You pull back on the throttle and shut off the engine. It is a beautiful morning, and you are the first one to the “secret spot.” Conditions are perfect and expectations are high, and then it happens. You forgot that one thing that may suddenly end your fishing trip. If you have never forgotten that ONE THING, then you have not fished enough. Some of the things you forget are items of safety or necessity. However, most of the time, the stuff you forget is for personal pleasure. Keep in mind readers; the combined number of days on the water with the guides listed below may reach over a 1,500 days a year! To help you readers stock your boat properly with those extra little items, we asked a few local Captains a very simple question. What are some things you do not leave the dock without? Some of the answers are funny and some are very helpful. Enjoy!
Over the past few years, Captain Jamie Gaspard has made a name for himself in the Fourchon area. Specializing in offshore (tuna, dolphin, wahoo, snapper, etc) Countless items go into fishing like this, and yes, things do get left behind. Most offshore anglers know where to find live bait, such as hard tails and threadfin. Catching live bait is another story, as Gaspard explains, “I never leave the dock without an assorted pack of sabiki rigs.” With different sizes in hooks, numbers of hooks, and more importantly the diameter of the fluorocarbon. The right sabiki can make or break your day. With such a variety of species located in the Fourchon area, the tackle has to change with the fish. Jamie tells, “Different types of hooks have to be brought every day on the boat.” Most tuna fishermen prefer a circle hook from 4 to 6/0 while amberjack and grouper often need circle hooks up to 16/0!
A true native to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Executive Director for CCA Mississippi John Marquez spends what little free time he has on the water. Now with a limited number of days on the water, he can’t afford to forget anything, but one thing he always likes to bring along is, his family. ”My wife, son and two daughters love to fish, and it is a treat to have them all together on the boat.” With his boat full, his younger anglers sometimes wander off with some of his items when exploring the islands. “I like to have an extra bait net or two on the boat at all times. My kids take them out of the boat to scoop stuff up on the islands and sometimes the nets get lost. If you have ever tried to grab a live pinfish out of a full live well, you will be glad you brought an extra bait net.”
Anyone who has ever fished the Venice area has at one time or another seen Capt Damon Mcknight. Being somewhat of a guru for tuna, marlin, cobia, snapper, etc, McKnight has been around the block a time or two. On and off of the water Mcknight is a hard-working, fun-loving fisherman who keeps his customers and himself very safe. Mcknight explains, “I have seen people leave the dock with half a tank of fuel thinking the tuna may be close in. Some days we run 200 miles or more (total) and that burns a good bit of fuel. I never leave the dock without topping off all my fuel tanks.” Still, on the safety issue, Mcknight adds, “I have two well working VHF radios on my boat at all times, you just can’t go out there without em. We normally use them to communicate with our other boats (fish finders), but if you ever have to use them for emergencies, you just can’t go out there without one.”
With the little pressure off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Capt Matt Tusa has a good piece of the Marsh all to himself. He does make his stops every morning before his trips to get a few “essentials” that cannot be left behind. Tusa explains, “I have two things that I just can’t leave the dock without, a can of Copehagen long cut and a pack of smokehouse cheddar crackers.” All kidding aside, Capt Matt takes his job very serious, priding himself on knowing where the trout and redfish should be. Capt Tusa believes you should never leave any dock without the most important thing, “A Destination.”
If you have ever fished Buras, you know that the speckled trout and red fishing is some of the best in the world. One could easily let the excitement of bent rods and full fish boxes cause them to leave a few things behind. Capt Clay Schoolfield sets the tone for his day so he doesn’t forget anything. Schoolfield says, “you just can’t leave without some patience, it goes a long way.” Even with the right mindset, some things may just slip your mind. Capt Clay adds, “Two things you don’t ever want to forget are sunglasses and especially a fishing license.”
If there were a list for the most intense offshore fishing guide Capt Kevin Hunter would have to be at the top of it. Now running boats out of the Fourchon area, Hunter has a passion for deep-water fish that truly has to be seen. Catching fish when others don’t Capt Kevin makes sure one tool is never forgotten on his boat. Loaded with a line, sometimes up to 400lb test, they can wrestle “reef donkeys” away from jagged oil rig legs with ease. With live bait being an essential item for offshore fishing, Hunter brings along some insurance for that as well. Kevin explains, “I have gone through countless live well pumps, they all break at one time or another. I bring several spares to keep my bait alive, I never leave home without them.”
Hopedale is a name that goes hand in hand with incredible trout and red fishing. Jonathan Sanchez gets to call these waters his home. With countless days under his belt, he still has to check to make sure things are right before he leaves on his trip. “You just can’t leave without checking your drain plug on your live well”, Sanchez tells. With no water for your shrimp or croakers to swim in, they never last long. With huge trout and reds coming out of the Hopedale area, Capt Sanchez always remembers one thing, “you can’t go out there without a landing net, you don’t want to miss the fish of a lifetime.” 
It’s human nature, especially for us men folk, to forget things. It happened before this article and it will happen long after. The night before is the time to get a handle on things, more so for the safety items. Fishing is one of the most rewarding activities you can do, just remember the little things. As always, have fun and be safe.
Captain Sonny Schindler
Shore Thing Fishing Charters
Bay St Louis, MS
228-342-2295
www.shorethingcharters.com