Let's be honest—most of us get into fishing because we imagine ourselves as rugged outdoor experts, gracefully casting into the waves while the sun sets behind us. Reality, of course, is far more hilarious. My latest adventure involved a drone, a whole lot of hope, and enough surf fishing equipment basics to sink a small boat.
It all started when I decided it was time to upgrade my start up fishing gear. I’d been relying on a hand-me-down tackle box bass that smelled suspiciously of regret and old worms. So I did what any modern angler would do: I Googled the best fishing gear and fell headfirst into the rabbit hole of online shopping.
My first stop was the store for fishing gear known as the internet, where I loaded up on surf fishing tackle for sale. I snagged a sleek surf fishing tackle backpack that promised to make me look like I knew what I was doing (it lied), a surfcaster rod and reel that looked intimidatingly technical, and a surfcasting rod and reel combo that I’m pretty sure is used by people who actually catch fish.
But why stop there? I also picked up a steelhead fly rod and reel combo—because who doesn’t need options?—and some summer fly fishing gear that I hoped would impress any fish (or humans) watching. I even grabbed a striker ice fishing bag despite it being 85 degrees outside. You know, just in case.
Of course, none of this would fit in my old tackle box bass, so I upgraded to what was boldly labeled the best tackle box on the website. It had more compartments than my brain has thoughts, and I filled every single one with striped bass fishing equipment and dreams.
Then came the moment of truth: testing this mountain of the best fishing gear in the wild. I set up my drone to capture the action—or in my case, the lack thereof. As I struggled to assemble my sportsman warehouse fly fishing combo, the drone hovered patiently, probably judging me.
I cast my line with the grace of a startled giraffe, using my new tarpon fishing rod and reel like a complete amateur. The drone captured every awkward moment, including when I accidentally sent my tenkara addict gear flying into the water (RIP, little rod).
Just as I was considering giving up and searching for stores that sell fishing supplies near me to return everything, something incredible happened. My drone’s camera caught a massive shadow moving near my line. Was it a shark? A whale? A very lost manatee?
In my excitement, I fumbled through my striker ice fishing bag for my sportsman guide ice augers—because clearly, that made sense in the moment—before remembering I was surf fishing. The shadow turned out to be a curiously large piece of seaweed, but for a glorious few seconds, I was the star of my own nature documentary.
As the sun set, I packed up my sportsman warehouse fishing rods and the remains of my dignity. I hadn’t caught a single fish, but I’d successfully tested every piece of the best fishing gear money can buy. And I learned an important lesson: no amount of fancy equipment can replace genuine skill—but it can make for one heck of a funny drone video.
So if you’re ever feeling down about your fishing skills, just remember: somewhere out there, a guy with a surf fishing tackle backpack full of striped bass fishing equipment is trying to fish with an ice auger. And that guy is probably me.