Gear I Actually Use
These are products I own and recommend. From the boat to the desk — stuff that's worked for me.
Rods & Trolling
Rods, reels, and divers that get baits down
Okuma Cold Water CW-203D
Linecounter reel that pairs with the GLT rods. Same reel with a bigger spool as the CW-303D, or left-hand as the 203DLX.
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Okuma Convector Linecounter
Step up from the Cold Water — levelwind, heavier drag. The one to reach for when you're pulling boards or big divers.
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Dipsy Diver — Pink/Chartreuse UV/Chrome
Gets baits down and out to the side. Hot color.
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Dipsy Diver — Chartreuse/Green UV/Chrome
Same diver, green spread. Goes in the rotation.
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Ugly Stik GX2 6'6" Spinning Rod
Three-piece medium-power rod. Tough all-around stick.
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Daiwa Wilderness Downrigger 8'
Two-piece downrigger rod. I run the 7' and 8'6" too, but Amazon only lists the 8' and 9'. Also sold in black.
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Reaction Tackle X8 Braid, 30#
Eight-strand, 300 yards. Hi-vis yellow on purpose — you can see where every line is running and keep a spread from crossing itself.
View on AmazonWorm Harnesses
Exactly what I tie my harnesses with — four builds, component by component
Standard Mono / Glass
Per harness: 2 hooks · 9 glass beads · 1 clevis · 2 ft of 20# mono · 1 blade (see Blades below)
Octopus Hooks, Size 2
Two per harness. The same hook goes in every build on this page.
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Glass Beads, 6mm
Nine per harness. Sold for jewelry making — same bead, better price than the tackle aisle.
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No-Loss Clevis
Holds the blade and lets it spin. One per harness. Janns Netcraft — not on Amazon.
View at Janns Netcraft
Worm Burner
Per harness: 6 in of nylon-coated wire · 2 crimps · 1 treble · 1 hook · 1 speed snap · 1 split ring — no clevis, no blade
Eupheng Nylon-Coated Wire, 20#
Coated stainless, not mono. About six inches per burner.
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Crimps, #3 / .055 Black
Two per burner. Sized for the coated wire above — the #2 sleeves are for the steel build.
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Treble Hook
The trailer. One per burner — this is what makes it a burner instead of a harness.
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Split Rings, #3
Joins the treble. One per burner. The #3 opens easier than the #2 at the same 61 lb rating.
View on AmazonFluoro / Bloop UV
Per harness: 2 ft of 25# fluorocarbon · 2 hooks · 1 clevis · 9 Bloop UV beads · 1 blade
Seaguar AbrazX Fluorocarbon, 25#
Two feet per harness. The leader is what the price step-up over the mono build buys you.
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Bloop Super Charged Walleye Beads
Nine per harness. The UV bead is the whole point of this build. FishUSA — not on Amazon.
View at FishUSASteel Wire / Bloop UV
Per harness: 18 in of stainless wire · 2 crimps · 2 hooks · 1 clevis · 9 Bloop UV beads · 1 blade
AFW Surflon Micro Supreme
Eighteen inches per harness. The most expensive thing in any of these builds, and why this one costs what it does.
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Crimps, #2 / .047
Two per harness. Sized for the wire above — don't mix these up with the #3s.
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Blades — any harness
One per harness, except the Worm Burner. Colorado blades in gold and copper; the UV is the upgrade.
Wolverine Silver Streak, UV
The upgrade blade, and the one that actually costs something. FishUSA — not on Amazon.
View at FishUSACatfish Rigs
Slip-sinker parts for getting bait on the bottom and off it
HI-SEAS Grand Slam, 50#
Main line. Heavy enough to pull a snagged sinker free instead of losing the whole rig.
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HI-SEAS Grand Slam, 30#
Leader. Lighter than the main line on purpose — if something has to break, break it below the sinker.
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Sinker Slides
Lets the weight ride the main line so a fish can take bait without dragging the sinker. The snap makes changing weight a two-second job.
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Silicone Bobber Stops
Pegs the slide so the leader length stays put. Silicone grips without cutting line the way a hard bead and knot can.
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Rattling Peg Floats
Lifts bait off the bottom and out of the mud, and the rattle gives them something to home in on in dirty water.
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Circle Hooks, 2/0
Circle, not J — a cat that swallows still hooks in the jaw corner, which matters on a rod sitting in a holder. This 2/0 suits worms, liver and shrimp; same hook in 6/0 or 7/0 for cut bait.
View on AmazonElectronics & Power
Sonar, comms, and the wiring behind them
Marinco 70A Trolling Motor Plug
Solid plug & receptacle for the trolling motor setup.
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Mounts & Rigging
Holding everything where it needs to be
Tools & Landing
Nets, pliers, and the rest of the deck kit
CE Smith Knife & Plier Rack
Keeps tools organized and in reach at the cleaning station.
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Stubby Screwdriver Set
Magnetic, five pieces, short enough to reach the screws a full-size driver can't.
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Anchor Marker Buoy
Marks where the anchor actually is. High-vis, so you can find the spot again instead of guessing at it.
View on AmazonStorage & Apparel
Keeping gear dry and the sun off
KastKing La Sal Sun Gloves
Fingerless UPF50+ gloves — sun protection without losing feel.
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Lakewood Sidekick
Soft-sided hard case with removable dividers. Holds harnesses flat without tangling them.
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Lakewood Mini Sidekick
Same case, smaller footprint. The one that actually fits under a console seat.
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HEETA Dry Duffel, 50L
Bigger than a dry sack and easier to carry. Orange, so it doesn't disappear into a dark rod locker.
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Malo'o Dry Duffel
Heavier build than the HEETA, with a shoulder strap and MOLLE webbing. The one to carry if you're walking any distance.
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Leader & Rig Holder
Spools tied harnesses and rigs without kinking them. Cheaper than retying everything that came out of a tackle tray in a knot.
View on AmazonDesk Setup
Where the apps get built
Content Creation
YouTube & streaming gear
Insta360 Ace Pro 2 (Dual Battery)
My main camera. The dual-battery bundle goes everywhere.
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Floating GoPro Grip
Extends for the over-the-gunwale shots, and floats when it goes in — which it will.
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