Need A List!

[IrishO'Brady]

Last Tuesday I headed up to Tennessee for some fishing. Got the rain gear, plenty of fuel, life preservers, all the equipment. I had everything. I had always heard to make a checklist for all boating... didn't think I needed it. Got all the way there , backed down the ramp... and lo and behold... I had no boat key. Still managed to use the trolling motor to get to one of my spots and caught a few fish, salvaging the trip, but it could have been terrible. Does anybody make/have a checklist they use before they go out?

[RiverKing]

Last Tuesday I headed up to Tennessee for some fishing. Got the rain gear, plenty of fuel, life preservers, all the equipment. I had everything. I had always heard to make a checklist for all boating... didn't think I needed it. Got all the way there , backed down the ramp... and lo and behold... I had no boat key. Still managed to use the trolling motor to get to one of my spots and caught a few fish, salvaging the trip, but it could have been terrible. Does anybody make/have a checklist they use before they go out?


I keep my key in the boat at all times, But yes I have a list also..

1.Poles
2.tackle box
3.bait
4.Blacklight
5.Inverter to power blacklight
6.battery to power the inverter
7.life jackets
8.both finders
9.long sleeve shirt
10.digital scales
11.camera
12.old rag

Thats about it

[metalman]

I am lucky in that I can keep my boat inside so I rarely have to take things out. However, I still have a list for those times when I take everything out to clean it. My key also stays in the boat. I am terrible with keys. If I lost the boat key it wouldn't matter if it was on a list or not!
I would only add a few things to Riverking's list. First aid kit, marine radio, cast net, landing net...W

[RiverKing]

I am lucky in that I can keep my boat inside so I rarely have to take things out. However, I still have a list for those times when I take everything out to clean it. My key also stays in the boat. I am terrible with keys. If I lost the boat key it wouldn't matter if it was on a list or not!
I would only add a few things to Riverking's list. First aid kit, marine radio, cast net, landing net...W


LOL...Those are the items I forgot, see why I have a list now....LMOA...Yeah definantly cant leave without the cast net, that actually has its own compartment in the boat, so i never take it out of the boat, but cant forget the landing net either...Got a brand new one last week, cant wait to dip in it the River, and put a nice cat in it

[dwreel]

Perhaps a cell phone ? I always carry mine. Also, a paddle. Even used it once to get close to a limb I got hung up in.

[derbycitycatman]

I made a list but I lost it. I just keep a list in my head, so far so good. Dont forget to put the plug in.:big_smile:

[IrishO'Brady]

thanks a bunch for all yall's great info, Im compiling a list of all your collective suggestions - so far a few things I see that I have forgotten on previous trips... lake map and cell phone especcially lol- and the boat plug LOL and to put the two straps on the back on before I leave to head home... sheesh- maybe I should make a Boat list and a seperate "supplies" list
keep the suggestions comin! :)

[coltsfan]

everything stays in the boat including key - spare key is in my truck just in case.the only thing i have to grab is bait which i have forgotten a couple of times.

[Stumpknocker2]

I dont make a list, but the week that I am planning to fish, I will make 30 trips to the boat and look in every storage spot and see whats not there. And hope when I get there I have everything, 9 out of 10 I do. There is no method to my madness.

[navigator]

yep, my key stays in the boat,
I have a spare in the truck
but my boat key doesn't have the key to the trailer lock on it.

If someone steals the boat, I think I'll come out money ahead.

[AZflats]

Sunblock, sunglasses, shade to add a few.. You don't want to forget those out here in AZ.
Regards~

[SeedTick]

Hey Chris, I don't necessarily have a list but I have an order in which I do things. I start by hooking to the trailer and finish with locking the gate to the back yard. I do everything in the same order and most of the time it all gets done. We also have a routine we go through in the parking lot before we launch the boat and this is where I run into trouble. I forget to do stuff my main fishing partner (my sister) does if she don't go. I finally get it together but I have to make a few extra trips from the boat to the parking lot Oh well.

st

[Team StrayCats]

Yep been there done that. i got to the ramp and didnt have the key for the boat so had to come back home to get it. i didnt have to go as far as you did. got back to the ramp put the boat in and down the canal we went out to the gulf for fishing , got 6 miles away and stoped to fish ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,no tackle box ,,,,,,,,,had to go all the way back to get it ,,,6 miles ,,,in a boat thats a ways to go and alot of gas . so now i just keep the key in the boat and i made a list that i follow. and i can always add to it if have to.

[blackhorse83]

I done that once, but I got lucky, I had a key to one of the doors on my motor home that would work. It was a little rough getting in and out but it turned it once it was in.

[nitro]

I don't use a list, but I keep the keys to the boat and trailer coupler in the driver's door pocket on the truck. I have a boat bag where all the boat gear, including electronics, pfd's, etc. stays. I keep the boat bag and tackle box together in the garage. Also, I tie the drain plugs to the steering wheel on the boat. So far, so good.

