Most fishermen I know like to travel with some sort of pocketknife. There's virtually no end to a pocket-knife's usefulness, and you never know when you'll need one to open a box, cut a section of cord or clean your toenails. Unfortunately, since September 11, traveling with a pocketknife is a good way to get rid of one. I've often wondered where the thousands of little knives and pocket tools wind up after being confiscated at airport security. I know I donated several cool little Leatherman tools to someone before I eventually decided to wise up and leave them at home. Unfortunately, that leaves you in a lurch when you need a bottle opener and haven't figured out how to open a beer with a cigarette lighter like your buddies do back at the house.
Instead of timidly passing around your brew for help, grab yourself one of the neat little pocket tools like the Utili-Key made by Swiss+Tech (www.swisstechtools.com). These stainless-steel, high-quality gadgets come in all sorts of configurations, including a set of miniature pliers. The Utili-Key sports a small, 1¼-inch blade that will make short work of any box or line that you need to cut, yet it looks exactly like a regular key on your keychain.
Dave Ferrell
Orlando, Florida
