Pushing a skiff off the dock and motoring away from the boat ramp is the beginning of a journey. The endless flats give us the chance to explore, with the potential for something new around any corner. You never know where you might end up or what you might find. That’s the beauty of fishing off a skiff, the journey into the unknown. But like any type of fishing, skiffs require their fair share of respect, and the proper gear to handle anything you may come across out on the water.
In this installment of “What We Pack,” we explore our list of skiff essentials we refined over the years, as well as some from legendary guide Captain Jeff Legutki. Jeff fishes the 10,000 Islands region, an area that, even for seasoned guides, can be intimidating. Endless islands, rivers, and channels appear to be a maze at first glance, requiring years of experience and the right gear to navigate and fish properly. This guide to packing for a skiff trip will leave you adequately prepared for any fishery, including the vast Everglades.
The Purpose of this Guide
Not every angler has the luxury of spending as much time on the water as seasoned guides like Jeff Legutki. He has been guiding the 10,000 Islands region since 2000 and has spent countless days on the water. This time has been invaluable for refining our list of skiff essentials. Follow along as we share our comprehensive list of essential skiff items in this guide to what we pack.
Skiff Essentials
From fishing tackle to technical apparel, and everything in between, below is our list of skiff essentials.
Sun Protection
Sun protection should be your top priority when fishing in any tropical or subtropical fishery. The sun’s harmful UV rays will sneak up on you in just a few hours, and over days or even years, can turn deadly. While sunscreen is the obvious answer, it can ruin a good fly, leave a greasy texture on your hands, and is easy to forget to reapply (especially when fishing is good). Luckily for today’s anglers, plenty of technical sun apparel exists to counter the effects of the sun.
Buff Neck Gaiter and Hat
Two essentials any guide or angler shouldn’t leave home without are a Buff Neck Gaiter and a hat. Combined, the two offer nearly 100% coverage on your face and neck. Additionally, the Buff CoolNet UV Neckwear features built-in cooling technology to keep you comfortable on the hottest days on the water. This neck gaiter is also UPF 50 rated for all-day sun protection. Pair this with a Buff Trucker Cap, and you have complete protection from the sun, without having to worry about reapplying sunscreen.
Sunglasses
In addition to a neck gaiter and hat, a pair of sunglasses is a crucial piece of gear to complete your sun protection. Polarized sunglasses will also help you see through the water and spot fish. We prefer large wrap-around sunglasses for maximum coercion, like the Costa King Tides. The 8-wrapped version of this glass features a more curved frame that fully covers your face. For flats fishing, opt for the green mirror lenses.
Another pro tip is to add a UV nose cover to any pair of sunglasses. These can be found fairly cheaply online and cover your nose fully, one of the most common spots to get burned. They may look weird, but it’s a worthy investment to keep your skin safe.
Buff Sun Gloves
Another common and often overlooked place to get burned is your hands. While most sun shirts have thumb loops, nothing beats a pair of sungloves to keep your hands protected. Buff’s Aqua+ Gloves provide full coverage and protection for your hands and fingers. They also have padding on the fingers and palms to help add grip to manage your fly line while avoiding line burns.
Sun Shirt and Pants
The last piece of essential sun apparel is a pair of sun pants and a sun shirt or hoodie. Combined, these two will leave you completely covered and protected from the sun. While there are plenty of options available, opt for ones that are lightweight and breathable, such as those from Free Fly or Duck Camp.
Essential Gear
Next up on our skiff packing list is essential gear. This ranges from safety essentials to terminal tackle. Below are all the items that always make it in the boat.
Safety Gear
Proper safety equipment should be a priority on any boat, especially a skiff fishing the backcountry. Engines can fail, and accidents can happen, so having everything you need in case of emergency is crucial. The basics (and legal requirements) include life jackets, flares, an air horn, and a fire extinguisher. Having a small storage box with these essentials is a wise investment. In the case of an emergency, everything is dry, serviceable, and easily accessible.
On top of the basics, carrying some sort of satellite-powered communication device is essential. Once you push away from the dock, there is little to no service in the backcountry. Carrying a Garmin inReach enables you to signal for help while also alerting search and rescue teams to your exact location. Another great piece of gear to carry is an EPIRB. Like the inReach, an EPIRB emits a satellite signal alerting search and rescue to your location and that you need help.
The last piece of safety gear we never leave home without is some sort of trauma and first aid kit. A basic first aid kit typically includes items such as Band-Aids, antibiotic cream, and ibuprofen. While you’ll normally find yourself reaching for this kit, having a full-on trauma kit is a must. Even if you never have to use it, carrying items like QuickClot, a tourniquet, and other wound dressings can save your life. Accidents happen on the water, and having the needed tools to treat severe wounds in the event of a prop strike, shark bite, or other emergency can mean the difference between life and death.
Rods and Reels
The Everglades is a diverse fishery, where anglers regularly encounter redfish, snook, trout, and tarpon. With such a variety of fish to target comes the need for multiple rods and reels. In general, anglers should carry fly rods ranging from 8- to 11-wt. For reds and trout, an 8-weight will cover your needs. For snook, particularly big snook, having a 9- or 10-wt rod allows you to throw larger flies and pull these powerful fish out of the mangroves. Lastly, the annual tarpon migration calls for anglers to break out the big rods. Here, an 11-wt rod is essential for taming the silver king. All of these rods should be paired with matching-sized reels that have sealed drags. This prevents saltwater from corroding the internal drag systems.
Fly Line
Advancements in fly lines have significantly improved shallow water sightfishing in recent years. Our favorite lines to throw are the new Scientific Anglers Magnitude Textured Clear Tip fly lines. These lines feature an aggressive taper to help load fast-action rods and turn over flies in the wind. These lines feature a clear tip in the form of a 15-foot clear section at the head of the fly line. When fish are particularly spooky, this enables you to land your fly without detection, while still being able to fish it without wondering where your fly is. If you haven’t fished this line before, we highly recommend giving it a try.
Line Control
Our last piece of essential gear encompasses several forms of controlling your fly line. The two most common fly line management tools are a stripping bucket or a fly line mat. They both serve the same purpose, in keeping your fly line under control and ready for a tangle-free cast. In general, stripping buckets are better when you’re waiting for shots on a particular fish. You can stow your line in the bucket and be ready for a cast at a moment’s notice.
Fly line pads, on the other hand, are great for blind casting. Their low-profile design allows you to cast and strip repeatedly, all while focusing on the fly. Since the pad is at floor level, you don’t have to focus on getting the line back into a bucket opening. Instead, you can focus on fishing while the fly line pad does the work of catching your line.
Final Thoughts
Skiffs can take us to incredible places off the beaten path and untouched by most. That said, like any boat, they deserve their fair share of respect. Properly outfitting your skiff will allow you to fish in comfort and in confidence, long after you leave civilization. This guide to what we pack will keep you prepared for anything a day exploring the backcountry may throw at you.
