Carrying sea fishing tackle- What’s the best way?
So we have all of this fishing tackle, different rods, reels and other gizmos that assist us when we’re on the beach or the rocks, but how do we get it all there to start with?
Luckily there is a huge amount of tailor made sea fishing luggage on the market that helps hugely when carrying sea fishing tackle.
It’s easier now than it ever has been to get our fishing tackle from A to B, with numerous pieces of luggage and carrying systems available. But it’s a case of choosing what suits you and your fishing. Let’s start by taking a look at what we might use to carry the bulk of our tackle, the likes of reels, leads, rig wallets, food, drink and spare clothing.
Seat Boxes
The established favourite of anglers across the land, the seat box does exactly what it says on the tin. The waterproof container keeps your kit dry and clean from the elements and provides a solid seat once you make it to your mark. Carrying systems mean that anglers no longer have to suffer with a single strap digging in to their shoulder when on the move and harnesses such as the Breakaway Seat Box conversion have revolutionised how we carry our seat boxes.
The Breakaway models, both SB1 and SB2, also feature extended backrests that can be lifted in to place making the whole seated experience more enjoyable too. Seat boxes can be tailored further still with numerous lead and accessory trays available to help organise your tackle.
Side trays are commonplace with many seat boxes, enabling you to keep bait and accessories to hand whilst at your station. Seat boxes have also become something of a focal point for many anglers now who like to decorate them with colourful stickers! Top tip- Add some bungee cords to the lid of your box to keep extra clothing and low profile cool bags on the lid.
Rucksacks
The favourite for pure comfort, many rucksacks are designed with long walks and heavy loads firmly in mind. Fishing rucksacks often feature a number of different size pockets, meaning that kit can be separated adequately and in such a way that it can be easily accessed. The main shoulder straps are fully adjustable and most bags feature a chest strap to ensure that the bag doesn’t move about when you do. Many of these bags feature straps that can be used to attach extras such as clothing and fish bags and also feature external pockets to enable you to carry water bottles of extra kit. Rucksacks are usually light to carry but constructed of hard wearing materials that will take years of abuse.
Dry bag style rucksacks have become increasingly popular over the last few years, meaning that you no longer have to leave your bag in the house overnight to dry out. Rainwater simply runs off, ensuring that the contents remain bone dry. These bags have the added bonus of floating, should the worse happen and you were to end up in the water.
With so many bags available, it’s important to decide exactly what you will be carrying before you make a selection.
Rod Holdalls
The go to for the angler who wants to carry anything long, and not just rods. Tripods, beach shelters, net handles and anything that would otherwise be cumbersome can all be strapped together and placed over your shoulder. Padded straps are key for comfort and there and some excellent well thought out designs on the market. Many rod holdalls also feature grab straps, meaning that they can be carried by hand. Several models feature multiple straps, all fully adjustable so that the holdall can be balanced out as you carry it.
Reinforced bases mean that tripod legs won’t wear the fabric down and straps with hefty buckets can be wrapped around the rods to ensure that they don’t rattle around in transit.
Rod Straps
Sometimes we just need to be taking the bare minimum with us, and that includes rods. If you’re taking just one rod and a tripod, undertaking a long walk and wanting to travel light, a couple of good straps might be all you need to secure them. Stretchy neoprene versions with quality Velcro strips work really well and and will outlast cheaper versions by many years.
Buckets
Anglers have used buckets to transport tackle and bait since the Dawn of time, but there are now a number of high quality buckets complete with lift out trays that are designed with sea anglers in mind. Traditional plastic type buckets are still popular, but in recent times, collapsible water tight fabric buckets have found favour with the angler who doesn’t want the bulk of a regular bucket to hinder their movement on the way to the mark, but that can be filled with water when reaching it. A bucket of water is useful for hand washing, or for keeping your catch fresh whether you are match fishing or not.
Accessory Bags
There are many plastic style accessory bags now available for housing bait and accessories with a view to keeping them separated from your main tackle. These are ultra lightweight, waterproof and durable ensuring the contents remain dry and clear of the potential for water ingress and rust.
