Bass Fishing Gear I Use and Recommend
On a Texas Hawgs trip, all rods, reels and tackle are provided. Bring a Texas fishing license (17+), polarized sunglasses, a hat, sun protection, and food and drinks. Below is that list, the YOLOtek camera mount I run, and the brands in my boat.
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What to bring on your trip
Rods, reels and tackle are all provided, so you don't need to buy fishing gear. These are the things that make a long day on the water comfortable.
Texas fishing license
Required for anyone 17 or older. Buy it online from Texas Parks and Wildlife before the trip.
Polarized sunglasses
The most useful thing you can bring. Polarized lenses cut the glare so you can see fish, cover and the bottom.
Wide-brim hat or sun hood
There is no shade on a bass boat. A hat or a neck gaiter saves your face and ears by noon.
Sun gloves and sunscreen
Hands burn fast holding a rod all day. Fingerless sun gloves and sport sunscreen fix that.
Rain jacket
Texas weather turns quickly. A packable rain jacket also blocks wind on a cool morning run.
Small soft cooler
For your drinks and lunch. A soft cooler fits better on the boat than a big hard one.
Film your catch
I run YOLOtek on my boat to record the big moments. It mounts on the boat, keeps an action camera charged from boat power, and records the whole day.
YOLOtek PowerStick camera mount
A telescoping boat mount that powers a GoPro or other action camera from the boat battery. This is the setup I use. #AlwaysBeRecording
The gear in my boat
These are the brands I fish with every day and have been with for years. If you're buying your own gear, this is what I'd point you to.
Abu Garcia rods
Rods I keep plenty of in my boat. Pair one with an Abu Garcia reel for a matched setup.
Berkley baits
My boat has plenty of Berkley PowerBait soft plastics, and we use them daily.
T-H Marine boat accessories
For boating gear such as jack plates and foot-throttle parts.
Trip gear - FAQs
What items should we bring on the trip?
I like things easy, so the main thing you must bring is a fishing license. I provide all the fishing tackle, so other things you can bring are a cap, polarized sunglasses, drinks, food and sunscreen. Please limit the size of any coolers.
Why hire a bass fishing guide?
Knowing where to start is most of the battle, especially on big water. A guide brings the boat and all the tackle and knows which lake, cover and pattern are producing that week - so instead of burning a day searching, you spend it catching.
How many guests can fit in your boat?
I can legally have up to 6 people in my boat, including me, your captain. It's best to keep this number to 2 or 3 though so there's plenty of room to fish safely.
Can you accommodate large groups?
I can certainly accommodate by hiring as many guides as needed to fulfill the number of guests that will be attending.
Where will we meet?
I have addresses where we'll meet on each lake's page. I'll be glad to try to pick guests up at their dock within reason.
You don't need any of this to fish with me. Everything's in the boat. Tell me about your group and I'll set up the day.