving behind spots and grime that hinder visibility. Keeping your screens and sunglasses clean throughout the day leads to less eye strain and better efficiency.
Storage system boxes can be a great aftermarket add-on to a bass boat. I like what the folks at AMPD Marine offer to improve efficiency. I especially like the catch-all hanging trays that attach right inside my storage lids, and I have four of them in my front center compartment. They’re almost like a day box. It can hold packs of baits, marker pens, super glue, lure retriever, all in one convenient place at my fingertips.
Make sure you have these things in your boat the next time you go fishing. They’ll help you be more efficient.
Todd Goade – Angler Profile
