Where do I start? Well first of all, it has taken me all of 3.5 years to have Aaron send through his Five Salty Essentials... I will cut him some slack though, the guy lives a pretty busy life juggling his son Scout, 2 rescue dogs, Hayley, Gordon & his business...
Aaron Styles is the owner & director of Just Another Fisherman, which he started back in 2012 with the goal to fuse his 2 passions together, fishing & streetwear. Since then he has shot and filmed 7 campaigns, opened a flagship store in downtown Auckland & hosted a number of events, giving back to his customers and close-knit J.A.F team.
So here it is - Aaron’s Five Salty Essentials, that he needs, on or off the water.
J.A.F - ANGLER TECH, VOYAGER BIB
Over the last couple of winters, I have found myself just wanting to be that little bit dryer and comfortable chasing fish in rough or cold. When we finally got the Voyager Bib to the market, I was super stoked about how they performed. They kept me clean, dry, and super warm without sweating, which is excellent for active winter stick-baiting, soft-baiting and land base. I also love the waterproof quick access chest zip pocket, cargo pocket and plier pocket. These have quickly become one of my top Salty Essentials.
CHAMPION KNIVES
Not only do I love fishing, but I also love all the parts of the day that make a memorable fishing trip, things that boost morale and break up the day. One of those things is taking time to have a good meal, either lunch or dinner. I am all about getting stuck in and chopping up some fresh veggies and meat for a good heart feed. I can’t do any of this without my trusty Champion Kitchen knife hand-made by my good mate Haydo’. This knife has been everywhere from the Three Kings to the Naki to East Cape and been a part of some epic feeds. All good peeps need a good knife in their kit.
YETI TUNDRA 65 HARD COOLER
Shit, where do I start? Not only do these bad boys keep ice colder and longer than any other chilly bin I have ever used, but they also look a hundred times more stylish. Either on the boat or the roof racks, these coolers will keep your food and fish fresh for days and be tough enough to last a lifetime. They also have many accessories like dividers and storage racks so you can divide your drinks, fish and food.
JAF MERINO ANGLERS’ UNDERLAYS
Layering up in winter is a must, and when you are either going to work or off on a wild four-day winter fishing mission, you can’t go past the JAF Merino Angler Underlays. These base layers are perfect for winter,
keeping you warm when cold, cool when warm. I love the JAF merino for this reason. I can take one set away for me and know they will breathe and not smell. Also, they still keep you warm when wet.
ANGLER TECH TACKLE POUCH
This little pouch is a ripper; pretty much use them three or four times a day for multiple storage reasons. Morning wake up; there is a pouch as my toilet bag, off to work and all my chargers, pens and tech things are in a pouch in my work bag. Travelling, could you get a better passport wallet? Now for fishing Softbaits, Stickbaits, Traces, Rigging kit. These can be used for all sorts of storage and are perfect for packing into a backpack or tackle box.