Artificial Intelligence has quickly become the latest digital implement to make life easier. From doing document review and summarization, to crafting entire programs out of thin air, even a luddite such as myself has found countless benefits from the simple commands given to this Google on steroids and the amazing outputs it produces as each entry refines the request and updates the final product. In the end though (hopefully, absent a Skynet achieving self-awareness scenario) AI remains a tool and serves as a reminder that as we advance and evolve as a species, each innovation we come up with helps us along that path. 


So, when de-screening this weekend and treading on old familiar trails along my home flow of the Sheyenne River, despite difficult conditions and fluctuating water levels, I found myself reaching to my hip for my favorite tool, a Gerber multiplier, which wraps all the important apparatuses I need on the water into one convenient package. Having access to those key items makes any fishing trip easier, and provides a good list to get set for spring whether it’s in the boat or on shore angling coming up in the next few weeks.


Hook removal


Having something to remove hooks effectively and quickly is the hallmark of any good catch-and-release angler. A needlenose pliers or a forceps gets the job done fast and gets fish back in the water without delay, stress or injury. The added length of either tool helps grab hooks that may be lodged further bac, and provides additional leverage to multiply the sensitive level of strength sometimes needed to remove them from hard jaws and tough cheek tissue in certain species.


Quick cuts


Making transitions on the water is the best way to find what lure or bait is working. Having a small knife or scissors at the ready to snip line, remove tag ends on knots, or one of a dozen other moments where a slice, clip, or trim is needed on the water is key. Whether switching from a jig to a crankbait, or dealing with the abrasion resistance of superlines, a snipper of some sort from a nail clipper to a scissors to a knife blade tucked in a pocket, stashed in a tacklebox, or tethered to a fishing vest or life jacket will have you covered.

Sharpen up


Finally, the last little tool that can have a major impact on fishing success is the hook hone. These diminutive files help sharpen the business end of any bait, making sure each point will get through with the greatest ease possible on every hookset. Run a hone over a brand new hook, even if fresh out of the packaging, to ensure sharpness and rehabilitate those trebles on crankbaits or the points of jigs that have seen some use to make certain they’re going to firmly connect with fish on the next strike. Light, easy to store and attach to a vest, and effective at keeping hooks sharp, hook hones are yet another tool that no spring angler should be without. 


While not as advanced as the amazing programs that power the large language AI models that are all the rage on the internet now, these basic items and all the tweaks and alterations which have made them better, are some absolute must haves for anglers in their tackleboxes and on the water … in our outdoors.