Hello. My name is Dave, and I have a problem.
Every time I pass a fishing store, my wallet gets lighter. Every time I open Amazon, another package shows up three days later. Every time my wife asks, "Do you really need that?" I nod enthusiastically and hide it in the garage.
If you're reading this, you probably have the same disease. Welcome to the support group. There are no meetings, but there is fishing, so it's fine.
Let me tell you about my collection, my adventures, and the glorious madness of being an angler who can't say no to gear.
The Tackle Shop That Started It All
It began innocently enough. I wandered into alan's fishing tackle for some hooks. Just hooks. That was three years ago.
"Just looking," I told the guy at alan's fishing tackle.
He laughed. They always laugh. The folks at alan's fishing tackle have seen my face more than my own family has. I bring them coffee now. They reserve new shipments for me. We're basically family.
Last month, I walked into alan's fishing tackle for line and walked out with... well, everything. The guy behind the counter just smiled. "See you tomorrow," he said. He wasn't wrong.
If you haven't visited alan's fishing tackle, you're missing out. Just bring your wallet and a weak will.
The Trap Game
Now let's discuss all around fishing traps. I own so many all around fishing traps that my garage looks like a crustacean prison. Crab traps, crawfish traps, some traps I bought that I'm still not sure what they catch. But they're all around fishing traps, so they catch something, right?
The problem with all around fishing traps is that they attract things you don't expect. I once pulled up a crawfish trap to find a turtle inside looking very offended. He'd eaten all my bait and was now glaring at me like I owed him rent.
"I'm sorry," I told the turtle, releasing him.
He swam away slowly, probably plotting revenge. I now check my all around fishing traps nervously, expecting that turtle to return with friends.
The Complete Collection
When people ask what kind of fishing I do, I just shrug. Because thanks to my addiction to all fishing equipment, I do all of it.
My collection of all fishing equipment includes rods I've never used, lures I'll never throw, and gadgets I don't understand. But it's all fishing equipment, so technically, I'm prepared for anything.
The best part about having all fishing equipment is that when friends need something, I have it. "Anyone got a spare swivel?" I produce twenty. "Need a net?" I have three sizes. "Got any nightcrawlers?" I open my all fishing equipment cooler and reveal more worms than a bird convention.
I'm not just a fisherman. I'm a mobile tackle shop. A very disorganized mobile tackle shop, but still.
The Bag Situation
Organization is not my strong suit. That's why I invested in an allen cottonwood rod and gear bag. This beautiful allen cottonwood rod and gear bag holds everything. Rods, reels, snacks, a change of clothes, possibly a small child if needed.
The allen cottonwood rod and gear bag changed my life. Before, I carried three separate bags and still forgot things. Now, one allen cottonwood rod and gear bag holds my entire fishing existence.
I love my allen cottonwood rod and gear bag so much that I bought a second allen cottonwood rod and gear bag as backup. Because what if the first one gets lonely? What if I need to carry even MORE gear?
My wife asked why I need two. "One for freshwater, one for saltwater," I explained.
She didn't buy it. But the allen cottonwood rod and gear bag understands me.
The Boxes
You can't have gear without somewhere to put it. Enter my obsession with aluminum fishing tackle boxes.
There's something satisfying about aluminum fishing tackle boxes. They're tough. They're classic. They clang when you close them, announcing to everyone that YOU MEAN BUSINESS.
I have aluminum fishing tackle boxes in three sizes. Small for bank fishing, medium for boat trips, and large enough to double as a coffee table. The big aluminum fishing tackle boxes lives in my living room. It holds my most-used lures and also remote controls. Multi-purpose.
My grandfather used aluminum fishing tackle boxes. My father used aluminum fishing tackle boxes. Now I use aluminum fishing tackle boxes. It's tradition. It's heritage. It's also heavy as heck, but who cares about your back when you look cool?
The Wading Bag Adventure
Wading presents unique challenges. You need hands-free access to gear. That's where the alvey wading bag comes in.
The alvey wading bag straps around your waist, keeping essentials close while you stumble across slippery rocks looking like a penguin in waders.
I love my alvey wading bag. It holds my phone (in a waterproof case, after that one incident), my pliers, my extra lures, and emergency snacks. The alvey wading bag has saved me from hunger, boredom, and the embarrassment of losing my phone to the river gods.
Fishing without an alvey wading bag now feels wrong. Like leaving the house without pants. Possible, but why would you?
The Amazon Trap
We've all been there. 2 AM. Can't sleep. Open Amazon. Type "fishing."
Dangerous.
That's how I discovered amazon ugly stik gx2. One click. Two-day shipping. Three new rods showing up while I'm at work.
The amazon ugly stik gx2 deals are too good to resist. "But it's 20% off," I tell my wife. "I'm SAVING money by spending money."
She's not convinced. But the amazon ugly stik gx2 arrives, and suddenly I'm holding a new rod, and everything is right with the world.
My amazon ugly stik gx2 collection is now substantial. If you search amazon ugly stik gx2, you'll probably see my reviews. "Great rod. Wife angry. Worth it."
The Snake Encounter
Speaking of worth it, let me tell you about my trip to anaconda ugly stik territory.
I was fishing a snake-infested river (note: never do this) with my trusty anaconda ugly stik. The anaconda ugly stik is perfect for this—tough enough to double as a snake stick if necessary.
Spoiler: it became necessary.
A water moccasin decided my fishing spot was also his fishing spot. He swam toward me. I, being a brave and manly fisherman, screamed like a small child and used my anaconda ugly stik to gently redirect him.
The anaconda ugly stik performed admirably. No snake bites. No heart attacks (barely). Just a fisherman and his rod, surviving together.
I bought another anaconda ugly stik the next day. You can never have too many snake-fighting rods.
The Angler's Life
Being an angler gear enthusiast means never having enough pockets. My angler gear vest has 47 pockets. I've filled 46. Looking for the 47th.
Quality angler gear makes the difference between a good day and a great day. My angler gear includes rods, reels, lines, lures, and things I forgot I bought until I clean out my aluminum fishing tackle boxes.
The best angler gear is the gear that catches fish. The second best is gear that makes you look like you know what you're doing. I have plenty of both.
The Persistent Truth
Here's what I've learned from years of accumulating all fishing equipment, filling aluminum fishing tackle boxes, and shopping at alan's fishing tackle:
The fish don't care what gear you use. They really don't. But YOU care. You care about the allen cottonwood rod and gear bag that carries your treasures. You care about the alvey wading bag that keeps you organized. You care about the amazon ugly stik gx2 that arrived at 2 AM inspired by.
Fishing isn't about the fish. It's about the moments. The turtle in your trap. The snake you redirected. The 47-pocket vest you're still trying to fill.
So next time someone asks why you need another rod, another reel, another anaconda ugly stik, just smile. Tell them: "Because the fish might be out there, and I need to be ready."
Then go to alan's fishing tackle. They're holding something for you. I know they are.
Tight lines, fellow angler gear addicts. May your aluminum fishing tackle boxes always be too heavy to carry!