Hauling Around All That Gear!

Behind any grocery store are stacks of milk crates.



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I've found my super inexpensive Milk Crates at Wal-Mart; usually around this time of year and again around the time that school starts back after summer.  Guess they are a favorite with the college kid crowd.  I paid like $3 for mine.  It's about 1/2-2/3 the weight of a milk crate that is actually used for milk.

another thing i do is store the essentials inside my kayaks hatch the night before a trip. Farmer john wet  suit / spray jacket/ neoprene boots, PFD, Fully charged VHF radio, paddle, seat and spare rod and reel. Everything else goes in the box.

 

  I use a dodge, 2500 long bed quad cab 4x4 diesel to haul ALL my stuff around
Now I'll go read the rest of the posts.....

 

  Currently, I have 2 plastic bins (With hinged lids) that contain : Bin1
FJ wet suit, booties, and water socks, fillet knife, (New) FF, Fishing shirts,(X5) 3 hats, FF battery, my 3 dry bags, 1 contains my spray jacket & pants, (Put away dry!) and another dry bag contains my Mesteriso pants & shirt.
  Bin 2 has my tackle box, small air horn, anchor & line, small water bottle (Used to fill transducer water bath) down rigger& weight, game clips, para cord, VHF,hand rags

  Whats not in either bin, and has capability of being left home is, Hobie drive, seat, paddle, kayak wheels/cart.

  I too generate a "Checklist" before each outting, but evidently something ALLways get forgoten, and not known untill present at campsite!
  Now I need to make my "Checklist" for OFBFC (O'neil forebay fish & chill)

I start off with a little mantra...Pedals, Paddle, Pfd (fish lic/radio is attached to pfd) ...the rest of the gear is gravy and wouldn't ruin my day if forgotten

I don't have a checklist or specific bins.  Searching for gears which scatter everywhere the night before the trip because I can't sleep anyway 

 

  This is reason for HD 3/4 ton truck!
O’Neil Forebay Fish & chill
Feb 8-10th
•   Kayak                       ______
•   Drive                        ______
•   Paddle      ______
•   PFD      ______
•   Cloths bin      ______
•   Tackle bin      ______
•   Down rigger   ______
•   Cooler      ______
•   Food & drink   ______
•   Munchies      ______
•   Stove      ______
•   BBQ      ______
•   Cot      ______
•   Sleepin bag   ______
•   Dry, warm Cloths   ______
•   EZ up canopy   ______
•   Camp chair   ______
•   Firewood      ______
•   Kayak cart   ______
•   Cooking stuff bin   ______
•   Camp box      ______
•   Lamps/lighting   ______  Need new glass globe for propane lantern!
•   Table      ______
•   Chest waders   ______
•   CW Boots      ______
•   Little oil lamp!   ______
•   Lighter/Fire starter   _____
•   Bait bucket   ______
•   Propane/fuel   ______
•   Fishin poles!   ______
•   Rope      ______
•   Water jug      ______
FF battery charged      ______  On charger since 1/6/13 after 6hrs  up to 9.5Vdc Bad?
VHF radio charged      ______
Emergency flasher, new bat.   ______
Kayak Cleaned!      ______

  This list is a WIP. for my upcomming involvement at the forebay.  I'm sure there are things left off it, as I'm not looking at the things in my storage sheds at the moment.

I really like mesh/dive gear bags.  One for all soft items, (waders, dry-tops, hat), and another has all the hard stuff, (paddles, rod holders, etc).  Electronics go in a large plano box to avoid damage. 

The two mesh bags fit nicely in a large laundry bin.

I really like mesh/dive gear bags.  One for all soft items, (waders, dry-tops, hat), and another has all the hard stuff, (paddles, rod holders, etc).  Electronics go in a large plano box to avoid damage. 

The two mesh bags fit nicely in a large laundry bin.

Some great mesh bags for wet suits and such are decoy bags. They are big enough and plenty strong.

http://www.basspro.com/RedHead-Mesh-Decoy-Bag/product/10230506/ 

I use one big plastic tote. Took me a while to find the right one, big enough to hold a mirage drive. Everything goes inside, seat, drive, stringers, battery's, everything. I leave the lid off if there's wet stuff inside. I throw in a Plano box for the days target befor I leave. The only thing that doesn't go in the tote are rods, and paddle. I put my dry suit and layers in right before I go

I've found it easier to have dedicated equipment for fishing/kayaking.  For example; a flashlight.  I have one just for the kayak.  I other flashlights for the truck, the camper, the house, etc. are for those things so I'm not running round trying to figure out where I last used that flashlight. 
I stow all this gear in the mesh bags.  It makes it easy to see everything and it airs stuff out.  I carry my gear on the kayak in a milk crate.  They are easy to get from Big Lots, Wal-Mart, etc.  The ones behind the grocery stores are way too heavy.  Lighter the better. 
One of the most important things is that I set up for a trip when I unpack from the last trip.  I don't dump off in the garage and walk away, I go through everything first and then replace, recharge, refill and wipe/clean everything within 24 hours of returning home. 

Everything organized after last outing and in sight!  PFD, wet suit, boots folded and on the kayak - throw it in mesh dive bag and in toolbox in the truck.  Seat, fish finder, battery, wheeleez on the kayak - put in the toolbox in truck.  Paddles lying on straps supporting kayaks - in the truck.  If I'm crabbing, traps, buoys, weights, bait boxes hanging on peg board in sight - in the truck.  If fishing, poles hung from ceiling in garage and tackle boxes on shelf above crab gear in sight - in the truck.  If I see it - I won't forget it.  Key for me is prestaging after each outing and my kayak cart has been my key to success.

Since we are sharing a few checklists, here is one I use for camping. It's a PDF (the site wouldn't let me post a xls doc).

-Cherie

I use an old flight duffle bag with a 3x4 card that has a list of everything, that has been wrapped in clear packing tape (poor mans laminate) with a ring through it.  If I exceed the duffle I have to much gear.  I also try to place stuff in the reverse of set up so I end up with the PFD First in/Last out, booties, then wet suit and so fourth.  It does make things go smoother if you can take the time and paln out yur set up.