What Do I Need in My Tackle Box besides Common Fishing Tools?

There are a number of detailed guides out there that will talk you through the hooks, bobbers, lines, and weights that you need in your box, and they are, of course, all essential elements.

However, there are also many other items that won’t be found on those lists.

Those are things that many fishers will pack in their own boxes based on experience. They may not seem as vital, but they are extra pieces that can really give you an edge.

What Do I Need in My Tackle Box: Other Essential Items

A Knife

Whether for cutting fish, bait or line, a knife is a beneficial tool. Definitely, you will never appreciate how useful a small, sharp knife can be until the day you forget to pack it! A Swiss Army style is a recommended model to go for since it has so many other useful attachments.

Nail Clippers

No, we’re not suggesting you pass the time waiting for a bite by giving yourself a manicure. Instead, they can be helpful for cutting a fishing line out of a struggling fish if the hook is embedded too deeply. Their small size and sharp blades make them ideal for this task.

Pliers

A pair of pliers can be extremely useful when it comes to removing hooks. In particular, try to pick up pliers with a needle nose design. They are safer than putting your fingers into the mouth of a fish, especially since that mouth is full of sharp hook and sometimes sharp teeth too.

Measuring Tape

There are two reasons you want a good measuring tape in your tackle box. First is to use it to measure any catch you intend on keeping to make sure it follows the local legal sizes. Don’t get in trouble with the law by hanging on to a fish that is too small to keep.

Second, it’s all about the bragging rights! Don’t guess the length of that whopper fish you just spent an hour hauling in. Measure it accurately to make your stories at the bar more accurate.

Hand Wipes

Individually packaged hand wipes can be helpful to keep you healthy. Fish are not generally living in the cleanest areas, and water can contain a wide range of diseases and other nasties, not to mention the fish themselves, which can often be crawling in bacteria and parasites.

If you’re out all day, chances are, you would be eating and drinking near the water. As such, you should protect yourself from contracting something nasty by having a supply of antiseptic hand wipes in your box to tidy yourself up before grabbing a sandwich.

This will make sure that the only thing you bring home from your trip are some delicious, fresh fish and not a stomach bug.

First Aid Kit

You probably don’t need to pack this in your tackle box, and hopefully, you’ll never even need it. Nonetheless, it can be advantageous to have one on standby.

After all, the best fishing spots are often secluded, and anything can happen such as accidentally hooking yourself. Hence, having a good kit on hand means you can treat it right there, instead of having to cut your trip short.

Insect Repellant

Make sure you pack a good repellant lotion, cream, or oil, especially if you would be fishing at a lake or other large bodies of still water. Nothing can turn a relaxing fishing trip sour quite as fast as being eaten alive by a swarm of mosquitoes.

A Flashlight

As similar to the knife we discussed above, you won’t appreciate your flashlight until the time you need it, and you’ve not packed it. Or worse, when you have let the batteries run down.

If you’re planning to keep it in your tackle box, consider buying a wind-up version. It should have strong LED lights and a small crank to allow you to generate power. That way, you don’t have to worry about checking batteries or packing fresh ones all the time.

Unscented Soap

We bet you didn’t see that coming! Unscented soap can be extremely useful if you use it to wash your hands before touching any bait or lures. This can help remove natural oils and scent from your hands, preventing it from being transferred to the bait.

Having a tackle box filled with known fishing tools will never be enough if you do not have the items we have mentioned above. Each of them will ensure that your fishing activity will be fun, successful, safe, and would go according to plan.