5. Treble type baits, like topwaters and crankbatis, always getting tangled up with the other rods. I use those hair clips that are 3-4 inches long and you can get them anywhere. I buy mine from the dollar store and can get 4-5 for $1. Borrow some from your wife or girlfriend. When I am on the deck of the boat and I pull one off I just attach it to the trolling motor wires and they have never come off. My dad taught me this one.

I don't fully understand this one- Could you explain? Great stuff guys

This is what I am talking about:

Hair Clip

Less time you spend on TFF, the more time you have for FISHING!! HAHA

+1K

+1K

For shallow spawning fish that are very spooky, especially clear water, when you get too close with the boat... Try this;

Take some golf balls with you next time; white, flouresent yellow or orange. Spot the bed... pitch a ball about 2-4 feet one side or the other, then back off.. wait and you'd be surprised how well you can see that ball, even if you cant see the bed!!!

Works REALLY Well in Clearer water and you can back off quite a ways to make the fish feel more comfortable...

You can even take a ball retriever with you to pick them up after you catch the fish.

Got it- Great idea- Thanks

I bought a golf ball retriever that extends to about 16ft, and cut off the top half the round part to form a u shaped end,I set my snagged line in the u and shove it down to towards the hung lurer and Im able to push the lurer from behind rocks without getting my boat in so shallow it gets banged up on the rocky shore. Cost:$ 9 and I've save over a hundred dollars worth of baits .When not in use I telescope it back in to about 3ft long.

Keep em coming- This youngster is learning

I keep an emergency heater I made in the boat incase someone falls overboard in cold water or wind up getting stranded after dark in the cold. I took a 1pound coffee can and stick a whole roll of toilet paper in it(it will fit just right). Get a bottle of rubbing alcohol and pour the whole thing in the can. Put the plastic lid on. The toilet paper will soak up the alcohol and will light easily if you need it.

+100!

Use a dremel tool to put your own serial# on all of your rods & reels. I use my initials, and then sequencial numbers behind that (RDB001, RDB002, etc). If your stuff is ever stolen, atleast you can positively identify each rod & reel. I have a log (make/model, & my ser#'s) of all my stuff in the safe.

I also use these serial numbers, and a seperate log to track what line is on each reel, when it was put on, and any other maintenance info for that particular reel has been performed.

Lots of great stuff! I especially like ^^^ #23. This has burned my behind from the beginning! Tired of carrying around a measuring cup. Just plain messy.

Thanks Monte for starting this thread!

Awesome responses thanks for the tips lots of really useful stuff!!!

Another thing I've done in an effort to be more efficient is to stop carrying every bait I own in the boat!!! I got a large soft sided canvas tool box like they sell at Lowes or Home depot it has a divider down the middle and pockets all the way around, it fits perfect in my Skeeter storage box. I put all my baits by type for example worms, tubes, senkos, etc in 1 gallon zip lock bags then keep them in the tool bag. If I want to throw a Senko I grab the Senko bag it has an assortment of all my different Senko baits same goes for everything else. When I get to the house I have one big bag to unload and my go to box and the boat is empty. No worries about somebody breaking in and stealing all my stuff been there and done that!!!

i started making my own jigs, i like the eakins jewel jigs alot so i started buying the material to make them, they are 6 bucks for 2 jigs, i can make the same identical jig for 1.10 each, best part is catchin fish on something you made, its a good feeling.