Two young boys on a boat holding up 4 fish

How to Plan a Successful Fishing Trip

June 24, 2020 | Andrew Buss

Fishing trips are a memorable part of summer. Each year tens of thousands of anglers travel to target their favorite fish species with a rod and reel. During these fishing trips traditions are created with friends and families while stories of legendary catches, heartache, and bonding are created and passed down for generations.

Motivation for the trips are widespread and range from leisure, family time, to competitive fishing tournaments. Regardless of the goals, the success of each trip lies in the preparation of the adventure seekers. Follow these tips to insure a successful fishing trip.

Don’t Forget to Pack for your fishing trip!

Fishing lures, rods, reels, and line are not often left behind. It’s the less glorified items that are necessary for the equipment to perform that often gets left behind. Be sure to pack these often-overlooked items for your fishing trip.

Extension cords. Batteries on the boat are not going to hold their charge by themselves, and nothing ruins the day faster than a dead battery. Be sure to pack extra extension cords to any new destination. Just because a place advertises electrical outlets, does not mean they are conveniently located: 100 feet should be enough.
Toting a boat to the grocery store or restaurant can be a hassle, but without the aide of a block of wood or brick, the boat has got to come, or it is going to roll itself into trouble. Even hotel parking lots can be surprisingly unlevel, so pack something solid to hold the wheels in place.
Any angler who has traveled much has stories of equipment failure. Long journeys will put stress on motors, pumps, and trailers that they are not equipped to handle. Marinas are often weeks behind in service. Come prepared with tools that will allow you to perform maintenance on the motors and electronics. Also, pack the tools necessary to gain access to those hard to reach places.
BatteryGuard. Speaking of equipment failure and batteries, long journeys can be excessively hard on batteries. Installing a BatteryGuard will keep a battery performing at its peak even after long, bumpy roads.
First Aid. Sharp hooks and fins on fish can cause lacerations. Be certain the first aid kit has a good supply of bandages and antibiotic ointment. If traveling north, add a solar blanket. Even in 80-degree weather, an unexpected plunge in 65-degree water can quickly cause hypothermia.

Extra Fishing Tackle to Pack

Unexpected mishaps can also happen to favorite lures and equipment. Always bring extras on your fishing trip.

Fishing Line. Few things bring more heartache to an angler than the big one that got away. Breaking off a big fish during the heat of the battle can often be avoided with fresh line. Even high-priced line will get nicked and weakened after a day of slinging it around. After a day on the lake, check the condition of the line on the most used rods. If you sense weakness, swap it out. If you don’t, the wallhanger that gets hooked will surely expose the weakness.
Extra Lures. Advance research will guide you to the correct lures to pack and always pack extra. Typically, these trips take anglers far away from their favorite tackle shop and once a lure is lost, it’s gone and often confidence goes with it.
Rods & Reels. Like lure selection, the types of rods and reels can normally be determined in advance. But what if that rod and reels gets damaged? Will it be possible to effectively use the correct lures without it?

Enjoy the fishing trip journeys of 2020, take lots of pictures, and be sure the boat is protected by Megaware against any obstacle you may encounter.