Keeping a kit in your vehicle?

[N.Y. Yankee]

Do you keep a tackle box and rod in your vehicle for fishing opportunities that pop up unexpectedly? I have a medium 2-sided Plano organizer box and a Zebco telescopic rod with a small Shimano spinning reel spooled with some 6 pound fluorocarbon line. I have some Mepps and Panther martin spinners, some marabou jigs, some beetle spins, baitholder hooks and split shot, a few soft plastic bugs and a folding trowel to dig up a couple worms if I want. I keep it all zipped up in a small nylon gear bag zipped on the back seat floor. Several times I have been traveling and come across a nice stream or pond and have caught quite a few bass and panfish there. It's a fun break in the monotony of traveling if you have time to stop for a bit and wet a line.

[Derek1]

Most of the season I  keep a rod and small tackle bag in the work truck. Most of my fishing gets done a hour or two at a time after work. The bag stays there the rod I’ll grab on my way out in the morning. 

[flyfisher]

Not usually.  Not many places I would swing by on my way home and if I was going to, I'd just swing home and then head back out.   High heat of a summer car does funny things to some adhesives and it does a real number on line, especially fly lines so it isn't worth it to me.

[jimmyjoe]

   Abso-rooty-tootin'-lutely!  Unplanned fishing opportunities are the best ones!              jj

[ATA]

Things in may car:

7 surf and saltwater and bass and trout combo(ready to use0

4 Spinning set up for trout and bass in bag

3 BFS set up in bag

more than 500pcs of lures for ocean and freshwater for every fish from shark to panfish.

chumming material and tools with buckets to keep fish/baitfish live.

portable restroom and shower. 

8 person tent

4 foldable chairs

8' umbrella 

every kind of rod stands and spike

beach cart(its on back seat area)

crab net and all kind of net for landing saltwater to trout.

cooler

dozen oversized swimbait and wake baits

couple of to go tackle boxes

couple of to go back packs

kitchen and cooking

and list go on

and thats only things I have in my car 24/7 in case if I end up fishing by surprise.

the other salt water and bass and trout fishing set ups(special ones) they are in my home and ill only take them when I plan to go fishing.

here is some picture of back of my car

 

 

 

I forgot to talk about extra clothes and waders and boots that I keep there in case.

[schplurg]

I set my van up with a bed and kitchen stuff. Coleman stove, a bunch of spices, flatware, cookware, bare minimum.

 

But my EFK (Emergency Fishing Kit as I call it) consists of a telescopic rod, a Plano or two, some plastics, a scale, a snack, water and a few other things, all in a backpack. I don't like keeping too much gear in the van. The heat seems to make the line memory a lot worse if I keep rods in there.

 

For the van I have a 5 pound propane tank (a mini BBQ style) because those little ones can leak and in a van that isn't good. And because the homeless people buy up the small ones, or so they tell me at the store.

 

I bring a deep cycle battery to run any lights or watch a movie if I'm stuck in the van. Small battery box I made. It's also my fish finder battery. I have a big one should I need it but never have.

 

I have a 5 gallon water jug with a USB rechargable pump on top of it ($12 Amazon). I frickin love that little pump. It runs a long time between charges and is very worth it.

 

I have a PVC rod rack I made. I have photos from another thread. It's my favorite DIY I think. Takes practically zero space that could be used for something else and it solves a common and big problem..

 

 

I also made a curtain that blocks the cab from the back, can kinda see it. And I made covers for all the other windows, insulated and black so nobody can tell they're in there when I use them.

 

Bed has two drawers beneath with all the kitchen stuff. The drawers are maybe 4 feet deep.

 

Here's the bed and drawer with the mattress folded up out of the way. By the way the mattress is very comfortable.

 

 

But the main ingredient is the EFK backpack. That's all I need in my vehicle, bare minimum.

[Jmilburn76]

I would like to but I drive a 98 Wrangler with a soft top and from spring until it gets too cold to stand the doors and windows are off of it.

[ironbjorn]

Not usually, but when I do pack gear in anticipation of a possible spot somewhere, I don't pack spinning gear with beetle spins. Even here in Indiana a lot of those surprise spots are power fishing ponds. I don't think I'd get out of my car to throw a beetle spin.

[Bluebasser86]

Nope

[scaleface]

I keep a box of beetle spins but not a rod and reel anymore . I use to have a panel van with rod racks installed and I always had rod reels and lures . Those were the days when i caught big bass often . I had a couple of milk runs that I traveled several times a week , fishing in culverts on gravel roads . I live close to the Mississippi river and those ditches and back waters  harbor big fish .

[DogBone_384]

12 hours ago, N.Y. Yankee said:

Do you keep a tackle box and rod in your vehicle for fishing opportunities that pop up

Yes. I keep a Diawa Ardito travel rod & small tackle bag in my Tundra’s under seat storage.

 

I don’t use it frequently, but it’s there if the opportunity arises.

[N.Y. Yankee]

12 hours ago, ATA said:

Things in may car:

7 surf and saltwater and bass and trout combo(ready to use0

4 Spinning set up for trout and bass in bag

3 BFS set up in bag

more than 500pcs of lures for ocean and freshwater for every fish from shark to panfish.

chumming material and tools with buckets to keep fish/baitfish live.

portable restroom and shower. 

8 person tent

4 foldable chairs

8' umbrella 

every kind of rod stands and spike

beach cart(its on back seat area)

crab net and all kind of net for landing saltwater to trout.

cooler

dozen oversized swimbait and wake baits

couple of to go tackle boxes

couple of to go back packs

kitchen and cooking

and list go on

and thats only things I have in my car 24/7 in case if I end up fishing by surprise.

the other salt water and bass and trout fishing set ups(special ones) they are in my home and ill only take them when I plan to go fishing.

here is some picture of back of my car

 

 

 

I forgot to talk about extra clothes and waders and boots that I keep there in case.

