As anglers, we all love gear and I would like to talk about some essential fishing tools that we must always have on our bags. Flashlights, knives, and multi-tools should be carried daily and they will help us get through our days on and off the water.

Here’s why you need to pack them in your fishing bag the next time you head out.

1. Light – Handy Flashlights or a Headlamp

Half of our days are covered by the darkness of night and as anglers, we utilize this time of darkness to prepare for the day ahead or pack up for the trip home, so there is a great chance that we’ll need a source of light for us to work effectively.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, your smartphone has a built in flashlight and is quite useful, but let’s see you put your phone in your mouth trying to aim the light beam towards the rods you are trying to pack into the rod tube in pitch black darkness.

A prepared angler must have an independent light source to find their way around darkness and is an essential part of kit all anglers must have with them.

Pocket sized flashlights are very handy and are very simple to operate, most have multiple light and brightness settings and use common household batteries.

Since we will spend most the time on or near water, some sort of water resistance is important. Most modern flashlights and headlamps will be at least IPX4 sealed and will survive rainstorms and the normal saltwater spray.

There will be lights made to be fully waterproof and can be submerged so check them out as well.

“Who we are and what we do in our daily lives will help define what our personal kit should be, barebones and lightweight or hardcore and heavy.”

Here are some lights that you may want to check out:

LEDLENSER P5.2

Providing 140 lumens and a beam distance of 120m, the Ledlenser is a capable flashlight. It will give you 4 hours of continuous light source before the batteries run out. Not fully waterproof but is IPX4 rated and should survive splashes and rain.

OLIGHT R20 JAVELOT

A pretty powerful flashlight with 900 lumens at max and a beam distance of 314 meters. Won’t last long in this setting though but is just good to have. This guy is fully submersible as it has an IPX8 rating. It’s also recharged using a USB cable so charging is easy.

SUREFIRE TITAN PLUS

Ultra-compact, pocket sized but has some proper power. 300 lumens for a pen sized light is amazing. The tiny terror.

2. Multi-tools

Memories of predicaments wherein we needed a certain tool to perform a quick and easy task but came up short. In angling and in life in general, we just don’t know what life will throw at us and it is very hard to anticipate which specific tools we’ll need on a daily basis, but this is where multi-tools come into play.

Multi-tools emerged when the swiss army knife just wasn’t enough anymore. These boys are built for many uses and some are very fishing-specific. In all honesty, any multi-tool you have handy will work fine for our fishing specific needs. You just have to make sure that it is well maintained and will open and work in a pinch.

In case you are in the market for a new multi-tool, check out some of our top picks:

LEATHERMAN WAVE+

Leatherman’s best-selling multi-tool yet, and has a name that just screams fishing. This bad boy has a total of 18 tools along with the replaceable wire cutters that is of very much importance.

All 18 tools can be opened and locked quickly, conveniently to tackle any task. Many of these tools are outside-accessible, so you can use them when the multi-tool is folded and closed.

GERBER TRAUSS

17 tools built to the needs of the everyday professional and the recreational fisherman. This full-size multi-tool is lightweight but strong. The result is a professional-grade multi-tool that bridges the gap between the problem and the solution.

SOG POWERASSIST

Full-sized, bulky, large and rugged, it will take a lot of space in your fishing bag or tackle box but is a great tool for the hard user.

3. Knives

Oh, the joys of having a pocketknife handy are just immeasurable. Opening packages, cutting snagged lines, slicing and cutting and cutting and slicing. If you don’t already carry a knife, we highly suggest getting yourself one now.

There are lots of different knives out on the market but a folding bladed knife with a pocket clip is the most practical, unless you want to get one for hunting as well, then fixed blade knives are for you.

Here are our top picks:

BENCHMADE BUGOUT 535

The Bugout was designed for the modern outdoor adventurer, incorporating the lightest, best performing materials in an extremely slim yet ergonomic package.

SPYDERCO BROUWER

The heart of the Brouwer is its full-flat-ground blade which is made of stainless steel. Its drop-point profile offers outstanding utility, while a paired index-finger choil and textured thumb ramp ensure precise control when used with a “choked-up” grip.

CRKT GUNGHO

Simple, elegant and purely functional. Beauty and strength in its simplicity is what attracted me to this knife.

Try to visit physical outdoor shops and tackle stores to have a feel of the products in person. Pictures and written descriptions can only do so much. A personal feel is the best.

You’ll most probably have these items with you a lot of the time and they should feel good on you.

Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that these commonly carried items are just the tip of the iceberg for the EDC enthusiast but should always be part of our kit as anglers.

Who we are and what we do in our daily lives will help define what our personal kit should be, barebones and lightweight or hardcore and heavy. It is all up to our personal preference and what we think fits our daily and fishing lives.

I hope this article lights the fuse for your quest to achieve maximum fishing preparedness. These three items are always with me, in my bag and pockets. Hopefully you’ll have them on you too.

If you are looking for a true sport fishing company that offers specialized topwater and jigging adventures anywhere in the Pacific Islands, contact Ocean Blue Fishing now for your Vanuatu Fishing trips and needs!