We asked five veteran captains about the gear items they use religiously.
Capt. Shawn MacMullin (fishprimetime.com)
Capt. Shawn MacMullin has made a name for himself in his young career, covering waters from Everglades National Park all the way to the tuna humps offshore. In particular, he favors snook and sailfish. On his charters, certain fishing and boating gear definitely help him have success.
Costa King Tides
“When fishing in the Keys, you absolutely need a good pair of polarized glasses. I need a frame that’s going to shield sunlight from getting in the sides and that’s not going to fog up in the heat of the summer.”
Vudu Shrimp
“It’s the lure I use the most. Fish such as snook and tarpon will only eat shrimp when they’re around. A good shrimp lure is so important, and the Vudu Shrimp has an exposed hook and great tail action for the type of fishing that I do.”
A Tower
“My favorite part of the Pathfinder 2500 that I run is definitely the tower. For sight-fishing everything from tripletail to permit, I’m always up there. The view from above can’t be beat when searching for fish inshore or offshore. Yep, we catch sailfish out of my Pathfinder.”
Medium Action
“For inshore, my go-to spinning setup is a medium-action Star rod, Florida Fishing Products 4000-size Osprey CE reel, and 15-pound braid. That’ll catch the species I regularly target, like snook, trout, redfish and black drum.”
Rain Gear
“Rain is always a possibility in the Keys. A good jacket that you can stow away quickly and easily is necessary. It needs to be lightweight. It can’t be too hot. But it must be dependable when I don’t want to get soaked.”
Bait
“My favorite live baits in the upper Keys are pilchards (sometimes called whitebait or scaled sardines). Everything eats them. I throw a large cast net, keeping as many of the delicate baits alive as possible. You can use them as chum if some die in the livewell.”
Capt. Rick Ruoff
In his 50-plus years of guiding in the Florida Keys, Capt. Rick Ruoff has developed a carefully curated gear checklist that includes a few obvious items, and a couple of unexpected ones.
Costa Reefton Pro Sunglasses
“Amber is the only color to have because it increases contrast,” Ruoff says. Ruoff actually has two primary pairs: one pair of Costas for bright sun; the other a pair of Smiths with low-light lenses.
Orvis Helios Rods
The Helios D, designed for demanding conditions, is light, fast, impeccably crafted, and strong enough to handle the toughest fish in the salt. Also nice? The 25-year, no-questions-asked warranty.
Columbia Performance Wear
Long-sleeved shirts and pants using sun-blocking fabrics provide a proper layer of protection. Also, you need a good buff. “I have clients who still burn their noses because every time they lower that buff, they’re rubbing the sunscreen off their nose.”
Baker Mini “T” Forceps
For mouth-hooked fish, forceps are convenient. For deep-hooked fish or toothy critters like barracuda, they are mandatory. “Being able to carefully remove a deep hook can make the difference between that fish surviving after release or not.”
Socks
“A lot of my clients want to go barefoot. ‘Sure, but you have to wear socks.’” A goofy look? Yep. But socks allow anglers to feel the fly line on the deck while providing sun protection.”
A Sense of Humor
“This is one of those key intangibles. Challenging and possibly weird things are going to happen during a full day on the water. When something goes south, you have to be able to laugh.”
Capt. Theophile Bourgeois (neworleansfishing.com)
Cajun Vista’s captain extraordinaire was born along the banks of the Gulf and baptized in the waters of the Big Muddy. Here’s what he can’t live without on the water.
Skeeter SX240
This 24-foot bay boat cuts through the sportiest days on the open bays, but “has no trouble getting skinny to chase tails in the shallow marshes, and always keeps ya’ high and dry!”
Reach by Southern Swamp Rockers, Them Ol’ Ghosts
“You need a hype song for those moments when you’re headed out; as the morning sun washes black bays with a crystal reflection of amber skies above, and you’re just cruising on glass. You need a song that celebrates that feeling with a Rock Anthem. If Thin Lizzy and Pearl Jam had a love child, it would be this song.”
Bajio Stiltsville in Green Mirror
“For eye protection and visibility, these shades have been my go to for quite some time. They give me full protection from stray lures and allow me to see where others can’t.”
BUBBA Electric Filet Knife
“This knife is a staple on our docks at the Cajun Vista. We battle test them daily on everything from slimy speckled trout to the scaly armor of reds, drums and Sheepsheads!”
Grundens Tough Sun Hoodie
“Grundens new Tough Sun hoodie is comfortable, cool and is great for reprieve and protection from the sun.”
H&H Gold Spoon and Popping Cork
“Sometimes you need something flashy and loud to entice a bite. You won’t find many a South Louisiana Fisherman’s tackle box missing these two proven titans.”
A Bag of Shrimp
“‘Cause I ain’t too proud. Desperate time’s call for desperate measures. If the pretty artificial lures ain’t working then I’m gonna find me a drum hole! No trip is complete without a frosty mug of beer or a Pop’s Bloody Mary from Joes Landing.”
Capt. Sonny Schindler (shorethingcharters.com)
Two hundred fifty days a year, you’ll find Capt. Sonny Schindler fishing the Mississippi backwaters and barrier islands, catching dozens of trout, redfish and flounder during a typical six-hour trip.
H&H Ford Floating Flipper
“Using a dehooker keeps me a safe distance from a stingray or hardhead catfish. Just hook the dehooker to the fishhook, pull the line against the dehooker, and the fish flops back into the water. I keep three Flippers on the boat.”
Boat Monkey Popping Cork
“Locally made in Hattiesburg, the Boat Monkey popping cork casts far and is loud as hell. The rig uses a short wire tough enough to survive an attack from a jack or redfish.”
Cuda 3-Inch Micro Shears and Boone Fisherman’s Pliers
“Micro shears are the perfect size for snipping tag ends close to the line. The blades work great on braided line. I like the long-nose Boone Fisherman’s pliers for freeing deep-hooked fish and handling feisty blue crabs.”
Okuma Ceymar HD 3000A Spinning Reel and Ceymar Inshore 7-Foot Medium-Heavy Rod
“The 7-foot rod provides clearance to launch a popping cork with a long leader. I like a rod with a solid backbone to work a larger fish without prolonging the fight and jeopardizing the fish’s health.”
Spike Anchor
“A 6-foot-long, solid stainless-steel spike anchor stops my boat faster than my Power-Pole.”
Capt. John McMurray (nyctuna.com)
Within sight of the New York City skyline, giant striped bass swim the skinny marshes and back bays. After decades of experience, Capt. John McMurray of One More Cast Light Tackle Charters knows what it takes to catch them.
Daiwa Proteus PIN70XHS
“The perfect rod with enough balls to throw a big topwater and light enough for all-day fishing.”
Daiwa Saltist MQ
“Super-stiff frame with precision gears and instant drag pressure for solid hook-sets.”
9-inch Musky Mania Doc
“This walk-the-dog topwater plug with internal rattles creates a commotion that turns on striped bass.”
9-inch Lunker City Slug-Go
“When the bass get finicky, switch to a 9-inch Slug-Go soft plastic on an unweighted weedless hook. Use a twitch-twitch-pause to allow the lure to sink to the bottom and then dart through the water.”
MinnKota Riptide Ulterra
“I couldn’t fish the flats without my MinnKota Riptide Ulterra. The handheld remote controls speed and direction, and even deploys and retracts the motor. After a productive pass, I program the motor to repeat the track and stay on the fish.”
