Most veteran tournament anglers understand the value of being prepared for any eventuality that might occur during a day on the water. However, those who are newer to the game – or just getting into it – might not be aware that it's wise to have more than one of just about everything.
"You should always be prepared for the unexpected," said veteran FLW pro Alvin Shaw of North Carolina. "A lot of novices might think there's no way that something's ever going to happen to them, but believe me, whatever that something is, it's happened to somebody."
Even the greenest of newbies should know enough to have a stockpile of the baits they plan to use most often, but Shaw has seen instances where an inexperienced angler lost a bait that was enticing strikes and didn't have another – or even anything similar.
This is particularly true of crankbaits – after all, they can be expensive, and the desire to have a broad selection often prompts the budget-conscious weekend angler to buy only one of a particular model and color.
But if that bait gets hung up in a rock cluster 10 feet under the surface and is irretrievable, that angler's day could be ruined.
"You want to have four or five of the crankbaits you're catching them on," he said. "If you only have one and you break it off, you're history. Not only do you not have that bait anymore, but it's such a huge mental letdown."
Anything Can Get Lost
Baits are the items lost most frequently by anglers, but the list certainly doesn't end there. Anybody who's fished in 20 mph winds can attest to that.
Shaw has seen instances where sunglasses have been blown into the water and sunk before they could be retrieved, so he keeps a spare pair around. He always purchases two lake maps for the same reason.
Most anglers have enough safety sense to keep a spare life vest around, but how many have an extra ignition-kill cord attached to it?
"A life jacket isn't going to get blown off when you're wearing it, but you might take it off and lay it down while you're fishing. It could get blown out and you don't know about it, and it's gone.
"Well, it's not legal to start your big motor without that ignition-cutoff cord, so it's a good idea to have an extra one of those hooked to your spare jacket."
Burned-out lights are a common problem at pre-dawn launches. Instead of spare bulbs, he carries extra fixtures.
"When you're going through boat check and you've got a light that's not burning and you're due to take off in 10 or 15 minutes, it pays to have a spare light in your rod box. You can just reach in and grab it and you're ready to go, and you don't have to worry about trying to change out a bulb."
Big-Ticket Backup
With all the other expenses involved with tournament fishing, many weekend anglers can't afford to have an additional trolling motor on hand. But as someone who fishes for a living, Shaw feels he can't afford to be without it.
It paid off at this year's Old Hickory FLW Series.
"On the last day of practice I bumped a stump and broke my shaft," he said. "But because I had another trolling motor, I was able to rig it up that night and I was ready to go the next morning.
"If you've got an extra one in your truck, it can salvage your day."
