Assorted Other Stuff

A lumbar pack (also known as a fanny pack) is by far the best way to carry gear on the beach.  All the weight is on your hips and your arms and torso remains unencumbered.  Also, they have a minimum of body contact in hot sweaty conditions.  You would be surprised how hot a full backpack becomes.  A lumbar pack can be loosened and spun around to the front for easy access.  A lumbar pack with two water bottle pockets on the sides will make it easy to access your important water bottles.  Here is the Cadillac of lumbar packs.  It’s a MountainSmith  Tour. 

The MountainSmith is fairly expensive and you can get by with cheaper lumbar packs found in the sporting goods section of many stores.  Here is an example.

Notice that the MountainSmith has a cheap plastic tackle box hanging from it using a carabineer.  If you are fishing with an ATV, a smaller supply of lures can be placed inside the lumbar pack and the main supply can be kept on the ATV.

Speaking of cameras, here is a Pentax Optio.  It is about the size of a pack of cards and it is waterproof to about one meter.  It takes great pictures and videos.  All the pictures and videos on this web site were take with Pentax W10.

This is a Breakaway Cannon release.  Throwing heavy lures with long rods will take a toll on your casting finger.  It will become fatigued and the lures will start going to the right from premature release.  Thin braid + heavy lures + high inertia casting equals a cut finger.  If you don’t use a cannon, you need to use finger protection.  Another advantage of the cannon is your drag can remain fairly loose for the initial fish hit and run.  Keeping your drag loose can also prevent a snap off if you forget to open your bail before casting.  I can cast with more power and for a longer time using a cannon.

Roosterfish are like thrashing rattlesnakes on the beach.  There is no way you can dodge their powerful and lightning quick spring off the sand.  You simply cannot hang on to the hook with any pliers when this happens and you will be in danger of impaling yourself.  These types of hook outs are by far the best and safest way of hook removal. When the handle is squeezed there is no way a fish can thrash out of it.  You will be able to control the fish during the hook out process. 

NEVER NEVER NEVER grab the lure with your hand while it is in a roosterfishes mouth!!  You will be inviting a very unpleasant hooking of yourself!  ALWAYS carry heavy double action pliers capable of cutting heavy hooks.  You will find out why if you impale yourself.  A roosterfish is capable of hitting you in the face (while standing) when it springs off the beach!!  Be very careful!!

A lip gripper type tool is very difficult to use in landing a fish caught from the beach.  In addition, all of them get jammed up from suspended wave sand.  Roosterfish and crevalle have stiff tails that make great landing handles.  A cubera has no handle and it must be carried like a baby to dry sand.  It's good if one member of your fishing party has a short handled gaff.  Landing really big fish (over 50 pounds) and cuberas is easier when gaffed in the mouth.  This does not kill the fish if done correctly.