Go Fish: 6 Packing Tips From a Professional Angler

Bass pro angler Justin Lucas knows a thing or two about fishing trips. The native Californian travels the U.S. as part of Bassmaster’s Elite Series—the highest level of professional bass fishing tournaments. We caught up with Lucas on the road to get his fishing trip checklist and learn how to pack like a fishing pro.

Select an essential rod

“If I could only pick one thing to fish with, it would be a spinning rod with a soft plastic worm,” says Lucas, who started fishing with his grandfather using this basic rod. “Most beginner anglers use it, and it’s still my old standby.” As for the plastic worm? It’s against the rules for bass pro anglers to use live bait, as it’s more challenging to catch fish with lures.

Lucas often travels by car, since many of his tournaments and events occur in the Southeast. But if you have to fly, Lucas recommends shipping your rods to your destination. His favorites for his fishing trip checklist? Abu Garcia rods with a Berkley PowerBait soft plastic lure.

Use the right bait

Depending on the weather, bass are attracted to different baits. “Bass typically like soft plastic, but you also want to have some sort of moving bait,” says Lucas. For your fishing trip checklist, he recommends crankbait or spinnerbait—designed to imitate baitfish propelling through the water—in windy or cloudy conditions. Lucas prefers the Molix line of spinnerbait.

Remember your maps

“This is very important,” says Lucas. “Whether on a GPS, phone or an old printed map, you need to see the layout of where you’re fishing and where you can move around to.” This way, he says, you can see all the nooks, crannies, peninsulas and fishable shoreline available to you. Downloadable topographic maps, which you can view offline, show changes in depth and contour and are always on Lucas’ fishing trip checklist. “I use Google Earth and LakeMaster,” says Lucas.

Bring layers

It’s the mantra of outdoor enthusiasts everywhere: Layer up. Add clothes for changing weather conditions to your fishing trip checklist. “A fishing trip can be miserable if you’re too cold or too hot,” says Lucas. In his travel bag: long-sleeved shirts, long pants, hats, sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen. “Pack for colder weather than predicted,” he advises. “It’s always colder on the water than on land.”

Organize in a tackle bag

A tackle bag serves two purposes for your fishing trip checklist: organization and safety. When everything you need is in one place, changing lures is quick and efficient—and you won’t risk cuts or injuries from rogue lures. Lucas uses the Bass Mafia line along with a dry storage bag for valuables.

Practice patience

Okay, so you can’t pack this one in a suitcase—yet it may just be the most important thing on your fishing trip checklist. “Have patience,” advises Lucas. “Fish don’t bite constantly, all day long. Try new things, new areas, enjoy being outside and don’t worry about whether the fish will bite or not at first.” To pass the time, pack snacks, coffee and plenty of water to stay hydrated. “Some of the best days I’ve had fishing were with loved ones, and we didn’t catch anything,” says Lucas. “We just enjoyed each other’s company.”