Less than 20 minutes I can have all terminal tackle, graphs, and rods out of the boat... give me 25 minutes and I'll have it covered and plugged in too. Same deal to load it the next morning, less than 20 min and we are in business.

I'd like to see the Harbor Freight deal mentioned above in action, that might just work! IMHO its hard to beat the combination of a Lock R Bar and baby monitor in the rod box, there is no way a person can get that Lock R Bar off without waking you up unless the baby monitor malfunctions or batteries go dead.

Just put everything on top of your boat in the wide open for people to take it. They will think something is up and not even come close to it!

Seems like the thieves really get out when there is a big tourney in town. I would be very weary when a big one comes around. That would be the best time to set up a bait boat.

Everyone needs to completely understand their insurance policies. I have State Farm for my boats and home. If gear gets stolen from my boat the boat policy pays replacement cost (minus deductible $500). I added a rider to the boat policy to increase coverage to $5,000 and it was very inexpensive.

If my gear is not in the boat (house, hotel, truck, camp, etc.) then my home owners policy would apply and the limit is very low and my deductible is $5000 on the house so in reality I would receive nothing.

I am not advocating the keeping of gear in the boat but just that you know your insurance coverage so that you can make the best informed decision. There may even be insurance discounts if you install an alarm system.

Just to remind you this is the guys house he has the right to protect his property now not just the inside of the house trick if he catches them good luck! This is not the Bass Buster INN just a thought for those crack heads.

So sorry to hear that bro'. I cant think of a worse way to start a fishing trip. A friend of mine recently built himself a steel "telescopic" sliding bar with a padlock in the middle that straddles the entire width of his front deck for this very reason. He had to put some small holes in the side of his fiberglass for the steel bar to insert into but he reinforced the holes with some rather nice looking stainless inserts. I thought he was going a little overboard but when I hear stories like this, it makes him look like a genius. Best of fishing to you my friend!

Not trying to offend anyone, but we can all get on here and state the obvious that "HE LEARNED A LESSON, SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, LOCK IT OR LOSE IT". I'd just like to say thank you very much for alerting us of the thieves in that area. Also it should be a reminder that no matter where we are we should be aware that this is not a nice world anymore. If you've got it there is always someone out there sorry enough to take it from you.
Again thanks for alerting us and may something good come your way for being a good neighbor to your fellow fisherman by sending out this warning and hard learned lesson.

Assume the worst , pray for the best - use a lock bar at least

Just this friday night I'm getting my boat and gear ready. I was inside getting the last of the things ready since I was going to stay at my sons. I look up at my monitor, (i have a camera setup looking down my drive way) and I see a figure coming up to my truck. I watch long enough to see him looking in my boat. I meet him at the sliding glass door with the 45. Turns out to be a 11, 12 year old kid and a couple of his budies standing in my yard too. I was so ready to put a hurt on someone and it's just a friggin kid. I didn't have time for the police, or having someones moma come and tell me what a good boy he really is. Had they been older there just might have been soo different an out come. It takes just a moment for Stuff to happen!

They've even figured that out @ Rayburn... they take the winch line at the front of the trailer over the bow and hook to the lock-r bar and crank it out of the fiberglass....

SCUMBAGS! I guess I have to lock the wench or take the handle off! Good to know that trick.

My old neighbor has a monitor system in his back yard/drive way it ran on to an old computer system he reviews footage before he clears them. Funniest video i have ever see in video a guy goes driving by then you see him back up get out of the car walk up to the boat as soon as he passed the console you see him turn and run for his life. Guy didn't realize Duke my neighbors dog likes to sleep on the floor under the consoles for some reason. Bet he thinks twice next time he goes to jack stuff from a boat.

Just shorten your winch belt so it doesn't reach inside the boat. Theres never a need for that much belt anyway.