[dwreel]

I like the tip," Tie the drain plug to the helm. Maybe to the ignition key would work even better ??

[IrishO'Brady]

sheesh you think as many times as Id forgot it Id start to remember by now ... maybe tape it to my forhead lol

[buddah]

I should start using a list of somekind! I got clear down to my personal fishin hole and dug around in every pocket....NO freakin sinkers!!! I was cat-fishin too!! So I just played fetch with buck for an hour or so and came home! I think I'll make up that list now...LOL

[IrishO'Brady]

I like the boat bag idea and the idea on putting the plug with the key!

-Boat bag- Maps, hat , glasses, pfd's, sunscreen, bugspray, ignition key( with plug attached) rain gear, camera

- fishing tackle loaded aboard- rods/reels, tackle trays (sinks, hooks, rigs etc),spare spool of line(or two), boca grips, landing net, cast net, flashlights and boatlight poles,anchors and anchor roap, spare emergency rope, emergency flare, first aid kit( including hook remover kit)

-Coolers- drinks, snacks, bait in bait cooler and plenty of ice in both

BOAT CHECKLIST- trailer secured? locked? tow straps on? nothing left on to kill battery (aka my bilge pump Ive accidentally flipped on and left running till it burnt out) trailer lights working? good tire pressure?(truck and trailer) plenty of gas? plenty of oil? (I got a 90 hp 2 cycle)

LAUNCHING- put the plug in, lock tow straps in truck, get to gettin


hows this for a basic list guys? might seem overdone or stupid but hey safety first ya know? Let me know what I'm missing

Safety gear to stow away, so I'll live to fish another day. :)

[nitro]

Good list, reminds me of my checklist when I had my plane. Sometimes we get in a hurry and get ahead of our mind, so a checklist is great. Think I will just print your list and keep it with my boat bag.

[IrishO'Brady]

Tried the list over the weekend- wroked great. Thankyou all for your input, helped me with the creativity

[smokey]

I dont need a list of things to take on fishing trip. I need a to do list! like that darn drain plug.. more times then I want to remember I have put my boat in the water and had water in the boat.Once I put the boat in moved it to the dock and set up my tent,got back to the boat and I had 5 inches of water in the bottom.Thats a good idea about hooking the plug to the steering wheel.smokey

[JAYNC]

In my boat I have two safety cut off switch lanyards, one lanyard I clip to myself and one of them goes to the key ring, around the control cables and back to the key ring, that way it can never be lost or forgotten.
I carry a blind bag that I use for duck hunting and fishing, has digital scale, fishing regs, flare gun, extra batteries for gps and head lamp, head lamp, sun block, cell phone charger.

as far as what stays in the boat,

Tool kit
spare fuses
life jackets
engine manual
extra prop hub and grease
di electric grease
prop wrench
emergency pull start rope
weed eater string
extra bulbs for back up spot light and go light
go light/with remote
extra radio batteries
first aid kit
engine oil
emergency tarp
fire starting magnesium
machette

Most of this stuff fits in small containers and could possibly save your life or help to make your life not as miserable if you get stranded. There is probably more stuff that I am forgetting but you get the general idea. :cool2:

Most of this stuff

[wigginsdano59]

better luck next time

[duxsrus]

Most marine dealers carry all of the different style keys for the controls. I was told Mercury only has like 14 different keys. Better not to forget, but next time swing by a marine dealer that carries your brand of engine.

[shortbus]

I like the boat bag idea and the idea on putting the plug with the key!

-Boat bag- Maps, hat , glasses, pfd's, sunscreen, bugspray, ignition key( with plug attached) rain gear, camera

- fishing tackle loaded aboard- rods/reels, tackle trays (sinks, hooks, rigs etc),spare spool of line(or two), boca grips, landing net, cast net, flashlights and boatlight poles,anchors and anchor roap, spare emergency rope, emergency flare, first aid kit( including hook remover kit)

-Coolers- drinks, snacks, bait in bait cooler and plenty of ice in both

BOAT CHECKLIST- trailer secured? locked? tow straps on? nothing left on to kill battery (aka my bilge pump Ive accidentally flipped on and left running till it burnt out) trailer lights working? good tire pressure?(truck and trailer) plenty of gas? plenty of oil? (I got a 90 hp 2 cycle)

LAUNCHING- put the plug in, lock tow straps in truck, get to gettin


hows this for a basic list guys? might seem overdone or stupid but hey safety first ya know? Let me know what I'm missing

Safety gear to stow away, so I'll live to fish another day. :)


I use the same list but I added,,, learn to hotwire the boat,lol.

List sounds good!!

[smoke]

lol...sounds like i need to start making a list for shortbus on what to bring to the river bank,,,"NET"..............a list is a good idea as long as you don't get into a hurry then it don't matter cause you always forget something