Anglers are used to hoofin’ it to get to the bite. In Jersey, both striped bass and bluefishing is really getting underway now, with a majority of the action coming from the backwater bridges, docks and surf.

Down south from North Carolina to Florida, anglers are walking salt creeks, as well as working the surf and inlets for a variety or redfish, speckled trout and snook. Point is, springtime means a “Boots on the Ground” mentality many times, and whether walking jetties, inlets, river systems or the surf you need to have a tight walking gear package put together to insure you’re prepared. I’m not going to go into any specific rigs, rods or reels here, but cover the bases needed so you don’t have that “Ah man, why didn’t I bring that?” feeling when you’re a mile away from your car. To start, here are some apparel essentials: Neoprene chest waders are a must for colder water surfcasting, but springtime climes canvas models made by Hodgman, Pro-Line or Simms will be lighter and airier and just fine. If traversing slippery rock terrain, be sure to strap on a pair of Korkers Casttrax Overshoe. When wading the tropical flats for bonefish or in mucky rivers for redfish, pick up a pair of wading boots via Hodgman H3. For wind protection, grab a Grundens Stormlight hooded light jacket and to beat the sun’s glare; a pair of Costa Blackfin 580 lens sunglasses.

You need to be mobile to chase down shore fish, and backpacks are the perfect organizational conduit. Backpacks that contain tons of compartments and Plano box holders include the Plano 3700 Z-series bag, capable of holding four 3700 series Plano boxes filled with lures and the Wild River Light Nomad backpack, a nifty pack that also includes a built-in cutting board and LED light. Fill that pack with the essential accessories. Tools for unhooking and cutting include Cuda brand standouts like their Titanium Needle Nose Pliers, Titanium small Dehooker, and Bait Knife. For ease of clipping lines in realtime, I like the Boomerang BCT203 line cutting tool or a lowly pair of nail clips on a lanyard around my neck. Headlamps are a must when fishing the night shift, try the elastic band Baker LED Headlamp. For proper measurement of fish you intend to keep, a retractable tape measure and even a Rapala 50-lb digital weigh scale can be easily carried in the pack. And of course, in a pinch, the ol’ hobo-style 5 gallon bucket is always a good substitute if you don’t have a pack to carry everything.

These are the basics in any bag that I carry to be prepared for any scenario on the land borne fishing grounds. Am I missing any essential mobile gear here? Feel free to comment below.