A fully equipped tackle box comes in handy when out in the wilds.
Preparing for Your Next Fishing Trip
Before you head out to the ol鈥 fishing hole, make sure you鈥檝e checked your fishing tackle box. Believe us, you want to be prepared with the right stuff once you鈥檙e out on the water.
Of course, the contents of your tackle box will vary, depending on the type of fish you plan to catch, but this is a typical tackle box for you (or a loved one) to get started.
Tackle-Box Checklist
- Extra fishing line
- Lures or flies
- Bobbers (or, floaters)
- Swivels, to keep the fishing line from twisting
- Leaders
- Sinkers (or, weights)
- Different sizes of hooks (for different types of fish)
- Needle nose pliers to help remove hooks out of fish (and maybe you!)
- Stringer, to hold all the fish you catch
- Sharp knife (such as a Swiss Army knife)
- Ruler/scale
- A small flashlight
- First-aid kit (with basics just in case a hook gets stuck in your thumb)
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen
Reader Suggestions
- Unscented soap to wash your hands before handling bait. 鈥搒uggested by Jerry Buerge
- Plastic worms and a couple of lures to attract fish. 鈥搒uggested by Andy Fox
- Magnifying glasses for aging eyes. 鈥搒uggested by Will Dwyer
- 鈥淚 like to keep a few glow sticks in my tackle box. One large one is for marking your spot or your vehicle, and some small ones are for your rod, bait box, or ice chest. I think it helps to avoid using flashlights.鈥 鈥搒uggested by Mike Tyler
Are we missing anything? What else would you put in a tackle box? Please post below!
Read Next
Read more on our Best Fishing Days page.
Catherine Boeckmann
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I prefer the Trilene knot but whatever floats your boat...
I make up a number of leaders with the swivel attached so I don`t lose
a lot of time having to do it when my line breaks for any reason.
I never go fishing without a cheap rain suit on my person and a Mylar blanket in the tacklebox.
The location and style of fishing makes all the difference in what tackle might be needed but a package of basic survival gear should be kept securely on the person at all times. Water can be an unforgiving companion.
I carry a sap(blackjack), to quickly kill a fish I intend to keep. Better a sharp blow to the cranium than letting the fish gasp its life away trying to breathe.
Use a stringer if you want the fish to live and stay fresh.
Using a stringer is a habit for me that I still use to this day since I was a child, and was taught to me by my cousin Johnny Johnson,(who served in World War 2). I never go fishing without it.
I keep an old cloth or cotton glove for holding the fish while I take it off the hook.
Its good to have a stringer with hooks you can pass in fish lipps instead of gills this helps them to live without getting infection in the gills and dying later
A cloth or cotton glove is not good for the fish because they the slime coating on the fish which is essential to fish to protect them from diseases should you choose to release them. It is better to lip the fish unless they are toothy like Pike of which it is better to hold them by the gill covers.
