I didn't want to hijack the "max psk" thread but was hoping for some feedback, so I thought I'd start a new thread for all you fishermen and fishergirls out there. My annual fishing weekend is coming up in a little over a month. We usually rent the same cabin, on a river that leads to a small lake, going no further than our arms and legs can row and peddle us. This year we're going to the cottage of one of the members of our group. It's not entirely remote but it is on a much bigger lake, which is sparsely populated at that time of year. We'll be using a 16ft motor boat this year to haul us and our gear around. She is very familar with the area, boat, etc. but it will be a mostly new experience for the rest of us. (We usually just fish the doc when we're there at other times with our families.) Weather conditions can change quickly on this lake, especially in the fall, and it can take a while to motor back to the cottage even at the best of times. We've already experienced a medical emergency in the middle of the lake in summer, and this trip presents a host of scenarios that I'd like us

The title of your post says "fishing kits" but the list of items appears to be for a PSK.

If I were to add one thing it would be a PLB and I would also hope that the boat is equipped with a marine band radio that someone is experienced with especially considering the spottiness of the cell phone reception.

Also the boat has appropriately sized life jackets for all and there is a set of oars in case of engine failure?

if you can find a source for the MRE hot beverage pouches they make a good water transport bag if you are using micro pure or ClO2, and fold flat

a DIY version is to use a vacuum food saver bag... I cut mine to match the length of the sealing bar...double seamed it... depending on volume you want (probably a liter to use the pills) you may not be able to get two per bag section (I used about an 8" section)

I use a 4"x7" heavy duty zip pouch (folds in half, easily fits unobtrusively in cargo pocket) that will hold 350ml liquid to carry some OTC meds, povodine wipes,hemostatic gauze, ClO2 tabs, cloth knuckle bandages,water pouch, along with the signal mirror from an AMK

I used some heavy duty clear packing tape to attach the AMK mini compass to the bottom of a full size Bic lighter

I have an inexpensive ChiCom head light on my bicycle, powered by 3 AAAs...that has a reasonably bright strobe cycle... also the rear red blinking warning light might be considered

Well, my idea would be that there would be some items in the kit that they would use just for that weekend and that would compel them to take it on the boat, and some of them would be fun items, and then there would be some items that they would keep in the kit for future use...

Here's a few ideas in addition to the items you already listed....

• a map of the lake with depth soundings, boat ramps, marinas and marked with the location of the house you're staying at (free if you print them yourself?)
• Sunscreen packets from minimus.biz or similar - less than $1
• Sunburn cream packets - same as above - less than $1
• bug repellent wipes - same as above - less than $1
• soap for fishy hands or towelette packets - same as above - less than $1
• one hand warmer - you could get the "toe" size that are real small. - less than $1
• Leland Marine Emergency Strobe Light - $15
• liquid filled 20mm button compass $4
• Coghlan's Compass and thermometer zipper pull $3
• Lightload Towels - super compressed towel pack minimus.biz $1
• 1/8"x2" ferro rod - $1 at goinggear.com
• P38 for a ferro rod striker - $1 - or use a cut down hacksaw blade which is even cheaper
• one lure - get one that would be appropriate for the lake you're visiting - get something cool and colorful - $3
• hemostatic Kelly forceps 5.5 inch - cheap ones for pulling hooks - $1 at bpmedicalsupplies.com
• small fingernail clippers and lanyard for nipping fish line knots - less than $1 at dollar store
• cheap sunglasses - all matching so y'all can look alike for the pictures - $1 at dollar store
• a printout of the fishing regs in very small print - perhaps on a business card sized paper - It would show sizes and bag limits for the most popular species you are likely to catch - print it yourself so it's free - include the year so people will throw it away after this season.
• keychain mini measuring tape - something to measure fish with - $2
• one coffee stirrer, two creamer packets, two sugar packets - free - snarf from coffee shop
• Aqua-Pouch 1 liter - $6 from bepreparedtosurvive.com
• moleskin - for blisters from paddling - $1
• Lansky mini crock keychain knife sharpener AND hook sharpener - $2
• 4" glow stick - $1
• fish stringer - $1
• Salt, pepper, lemon juice packets - fixin's for a shore lunch - packets at minimus.biz for less than $1 Throw in 1 or 2 square feet of foil.
• An empty mini-ziplock that is sized perfectly to the size of your fishing license.
• small carabiner attached to the carry bag OR a small carabiner plus a keychain float to make the entire bag unsinkable - $2 to $3
• microdropper bottle of reel oil - buy microdropper bottles and fill them yourself - $2
• netknots.com knot cards - 2-1/4"x3-1/2" - $6

I think the digital camera bag is fine. An altoids tin may last longer though and might even be cheaper. You can get plain tins from places like bepreparedtosurvive.com. You could also wrap a hard sided tin in paracord. My personal favorite for what you're trying to do would be an Equinox No-See-Um Mesh Bag. They come in three sizes and they are cheap (between $3 and $5) They are also very high quality with a nice cord lock on them and they are see through. http://www.equinoxltd.com/the-gear/bags-and-pouches/no-see-um-mesh-bag.cfm If you went with the mesh bag, then you could use Aloksak baggies or just cheap mini ziplock baggies for the contents. You could have a baggie for first aid, a baggie for condiments, etc.

