• 70 things to bring

What Should I Bring on a Fishing Charter

Sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen lotion, non-slip shoes, water and cash for the crew: what to bring, part by part.

What Should I Bring on a Fishing Charter

  1. SunglassesThe glare off the water lasts all day, and hooks swing at eye height.
  2. Strap for your sunglassesThe sea keeps what falls in.
  3. Hat with a chin cordThe boat runs fast between spots, and a loose cap goes over the side.
  4. Sunscreen lotionPut it on at the dock, before your hands smell of bait.
  5. Lip balmWind and salt dry lips out by noon.
  6. Long-sleeved sun shirtLight, quick to dry and two fewer arms to cover in lotion.
  7. Neck gaiterPull it up over your nose and ears when the sun is high.
  8. WindbreakerSpray comes over the bow on a dry day too.
  9. Shoes with pale, non-slip solesThey grip a wet deck and leave no marks for the crew to scrub off.
  10. Quick-dry shorts or pantsCotton that gets splashed at eight is still wet at noon.
  11. Warm layer for the ride outIt is colder on open water at dawn than it was in the parking lot.
  12. Thin gloves, if you have a pairThey save your hands from the line and from fins.
  13. Small towelFor your hands, for the seat and for your face after a wave.
  14. Waterproof phone pouchYou will want photos, and you will have wet hands.
  15. Cap as a spareFor when the first hat goes over the side anyway.

Next step Name the boat while you wait for a bite

All 70 things to bring

For sun and spray 15

  • Cap as a spare For when the first hat goes over the side anyway.
  • Hat with a chin cord The boat runs fast between spots, and a loose cap goes over the side.
  • Lip balm Wind and salt dry lips out by noon.
  • Long-sleeved sun shirt Light, quick to dry and two fewer arms to cover in lotion.
  • Neck gaiter Pull it up over your nose and ears when the sun is high.
  • Quick-dry shorts or pants Cotton that gets splashed at eight is still wet at noon.
  • Shoes with pale, non-slip soles They grip a wet deck and leave no marks for the crew to scrub off.
  • Small towel For your hands, for the seat and for your face after a wave.
  • Strap for your sunglasses The sea keeps what falls in.
  • Sunglasses The glare off the water lasts all day, and hooks swing at eye height.
  • Sunscreen lotion Put it on at the dock, before your hands smell of bait.
  • Thin gloves, if you have a pair They save your hands from the line and from fins.
  • Warm layer for the ride out It is colder on open water at dawn than it was in the parking lot.
  • Waterproof phone pouch You will want photos, and you will have wet hands.
  • Windbreaker Spray comes over the bow on a dry day too.

Food and drink 14

  • Bag for your trash What you bring aboard goes home with you, not over the side.
  • Cup with a lid An open cup is empty by the second wave.
  • Drinks in cans or plastic bottles Easier on a deck than glass.
  • Flask of coffee for a dawn start Lid on tight: the run out is the bumpiest part.
  • Frozen water bottles They chill the lunch all morning and are cold water by noon.
  • Granola bars They live in a pocket until the fish stop biting.
  • Grapes or apple slices Fruit that needs no peeling and is not a banana.
  • Mints or hard candy Something to keep in your cheek on the ride out.
  • More water than seems needed Sun, wind and salt make a long day thirsty. Ask what the boat supplies.
  • Nuts or jerky Food that needs no ice and no plate.
  • Paper towels For hands, between the bait and the sandwich.
  • Pretzels Dry, salty and eaten with one hand on the rail.
  • Sandwiches, each in its own bag Wet hands then touch only the one being eaten.
  • Small soft cooler for lunch It folds into a corner; ask the captain before you bring a hard one aboard.

For the dock and the catch 14

  • A plan for dinner Ask the captain how the fish you are after is best cooked.
  • Booking confirmation and the dock address A marina has many slips. Note the boat's name and where it ties up.
  • Cash for fish cleaning Some docks charge for it. Ask before the knives come out.
  • Cash for the crew's tip The mate baits, nets and untangles all day. Ask when you book what is usual.
  • Dry clothes, left in the car The drive home is better in a dry shirt.
  • Fishing license, if you need your own Ask the captain when you book whether the boat's license covers you.
  • Gallon zip bags Fillets go in flat, with the fish and the date written on the bag.
  • Ice for the car cooler Buy it on the way, or ask whether the dock sells it.
  • Large cooler, left in the car The catch rides home in it. It does not need to come aboard.
  • Old towel for the car seat You will smell of bait on the ride home.
  • Permanent marker To name the bags when two families share one cooler.
  • Phone with room for photos Take the picture before the fish goes in the box.
  • Photo ID Keep it with the booking in case the office asks for it.
  • Tub or bags to line the trunk A full cooler leaks at the first corner.

