How to Save Time With Ready to Use Fishing Gear

By Debbie Hanson

Oct 20, 2014

So, there you are… standing on the shore with your fishing rod in hand, poised and ready to cast your shiny new silver spoon into the water at a chunky bass you just spotted near a log.

So, there you are… standing on the shore with your fishing rod in hand, poised and ready to cast your shiny new silver spoon into the water at a chunky bass you just spotted near a log. You cast at him, and cast at him, and cast at him. He wants nothing to do with your lure, gets tired of the harassment and decides to swim off towards the other end of the lake.

Ugh! What could you have done differently? You wonder if natural bait would have enticed that big old bass to bite, but you couldn't have possibly tossed a natural bait out there fast enough… or, could you have?

There are a number of ways that you can save time with ready to use fishing gear, and be better prepared to catch more fish in the process!

 
  1. Use pre-rigged rod and reel combos. Beginning anglers can save time by using pre-rigged rod and reel combo sets. If you are new to fishing, start by buying a basic combo set that comes with fishing line already on it. There are a number of pre-rigged combo sets on the market that will work well for most types of freshwater fishing and inshore saltwater fishing.
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  2. Bring two rods. If possible, bring two fishing rods with you. Have one rod rigged and ready to use with live or natural bait and one rod rigged for using artificial baits or lures. This will save you the time of re-rigging for live bait if the fish aren't responding to the artificial baits.
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  3. Keep your gear organized. When you know exactly where all of your lures and tackle are located, you will save all those minutes you would otherwise spend searching through your gear to find what you need. It's a good idea to label your tackle storage boxes and bags with exactly what is inside. One suggestion is to separate your lures or baits by color or based on the species. You may also want to take out any extra tackle that you know you won’t need in order to keep your load lighter.
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  4. Use pre-rigged offshore trolling lures when saltwater fishing. Pre-rigged saltwater offshore trolling lures are designed to help save the hours you would normally spend selecting the right lures to use and trying to decide how is best to use them. Most pre-rigged trolling lures come with a chart that includes a recommended position within your spread.

Do you have any time saving fishing tips or methods? Share your tips with your fellow anglers by posting them in the Take Me Fishing Community Forums or by commenting on our Facebook page.

Debbie Hanson
Debbie Hanson
Debbie Hanson is an award-winning outdoor writer, women’s sport fishing advocate, IGFA world record holder, and freshwater guide living in Southwest Florida. Hanson’s written work has appeared in publications such as Florida Game & Fish Magazine, BoatUS Magazine, and USA Today Hunt & Fish. To learn more about her work, visit shefishes2.com or follow her on Instagram @shefishes2.