Also, I don't personally believe in using ponchos on boats. People who fall into the water while wearing a poncho can end up with the poncho around their head, and once they get that squared away, they try to tread water and swim with it and it is very hard to do. In a panicked state, people don't think to just slip out of the poncho and abandon it - they keep it on and struggle. I'm not sure what you could replace it with though. You could look for a Tyvek rain jacket or look for something called a "marathon jacket" - jackets that are waterproof and given out to marathoners and are disposable... check out http://sheddableshell.com/ The only problem with jackets instead of ponchos is that you'll have to decide what sizes to buy in advance.

What a cool idea. I hope I came up with some good ideas for you.

I thought of another item to add...

AMK Rescue Flash Signal Mirror- Mini - 2"x1.5" goinggear.com $7

If you take disposable poncho’s I would add several feet of duct tape.
The wind on the water, in a storm can make a light poncho useless.
A bit of duct tape will keep the poncho close to the body and out of your face.

I roll my own. For a round roll I start with paper wrapped around a pencil then wrap as much tape as I want.
Once complete just slide the roll off the pencil.

For something flatter I wrap duct tape around a business card (this fits nicely in an Altoids tin).

Good Luck and good fishing.

Good point about the thread title Teslinhiker. We're pretty well set up in terms for fishing and cottage gear. It's really an unexpected emergency I have in mind to prepare for. For them, an emergency would be a broken coffee maker, forgetting a key ingredient for dinner, loosing power to the music system or running out of wobbly pop.

None of us would be caught on the water without ifejackets or paddles, but I'm not sure about a radio on the boat. A radio or plb is a great idea. i carry a small air horn in my kit but a sparse audience on a big lake makes it less effective.

Great ideas Les! Thanks!

I found a whistle/strobe light at Walmart and Canadian Tire this week. They're designed to attach to a lifejacket and are wateeproof/resistant. They're about $6 each but I think I'll splurge. We should all have whistles attached to our lifejackets anyway and I think it's a great way to get them to take two small steps closer to preparedness without having to think about it.

I like the compass idea. They might think it's overkill but if I can make it unobtrusive, they won't think about it. They all know how to use one so why not.

I've been thinking ziplock bags too. Waterproofing the kit is important, and I've got a limited budget for this project. A couple for each kit would work well. A MRE beverage bag would be great for inside the kit as well . Army suplus store, here I come!

Thanks Nugget! Great suggestions!

We're pretty set for food, drink and fishing gear but I've forgotten some key items. Thanks for the reminders.

Map, compass, and licences are kept in a coglans map case in the boat, along with bug spray, lip balm and sunscreen. Individual versions is a good idea.

Hand cleaner! (soap and wipes) I almost forgot! 1 cut finger from a line can quickly lead to infection. Not to stinky hands!

Signal mirrors, handwarmers, floating key chains, glow sticks, ferro rods, tins and mesh bags - great thinking! Thanks!

Goid point about ending up in the water in a poncho. We dress pretty sensibly so I'm thinking of the them strickly for an emergency shelter component to the kit.

One of the tricks to this project is their acceptance. Whenever the topic of preparedness comes up, they start using words like "paranoid", "kooky", and "freak". Even our world traveler - who takes a kit when she goes to jungles, deserts and mountains - doesn't see the need when we're "just at the cottage." I don't want to preach, just want a small pocket kit that they can carry without thinking about it.

Group sunglasses - I love it! We've got branded sweatshirts and hats already. Sunglasses would be fun!

Great ideas, Callahan. Thanks!

Of course, as the cost starts inching up, I think a Ritter AMK PSK might be a good solution. I just can't justify the cost right now so I'm trying to build my own.

Jackie...in the late 70s I was fishing in a 14' jon boat in the Gulf of Mexico, about 1 mile off the entrance marker of a heavy traffic channel...a sea breeze was blowing, and I was fishing off the stern... when I turned around a dense sea fog was about 25m from my anchor... by the time I started the motor and ran the anchor line, I was completely engulfed by the fog... I swung round, but had completely lost any reference clues except the cavitation bubbles in the water...I could hear traffic of larger craft... luckily I was slightly north of the channel, and decided to let the sea breeze take me shallow with the motor idling... I sat it out for a couple of hours till the fog lifted... a whistle, compass, chart section, and signal mirror were always in my tackle box after that...

when I fish with friends, I make sure I carry my own...It's hard to see small craft in 8' swells... you might get some waterproof copy paper, and make a Google Earth satellite/topo chart of the area for each person

Thanks Les. Point well taken. I wish I could get my friends to buy-in. Something like what happened to you is so within the realm of possibility. My fathe -in-law's hubby died in a fishing accident, in fact.

I always bring my own gear, and am a big fan of having the basics on your person, in fear or anticipation of a scenario like this.

Bacpacjac,
I get this all the time. Some people simply will not accept advice. Don't worry about the "won't buy in" brigade. Once you have advised, youhave fullfilled any obligations th at you could possibly have to them.

Also: Your only duty if it goes pear shaped is to get yourself home to your husband and kid's. If anyone survives, well, that is a bonus.

Thanks Leigh!

Are you able to leave a light burning at the cabin / dock ? Perhaps there is already one there or there are nearby street lights or town ?
If you come back at night (unexpectedly) a light makes it much easier to find the place. Something like a quality glow stick would do the job.

I guess you will check that your PSK kit bag floats ? It would be a pity to capsize and have it sink !