 

Ummm....., ok.

[Bankc]

Not really.  I like to fish on my lunch break, so I usually have a rod in my truck for that.  I might have a few baits in there as well.  But if I'm not at work, I usually take it out.  It's just one more thing to get broken or stolen.  Plus, I almost never have a fishing opportunity that wasn't planned.  The lakes and public ponds are usually a good bit out of the way of anything, and you dare not fish on private land in my state.  People around here are trigger happy and suspicious of strangers on their land.  I had pulled over once to answer an email on my phone in front of a farm (still on public land) and the farmer met me with a shotgun!  He was a nice guy once he figured I wasn't a threat.  But he came prepared for war when all I wanted was to be a safe driver.  

[BustedSwimbait]

Always keep an UL setup in the trunk, for those random streams/creeks/puddles you may come across while out-and-about

[N.Y. Yankee]

Interesting to see what others do.

[Crankin4Bass]

I have a small tackle bag with a spinning reel with 8lb mono, pliers, some hooks and a couple bags of plastics. I keep a 2 piece 6'6" spinning rod in this Plano tube:

https://planomolding.com/collections/rod-reel-storage/products/rod-tube-999444800

 

 

[schplurg]

On 10/4/2021 at 2:49 AM, scaleface said:

I keep a box of beetle spins but not a rod and reel anymore . I use to have a panel van with rod racks installed and I always had rod reels and lures . Those were the days when i caught big bass often . I had a couple of milk runs that I traveled several times a week , fishing in culverts on gravel roads . I live close to the Mississippi river and those ditches and back waters  harbor big fish .

 

Beetle Spins rock! I'll fish for anything, no hate for Beetle Spins here. I fish creeks, ponds, rivers, lakes. I love fishing, not "big bass only" fishing. Bluegill need our love too!

[Log Catcher]

I don't keep any fishing equipment in my truck. When I am going fishing is the only time I get to fish. I would be too worried about some body stealing my stuff to leave it in a vehicle.

[Bankbeater]

The only fishing related items that I keep in my car is a pair of Muck boots and a rain suit.

[Boomstick]

Well my rod tube likes in the back of my truck and if I'm going anywhere that might have fishing I'll throw some rods in, bring my tackle bag and reel cases etc

 

My kid has an old ugly stick and black max that are also fair game if I want to travel light. not the best but usable for some fun fishing.

[islandbass]

On 10/3/2021 at 5:35 PM, ATA said:

Things in may car:

7 surf and saltwater and bass and trout combo(ready to use0

4 Spinning set up for trout and bass in bag

3 BFS set up in bag

more than 500pcs of lures for ocean and freshwater for every fish from shark to panfish.

chumming material and tools with buckets to keep fish/baitfish live.

portable restroom and shower. 

8 person tent

4 foldable chairs

8' umbrella 

every kind of rod stands and spike

beach cart(its on back seat area)

crab net and all kind of net for landing saltwater to trout.

cooler

dozen oversized swimbait and wake baits

couple of to go tackle boxes

couple of to go back packs

kitchen and cooking

and list go on

and thats only things I have in my car 24/7 in case if I end up fishing by surprise.

the other salt water and bass and trout fishing set ups(special ones) they are in my home and ill only take them when I plan to go fishing.

here is some picture of back of my car

 

 

 

I forgot to talk about extra clothes and waders and boots that I keep there in case.

I don’t think you have enough, lol. Best to always be prepared! ?

 

Most of the time I’ll have 1-3 2-piece rods and a small selection of baits. 
1 7’ Okuma Celilo UL

1 6.5’ Shimano Compre MH spinning 

1 7’ Cabela Mag Touch M casting

NEW! 1 6.5’ Daiwa Airdx M casting

 

This pretty much covers everything I’d face until this year when I started exploring the realm heavier/power fishing for heavy cover. 
 

Fat chance I’ll find a 2 piece H casting rod, lol. 

[ATA]

25 minutes ago, islandbass said:

I don’t think you have enough, lol. Best to always be prepared! ?

 

Most of the time I’ll have 1-3 2-piece rods and a small selection of baits. 
1 7’ Okuma Celilo UL

1 6.5’ Shimano Compre MH spinning 

1 7’ Cabela Mag Touch M casting

NEW! 1 6.5’ Daiwa Airdx M casting

 

This pretty much covers everything I’d face until this year when I started exploring the realm heavier/power fishing for heavy cover. 
 

Fat chance I’ll find a 2 piece H casting rod, lol. 

yeah, since I drive a lot and far places for work or fishing, and since I go fishing anytime anyone suggest that, I have this things in my car and I am ready to go for any fish for few days and night.

for example I was talking to a customer in Mojave last month and he said he is going to fishing after our meeting and he has his RV boat and everything for 5 days fishing and camping and he invited me, so I drove 350 miles after hi and fish with him and his sons LOL. I had everything in my car.

so thats my lifestyle. thats why I have those things. 

Believe me I have way more than that in my home for every kind of fishing, so my car is really my car kit only.

[jbsoonerfan]

Nope. I don't just happen to run across places that are public fishing areas. Everything around here is on private property and I refuse to trespass. I have friends that will jump the fence in a heartbeat and fish a pond they don't have permission to fish. I will not do that. If I am going fishing, I know where I am going and I plan accordingly. 

[islandbass]

@ATA: That is awesome. ?

[cyclops2]

First year in decades that I brought back to winter N J a rod & 4# test reel.  Will pick up a small Rapala floater.   And a Muddler Minnow for a fly only stream.