The Ultimate Sailfish Season Gear Guide

Frigid mornings. Fowl weather gear. Baitwells full of feisty goggle eyes. And the sound of a screaming reel as that first sailfish tail walks across the horizon. That's right boys and girls, sailfish season is officially here. The afternoons may be getting shorter, but the sun will rise earlier, meaning 6am coffee-sipping as the kites go up right along with the sun. Whether you're a weekend warrior or a hardcore tournament angler, as the excitement builds, we've put together a little checklist to make sure everyone is prepped with all things boating related. 

Kites - hard to kite fish without them. Pick up a set so you're prepared for whatever the wind forecast throws at you. The kite bag is a must too in order to keep these delicate kites safe and sound on and off the water. Full kit here

Trident rod holder - these triple rod holder setups are a must when flying kites, giving you the ability to work all rods simultaneously. We recommend the additional cup holder rig to keep your needles and rubber bands at the ready, along with a perfect place to keep your favorite beverage in close reach. Our favorite choice here

Plugs for electric reels - the last thing you ever want is to have an electric reel go out due to a bad plug. Ever try reeling a kite in by hand in 20 kt winds? Yea, we don't recommend it. Keep a couple spare plugs on board to keep you up and running at all times. Our favorite choice here

Kite line clips - just in case tragedy hits, make sure you're prepared with some extra kite line clips on board. Grab a backup set here

Helium balloons - we've all been there. The wind dies down and no matter what tricks we try, the kites just don't want to stay up. Always carry a few helium balloons and a small helium tank to overcome this problem, and keep the kites flying. Lift off here

Livewell pumps - the LAST thing you'll ever want is for a live well pump to go out right when you're in the action. Fresh baits are key, always. Make sure you have a couple extra pumps, and always know ahead of time how to replace these on the fly. Any time wasted in a tournament setting can be a game changer. Pick your poison here

Kite line kit - literally everything you need for smooth kite operations, and then some. Make life easy and have the entire kit at the ready. Grab a kit here

Fowl weather gear - bibs on bibs. If you don't have them, you'll regret it after that first wave hits on the run out. The most important part of fishing in cold conditions is keeping dry. Grab a set of Grundens and never look back. Suit up here

Buckets - besides cleaning the boat at days end, we always like having a couple additional buckets to keep a pitch bait in for when the moment is right. It also helps keeping baits separated on short runs from spot to spot, rather than having a massive tangle of lines in the live well. We love these buckets with a handle on the bottom for easy two-hand grip! Best bucket here

Sailfish flags - had a great day? Awesome. Now fly your flags high. PS. You can never have too many flags. Last year there were many days with boats bringing in over 20+ releases. Release flags here

Headsets - for our sportfish guys, communication is key when the kites are up. Headsets are a must to help the captain let you know when sails are in the spread, and likewise allow the angler and crew to give the captain instructions on where a hooked fish is heading to ensure a smooth catch. Sets for the entire crew here

Sea Anchor - drifting too fast? Common occurrence during sailfish season. A sea anchor is a must when trying to slow your roll. Just don't forget you have it out when you go to run. Grab the complete package here

Handheld VHF - this is one that's overlooked far too often. We all know how crazy it can be on tournament day when you bring in a fish (or three) and have to make the radio call to the tournament committee. Every second counts in this situation. Just in case your boat's VHF goes out, it's always smart to have a simple handheld VHF for backup. We don't want anyone to lose a tournament due to this. Our favorite choice here

Coil hose - a clean fishing area is a must when dealing with the mayhem that can ensue while flying kites. Always make sure you have a freshwater coil hose to keep things clean and the slime off your decks. Also a great idea to intermittently spray the reels down to keep the line salt free. Grab one here

Waterproof bags - did we mention sailfish season involves nasty conditions? Not only do you want your body to be dry, but you'll always want a place to keep your essential gear dry. A dry bag is an easy solution to keep your valuables, clothing, and important safety gear dry. We recommend one for the safety gear alone, and another for your smaller items. Our favorite bag here

Sea Glass - nasty weather typically includes taking a few over the bow, which means a windshield full of saltwater. Sea Glass is a great quick fix to solve this pesky problem and keep your view clear. Grab a can here

Sub Safe - come lunch time, nobody likes a soggy sub out of the cooler. This cool new product keeps your subs in a watertight case to make sure your first bite of that Publix chicken tender sub is extra crispy! Fresh sandwiches here

Smoove - days done, beers are cracked, time to clean up the boat. We love the Smoove deck cleaner which also happens to smell like grape bubble gum. Grab a bottle here

SeaSucker cup holders - can you really ever have too many cup holders? The Sea Sucker mounts give you the ability to put one just about anywhere you'd like on any fiberglass surface. Ok, this one isn't JUST for sailfish season. Stick it here!