For a rough sea 12

  • The captain's phone number Weather cancels trips. Look for a message before you drive to the dock.
  • Dry bag Phone, keys and wallet ride in one bag that can take a soaking.
  • Float for your car keys Keys sink. A foam key float does not.
  • Hair ties Wind at speed turns loose hair into a blindfold.
  • Lanyard for your phone Two hands for the rail leaves none for a phone.
  • Plain crackers Something dry to nibble if the swell picks up.
  • Small backpack that zips shut An open tote empties itself on the first big roll.
  • Spare clothes in a sealed bag If a wave finds you at nine, you will want them by ten.
  • Warm hat and gloves, out of season Cold spray and a cold rail make a long morning.
  • Waterproof jacket and pants For the forecast that says wind: spray comes sideways.
  • Your own motion sickness remedy, if you use one Ask a pharmacist which one and when to take it.
  • Zip bag for your wallet Paper money dries. A soaked license takes longer.

Leave at home 15

  • No bananas An old sailors' superstition calls them bad luck on a fishing boat. Why test it.
  • No dark-soled shoes They leave black scuffs on a pale deck.
  • No drone, unless you have asked The captain decides what flies off the deck.
  • No flip-flops Hooks, fins and a wet deck are all at toe height.
  • No glass bottles Broken glass and a rolling deck do not mix.
  • No good jewelry or good watch Rings slip off cold, wet fingers.
  • No hard suitcase or big duffel There is nowhere to stow it. One small bag each.
  • No laptop, or anything that cannot get wet A boat has no dry corner you can count on.
  • No plans that need a phone signal Service can drop away from shore. Send your messages from the dock.
  • No rods of your own, unless the captain says to The boat carries tackle matched to the fish. Ask before you bring yours.
  • No spray sunscreen It drifts onto the deck and makes it slick. Bring lotion.
  • No tight plan for the afternoon Boats come back when the fishing and the sea allow.
  • No umbrella It is a sail the moment the boat moves.
  • Not your best clothes Bait and fish slime do not wash out.
  • Not your dog, unless the charter says yes Ask when you book, and ask where a dog would ride.

How it works

These 70 things to bring on a fishing charter cover sun and spray, food and drink, the dock and the catch, a rough sea, and what to leave at home.

Read the full guide

Ask the captain four things

Every charter sets its own rules, and this list cannot know your boat's. When you book, ask whether the boat's license covers you or you need your own, what food, drink and tackle are supplied, how much room there is for a cooler, and what the crew is usually tipped.

The big cooler stays in the car

Bring a large cooler and leave it in the car with ice in it. It is for the drive home. Ask whether the crew ices and cleans the fish on the trip. Aboard, a small soft cooler for lunch is all you carry.

  • Be at the dock early. Boats leave on time, and the slip can be a long walk from the parking lot.
  • Tell someone ashore which boat you are on and when it is due back.

Questions and answers

What should I bring with me on a fishing charter trip?

Sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen lotion, shoes with pale non-slip soles, a light jacket, water, lunch in a small soft cooler, cash for the crew, and a large cooler left in the car for the catch.

Do I need a fishing license on a charter boat?

The rule changes with the state and the water. Ask the captain when you book whether the boat's license covers you or you must buy your own, and bring it if you must.

What should I wear on a fishing charter?

Layers that dry fast: a long-sleeved sun shirt, shorts or light pants, a warm top for the ride out and a windbreaker. Add closed shoes with pale non-slip soles, a hat with a cord and sunglasses on a strap.

What should I not bring on a fishing charter?

Glass bottles, spray sunscreen, dark-soled shoes, hard luggage and good jewelry. Leave your own rods at home unless the captain says to bring them, and, by an old sailors' superstition, leave the bananas too.

More tools

Show 8 more

Browse Entertainment