Last but not least.... comfort!

I spend as much as 70 hours on a tournament week inside of my boat. I run several hundred miles in some of the roughest weather imaginable. I do NOT have a disk between my L5 and my Sacrum. If I didn't have smooth move seat bases, I wouldn't fish. Period.

In the spring we can be hit with freezing rain, sleet, snow, and rain all in 10 minutes. Having the best gear is paramount. From Extreme Ice armour insulated and water proof clothing, extra hats, and gloves, to insulated and water proof boots. We carry extra gear. Zippo hand warmers, Little buddy heaters, and food to feed an army. We might grab a bite to eat while setting up for the next jigging pass. We snack while trolling, and drink when we can. Fair weather fisherman fish when it is nice out, tournament anglers test and evaluate clothing and materials for fair weather fisherman. Gore Tex suits keep the rain out, rubber boots, zip off thin pants, SPF shirts, face masks, sun screen, chap stick, you HAVE to be comfortable or you WILL be miserable. It is supposed to be fun. Part of the fun is seeing how you stack up against other guys. Part of it is the weather. Good or bad. If you have the right gear, you cannot use it as an excuse.

Above all else, a comfortable life jacket that you will not notice you are wearing. Although we are only required to wear them when the big motor is above idle, we are usually in such a hurry that we rarely take them off. There are days that I forget I have it on until 10am when my insulated jacket comes off.

Last but not least.... A TOILET. I have a toilet seat lid that snaps on to a 5 gallon bucket. It is mounted in front of my passenger windshield so it cannot come out. Being able to utilize the facility when and where we need to has been the difference between a great day and a miserable one.