What's your "procedure"?

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SlimeTime

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SVNET's reply on the "most time spent in a boat" thread got me wondering, so I thought I'm start another thread about it.

How do you go about preparing for a fishing trip (regardless if local or not)?

Since my boat stays outside, I don't leave anything of value in it I can't lock-up (plus the boat is close to the window & I sleep like a Ninja
scif75C.gif
......who's packing :wink: ), so I have to load a fair amount of gear.
Here's my "routine".....

A couple days in advance, whilst enjoying my daily-constitutional, I grab my trusty pen & paper & jot down things I need to remember to take/load. This includes everything from fishing gear, to glasses, camera, smokes, food, drinks, bait, etc. If I don't write it down, there's a chance I'll forget it #-o

Making notes was a habit I got into while I was working, and had several service calls to do a day, or between install jobs. Sometimes I'll make notes just for errands I have to run, but I always do it prior to any type of trip.

ST
 
I'm one of those that use lists also. I have CRS (Can't Remember SY!t, lol.

Prep items: (night before trip)

- Charge batteries (even if they were charged a week before immediately after a trip, I still plug
them in again to double-check.
- Check bearing grease on trailer wheels.
- Check air pressure of trailer tires.
- Straighten-out storage box if needed.
- Get snacks/drinks ready.
- Lay rods I'm taking in boat.
- Check hitch receiver lock, just to make sure it's still secure.
- Put tackle bag and worm binders in boat.
- Lay rods in boat.
- Attach depth/fishfinder to mount.
- Snug-up stern and bow straps. I release pressure off of them when boat is at home.

There's probably more, I just can't remember it at the moment :-k
 
I usually have everything sitting just inside the door of my out building.Things from the house are usually bag and tagged waiting on the kitchen table or by the back door,which happens to be across from the kitchen table.Big items,such as coolers are loaded the night before,iced down,and set on the back deck,ready to go.I usually pop the cooler drains while I load the truck.Plug the drains before putting the coolers in the truck.Ice them down again while at the gas station.I am a safety person,at my old job,so I don't load the boat until it's in the water.Don't wanna loose everything if the trailer breaks away or the boat sinks at the dock. :roll:
 
Well, since I use my boat almost every weekend, most stuff stays in it. I charge my batteries when I get home, so they are already charged.

Right now, I am mostly bass fishing, for lack of tackle to fish for other species, but that will soon change.

Currently, my setup involves hooking the truck up the night before, tightening the winch and transom strap and pulling the tarp off. When I leave the next morning, I take grab some drinks, and the camera. If the boat needs gas, I stop off on the way out usually, or I will fill up the spare tank during the week when I am going anyway, and swap them while hooking up.

When I finally get the rest of my tackle for other species, my setup will involve removing my bass rods out of the rod box, putting striper or crappie rods in, removing the tackle boxes from the tackle box hatch, and dropping striper boxes in. Putting the bait tank in, and plugging it in should complete the change.

When I get to the ramp, my routine involves taking the camera and putting it in the bow hatch as I get out of the truck, taking off the transom strap, motor strap, and motor toter (transom saver). Dad then backs down, and when the boat is almost all the way in, I unhook the bow strap, and he backs the rest of the way in, taps the breaks, and I float off the trailer.

Pulling out, he backs in to where the fenders are even with the water, I idle on, and the bow will be about a foot from the winch post. I then motor the rest of the way up, kill the motor, and hook the winch. We pull out, turn off the sonars, put the trolling motor hold down doohicky on, put on the transom strap, motor toter and motor strap.
 
I do the list thing whenever I make a run outside my area. For Freshwater, my backpack is packed at all times with "stuff." Salt is where i need teh list whether it is on my boat (then I need two or three lists, LOL) of a friends
 
i usally hook up to truck,check trailer, airpressure ,bearings,lights load my tackle ,if iam bass fishing i get that tackle box and my bass reels if i am speck fishing i get my spider rigs 4 total ,load up my 20 crappie poles get the tackle box for that ice down coller get my bait coller load my spot light,drinks landing net and most of the time i still forget something #-o
 
If I'm going Salmon fishing, the night before, I mount the trolling board and down riggers. Put the poles and net in the boat (lures are always in there unless removed for Crappie/Walley fishing). Morning of, I open the plastic coffee can I keep stuff in and get the the 7-4 pin adapter and drain plug out. Plug in the wiring (after connecting boat to truck of course) and put the plug in the boat and do a light check while back there. I also verify the depth finder and boat keys are in the can. When I get to the launch I unlock the storage lockers and put nav lights up (when required), get my dock lines out and put the depth finder unit on. When I get home, if I think I'll be going for salmon in the next couple days it all stays in the boat. Down riggers removed from the trolling board and laid in the cockpit are to put the cover on.

If I am going to go Crappie/Walleye fishing I remove the trolling board (if installed and remove Salmon rods, net and lures (Crappie/Walleye rods and lures/jigs are always in the boat). Must be nice to spider rig. Fox Chain is 2 poles per person limit. Put minnow buckets in the boat and plug in trolling motor battery (while in the battery locker I verify jumper cables are in place). Morning is pretty much the same as when I go for Salmon. When I return home flush motor and plug in TM battery.
 
I wait till about 10pm the night before a trip and start packing. Clothes, rods & Baits, Grills, Cooler. Always forgetting something. #-o

Everytime I say it will be last time......

I did in in school writing papers
I do it during hunting season (Remind me to tell you my long hunting trip story with my treestand)
 
I have an open boat so I can not leave items in the boat overnight except for the anchors. I have everything I am going to take with me placed in a group by the door the night before. Then on the day I go fishing I will load the boat. Everything in the boat has a place. If something is missing it stands out like a sore thumb. I have a duffle bag with rainsuit, lake maps, gloves, camera, dry clothes, socks, bug spray, bug net, sunscreen, and other odds and ends.I have a small toolbox in case of motor troubles, mine or other boaters.I carry two tackle boxes and six rods. I don't use trolling motors so my battery is only used for lights and fishfinder. I take a large cooler for drinks, food, bait and to bring home the catch if I keep any. It is all ready to go that day.
 
I'm way to slack.
I should be checking the tires and bearings,havn't this year.
Batteries are charged,grab my gear,stop at the garage for gas,V8 and a bag of chips.
Pretty bad,I know but when I fish,I hardly stop to eat.
 
I'm like a lot of you guys, do what I can the day/night before. lol, I still gotta have a checklist. I should print one one the computer with enough columns (to check-off) to get a dozen or so trips use from. It'd save from writing a new one each time.

ST
 
I normally just get up and go, I have 2 bags set up with different stuff, they have been pretty much tailored to two spots, as I mostly only fish these 2 places. However this time of year theres always less stuff in both bags, mainly because the grass beds in the river are beginning to break up and theres floating grass everywhere.
 
Zum said:
I'm way to slack.
I should be checking the tires and bearings,havn't this year.
Batteries are charged,grab my gear,stop at the garage for gas,V8 and a bag of chips.
Pretty bad,I know but when I fish,I hardly stop to eat.

I should check my wheel bearings too. Only did it once at the beginning of the season and have launched over 20 times since then. Only thing is when I think of it it is nasty outside (like now).
 
flounderhead59 said:
I should check my wheel bearings too. Only did it once at the beginning of the season and have launched over 20 times since then. Only thing is when I think of it it is nasty outside (like now).

lol.....put it on your list :wink:

ST
 
I started a spin off thread. https://tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4917

Mods feel free to delete or beat me into submission for posting it. 8-[
 

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