Pulled a rookie move today....

[imagine29028]

Drove down to Salisbury this morning to fish Leonard's Mill Pond. All excited, day off...fall bass fishing. Get the boat off top of the car, start loading everything up...look around......oh crap!

I left my seat at home, 2 hours away. Ouch! There is a reason I keep all my other stuff inside the boat. Was too late at that point....sat down on two plano boxes; one box for each cheek....and did some paddling on my knees too.

Caught some fish....nothing really to brag about. Still better than sitting at home.

[Big Mike]

Any seat in a storm!

[Mark]

We've all done it.

I left my paddle home once.

So I created a checklist with the following categories:

Kayak
Mirage Drive
Rod Holders
Paddle
Seat

SAFETY/COMFORT
Swiss Army Knife
VHS Radio
Bug Spray
Sunscreen
Clippers
Whistle
Snacks
Water
Towel
Rope
PFD

BLACKPAC/MILK CRATE
Dry Box/Dry Bag
Hook Remover
Hawg Trough
Fish Gripper
Camera
Leashes
Pliers

TRANSPORT
Tie-Down Straps (Spares)
Locks & Cables
Step Ladder
Cart

PLANO BOXES
Crank Baits & Plugs
Small Lures
Bucktails
Plastics
Flies
Jigs

ANCILLARY TACKLE
Leaders & Tippets
Worm Hooks
Worm Bag
Weights
Swivels

CENTER HATCH BOX
Fluorocarbon Spool
Leatherman Tool
Allen Wrench
First Aid Kit
Hook File
Licenses
WD40

RODS & REELS
Rod Floats
Ultralight
Bait Cast
Spinning
Fly

I don't take everything on my list for each trip but I look the list over before departing.

It has helped me to be less forgetful -- as long as I remember to check the list!

[Frogsauce]

I've gone out and forgot my paddle before....

But luckily I was launching from home that day.

[Cowpokey]

I forgot my seat one day, and went out without it even though home was only 30 minutes away. The seat well of my Outback is fine for sitting, but the "bulkhead" (?) dug into the back of my hips while peddling, it got painful.

I forgot my flag again today, second trip in a row and the second trip when I didn't catch a ton of fish. That flag holds my fishing mojo, apparently.

[daolai]

The worst is PFD I had to drive home for that...

[mibytes]

We've all done it.

I left my paddle home once.

So I created a checklist with the following categories:

Kayak
Mirage Drive
Rod Holders
Paddle
Seat

SAFETY/COMFORT
Swiss Army Knife
VHS Radio
Bug Spray
Sunscreen
Clippers
Whistle
Snacks
Water
Towel
Rope
PFD

BLACKPAC/MILK CRATE
Dry Box/Dry Bag
Hook Remover
Hawg Trough
Fish Gripper
Camera
Leashes
Pliers

TRANSPORT
Tie-Down Straps (Spares)
Locks & Cables
Step Ladder
Cart

PLANO BOXES
Crank Baits & Plugs
Small Lures
Bucktails
Plastics
Flies
Jigs

ANCILLARY TACKLE
Leaders & Tippets
Worm Hooks
Worm Bag
Weights
Swivels

CENTER HATCH BOX
Fluorocarbon Spool
Leatherman Tool
Allen Wrench
First Aid Kit
Hook File
Licenses
WD40

RODS & REELS
Rod Floats
Ultralight
Bait Cast
Spinning
Fly

I don't take everything on my list for each trip but I look the list over before departing.

It has helped me to be less forgetful -- as long as I remember to check the list!

Well I just copied your list and printed it now lol

[NYstyle]

Funny, i just stumbled on this and will be modifying it to meet my needs. Thanks!

[FL Boy]

I forgot my PFD once, somebody let me borrow a puffy vest so it would appear I had one. I was about 2 hours from home. DISCLAIMER: I normally wouldn't go out without a PFD but I was with a group and the water was realativly shallow so I could just stand up.

[YakCapn]

Yep, a list is the way to go. When I leave the house at 6am or before my brain isn't working too well. I generally pack most of my stuff and check it off the list the night before, but the list is still key. Even if I only have 2 or 3 things to remember in the morning, I'm bound to forget something. Any launch I do on the Chesapeake is at least an hour away so it would painful to forget something.

[HJS]

Here's my list. I post this list on the inside of the door of my fishing shed. It's a little more generalized than Mark's list, but it works for me.
======================================
Last update: December 29, 2012

Fishing Check List

Canoe
Seat cushion
PFD
Electric motor
Motor mount
Batteries
Paddle
Anchor, short or long rope
Fish finder & battery
Rods
Tackle bag
Forceps & fish counter
Measuring board
Rubber fish gloves
Small towel
Cooler & ice
Binoculars
Camera
Cell phone
Food & Water
Hat
Boots, calf-high
Appropriate clothes, coat, warm gloves
Mapbooks & directions
Sun screen

[On the fly]

I've gone out and forgot my paddle before....

But luckily I was launching from home that day.

Always keep a set of paddles inside the hull for 2 reasons, one as noted above and two if I lose, break, etc my good one while fishing.