Rods, reels, bait and lures are first on a walleye angler's must-have list. Sometimes viewed as optional is a drift sock. But having one in a boat can, on windy days, make a difference between going home with a fish or two in a live well or ending a trip skunked. Simple to deploy, a drift sock (or two) tossed overboard can slow a boat in a brisk chop, allowing anglers to concentrate on fishing, rather than attempting to guide a boat by motor.

DENNIS ANDERSON