The weather is right, the sun is shining, and the rivers are full. Yes, it’s fishing season once again, and that means it’s time to get out to beautiful Hells Canyon to explore the Snake and Salmon rivers.
Here at Killgore Adventures, we run river boat fishing trips throughout the year. While we can outfit you with nearly everything you need for your fishing trip, some people like to bring their own gear. However, we find that nearly every group that goes on one of our fishing adventures has someone who forgets at least one of these five items at home. So as your making your packing list, make sure these items are at the top of your list.
Yes, sunscreen. A tube of SPF 50 costs you less than $5 and will last you for a week’s worth of fishing trips. While lightweight clothing is becoming an ever more popular way to protect yourself from the sun, sunscreen should still be a part of your day bag. Make sure to use it on your hands, neck, face, ears, and chest. These are often forgotten or covered by a hat.
For those going after salmon in cloudy weather, they might think they can get away without using sunscreen thanks to the cloud cover. In reality, you can still get burned even with good cloud cover. A sunburn is no joke and it can increase your chances of contracting skin cancer.
We can’t tell you how many times we’ve headed out to the water with a client only for them to open their tackle box and find no bait inside. It’s a heartbreaking event and one that can put a stop to an entire day of fishing. Make sure you check and then double-check that you have your bait before you head out to the river.
Not only that, make sure you have the right fishing bait. Some fish, like Sturgeon or salmon, like particular bait more than others. This may be different then what the fish back home like to pursue. Brush up on your bait knowledge and figure out what you should bring to try and attract your particular quarry.
In the fishing World, leaving your pole at home is equivalent to not being able to find the glasses on your face. We find that the most common reason people forget their fishing pole is because they are so focused on getting to the river. make sure your pool is packed and ready to go and placed in plain sight so you don’t forget it on your way out the door.
It’s not uncommon for avid anglers to create a special packing list of tackle and tools to catch a certain type of fish. But specialized tackle can get expensive or time-consuming to make. We often see anglers bring only one bit of tackle or a fly pattern, and then leave frustrated and defeated when a tough trout takes their lure off the end of the line.
Think about the type of fishing you want to do and bring the right tackle and tools to meet those needs.
You can have the right gear, the right weather, and the right tide times, but you can still walk home empty-handed after a long day of fishing. In moments like these, it’s important to pack a sense of humor and a quick grin in your back pocket. After all, a bad day of fishing still beats a day at the office.
Don’t settle for just any fishing trip, go on a truly incredible one! We offer multi-day fishing adventures that take you through the biggest rapids in Hells Canyon to catch the best fish! Book your trip with Killgore Adventures today!