Back to School Bass Fishing

For dedicated college bass anglers, going to an out of state school really makes it hard for fishing. I love to fish but missed out on it during my first few years in undergrad because I didn't know what to bring with me. Later, I learned how to easily and quickly pack a few essential fishing items, allowing me to fish for largemouth bass and other species in-between lectures and labs. Try out these tips for packing the ultimate, light-weight travel fishing setup when going back to school this fall.

Collapsible fishing rod
Collapsible fishing rods are priceless for frequent travelers. Bass, sunfish, crappie, catfish and other species, both freshwater and saltwater, can usually be handled by normal collapsible poles without too much fear of losing the fish. I have used a variety of collapsible fishing poles for several years, some very high quality and others that were not quite as good. The prices on collapsible and travel fishing rods vary greatly, but they are almost always more expensive than their full-size counterparts. Average price for the higher-end collapsibles is usually starting around $40, but you can purchase much more affordable ones online, especially on eBay and other websites selling generic goods. Do a search on eBay for "collapsible fishing rod" or for "travel fishing rod" and you should be able to find many listing for good deals on non-name brand fishing poles. My friend bought one through a seller located in Hong Kong, costing only $15 with shipping. Recently, eBay had several listed for as low as $10, with free shipping included. Of course, these poles generally tend to be less well-designed and ergonomic when compared to the higher end models. However, for fairly standard fishing conditions, these poles should be sufficient. I was able to get a steal on my best collapsible rod (with a reel included) for only $14 from Big 5 Sporting Goods, but this was during a sale event and wasn't the standard pricing. One of the main issues users of collapsible fishing poles need to guard against is the pole sticking together and not re-collapsing after use. I call this the "lightsaber effect", as it is reminiscent of the extendable lightsaber toys that kids often jam, after extending them too far and getting them stuck. A little WD-40 might fix this problem, but it is best just to avoid such situations.

Reel
For traveling, I prefer a micro spinning reel to go with my collapsible fishing rod. Some of the sets and kit deals for collapsible and travel fishing poles come with a reel as well. Don't feel like you have to use this one, although these often are paired nicely with the rod. Instead, if you have one that would fit better and works well with the rod, bring it instead. I usually have my travel gear spooled with nothing higher than 6lb test mono.

Mini Tackle Box
Stop by any tackle store, Wal-Mart, or sporting goods shop and check out the fishing tackle box section. Chances are, you will find an array of massive Plano plastic tackle boxes, along with some backpack-style ones. Ignore these, as they aren't easy to pack or carry. Instead, buy one or two of the see-through plastic containers, designed to be placed in the cloth tackle boxes. Just a few of these is all that is needed to hold a decent selection of travel lures, hooks and weights. Pack light, definitely don't go for huge bulk tackle boxes that are more useful for bass boats.

Lures and Terminal Tackle
For bass fishing, pick up a small selection of popular largemouth and smallmouth bass lures. I recommend a pack of Senkos (soft plastic stick baits, either by the Gary Yamamoto ones or the clone ones) in 4'' or 5''. Bring one or two smaller spinner baits (easier to fit into the mini tackle boxes), three or four crappie and panfish jigs with plastic grub trailers (easy to pack and very versatile, even for bass), and an original Rapala (all-around good lure). A small topwater popper wouldn't be a bad idea either (look into Rebel for some affordable ones). Bring an assortment of hook sizes, making sure to include several offset shank plastic worm hooks for the Senkos. Finally, throw in one small bobber (whatever is the biggest you can fit in your tacklebox), a few snap swivels, plus several different types of weights (bring mostly split shots, with a few cone-head worm weights and a couple sliding sinkers).

Line
If I'm traveling, I usually like to pack light and use light, micro gear. I'm talking light line, as low as 4lb test monofilament or fluorocarbon. Usually, my reel will be filled with it ahead of time, but if I think I might need more, I'll throw a small spool of new fishing line in my luggage as well.

Backpack
I used to jog or bike to my favorite fishing hole just a few miles from my dorm during college. Some people might prefer bringing a large backpack to carry their fishing gear in, but I traveled light, carrying just a small athletic gym bag. For short 1-2 hour fishing trips, this was all I needed.