Keeping your fishing gear light

Fishing gear can be like an addictive drug. The more you have the more you want. All the boxes and hampers of tackle can get to be an issue, however, when it’s time to plan an excursion. So, what are some must-haves? Here is a guide to keeping your gear light. Rod & reel Generally, if I’m going on a fly-in, I will bring two rods and three reels to cover most angling situations: Spinning all arounder: You will want a rod and reel that are both sensitive, versatile, and durable. The spinning rod will be a medium action, seven-footer with a flexible tip. The reel will be a medium spinning, spooled with either eight-pound monofilament or 20-pound braided line. This set-up will cover everything from brook trout to walleye to pike. Baitcaster for bigger fish: The second rod will be a baitcaster matched with a quality reel. Since this set-up is primarily going to be for pike, muskie, or lakers, I’d suggest an eight-foot flipping stick as the rod. Flipping sticks are telescopic and tough. Generally, I’ll put 14-pound monofilament or 30-pound braid on the reel as this can cover nearly all situations for larger fish. Tackle If you want to keep your tackle box and gear below the 10-pound limit, but allow for multispecies options, you’ll need to weed some stuff out. Here are the essentials. Jig heads: Have a good selection of jig heads from 3/8 to 1/4 ounce. The jig is a most multispecies friendly presentation and takes up little room, although there will be some weight. Pick a variety of different jig head styles with different-sized hooks. Have jig heads with yellow, orange, chartreuse, or gold colouring. Soft baits: To go with your jig heads, have a selection of scented soft-plastic twisters, grubs, shads, and tubes. Rubber doesn’t weigh much and is undeniably versatile. Throw in a few bright colours but lean toward natural, pearl, yellow, and blue shades. For bass, pack a bag or two of white or brown Senkos with a variety of worm hooks. Crankbaits: Get a few silver Rapala Husky Jerks or Live Target Smelts for casting and maybe a couple of #7 or #9 fire tiger Shad Raps for trolling. Spoons: For pike, a small selection of silver or five of diamond spoons (weedless and normal) from three to five inches in length are a must. Spoons are money in