Start Up a Freshwater Fishing Tackle Box

First-time fishermen can be intimidated by the amount of fishing tackle to choose from. The temptation is to either ignore items you don't understand or to buy too many items to begin with and figure them out later, usually under less-than-ideal conditions. Freshwater fishing, however, can be as simple or as complicated as you choose to make it, and if you're just starting, you don't have to buy an oversized tackle box and fill it full of lures to have a good time. You do, however, have to give some thought to the kind of freshwater fishing you like to do and learn something about the fishing tackle that can help you enjoy your time on the water. The following steps will give you some advice on choosing a tackle box for freshwater fishing and equipping that tackle box to meet your specific needs.

Steps

Choosing a Tackle Box

  1. Consider the kind of freshwater fishing you like to do. The larger the tackle box, the more fishing tackle it can hold, but the larger the box, the bulkier it is, and the heavier it is to carry. A large tackle box is not practical if you do a lot of hiking and backpacking to your destination. Likewise, a small tackle box may not be practical on a long fishing trip where you can expect to encounter a number of different conditions.
    • If you normally wade into a lake or stream to fish, you'll want a small tackle box you can carry on your person, such as small metal or plastic box that slips into a pocket of your shirt or waders or one that clips to your belt. You may also have a larger tackle box on shore from which you trade out lures to the one you carry on your person or keep equipment for tying flies on location when trying to "match the hatch."
    • If you normally hike some distance to your fishing spots or fish in farm ponds, you'll also want a smaller tackle box. You may find a traditional single-tray or 2-tray box satisfactory, you may prefer the pocket or clip-on tackle boxes used by wading fishermen, or you may prefer a soft-side tackle box that can be carried over the shoulder.
    • If you normally fish from a boat, a larger tackle box may be called for, particularly when fishing for bass, walleye, or muskellunge, when you may want to carry a large selection of, or in the case of fishing for muskie, very large lures. Larger tackle boxes typically have at least 3 trays, and sometimes 2 sets of 3 trays each that open in either direction, and a large bottom to hold extra line, small reels, sinker boxes, spinnerbait racks, and other fishing equipment.
    • If you normally fly to your destination, such as to a remote lake in Canada, you want a tackle box large enough to hold your most important gear, but not large enough to require extra handling fees. It should also be sturdy enough and have a secure enough latching system to handle rough handling before and during the flight.
    • If most of your fishing is done from the bank or a lake or stream in a park or other public access area, you can get by with a 1- or 2-tray plastic or metal tackle box. This is also a good size tackle box for a first-time fisherman to buy; as you develop more specific fishing interests, you can consider a second tackle box that better serves those needs.
  2. Consider how often you go fishing. If you don't go fishing very often, you probably won't want to invest a lot of money in fishing tackle, or in a large tackle box. A 1- or 2-tray box could very well meet your needs under most circumstances.
  3. Look for a durable tackle box. Whatever size of tackle box you decide to buy, look for a well-constructed unit that will stand up to the unintended abuse you'll put it to. If buying a traditional hard-case tackle box, look for a box made either of metal or high-impact plastic, such as ABS plastic. If buying a soft-case plastic box, look for one made of a sturdy material with well-stitched or welded seams.
    • The latch on a hard-case tackle box should also be secure enough to minimize the possibility of the box's accidentally popping open when you pick it up by the handle. The zipper on a soft-case tackle box should feature large, sturdy teeth that won't come out of the zipper.
  4. Look for a tackle box that helps you organize your tackle. Your tackle box should have enough trays to handle the type of lures you use most often, keeping them separate so their hooks won't tangle together. You may want to have trays with adjustable dividers as well as various-sized compartments; if you fish with spinnerbaits, you may want to have a rack that suspends them vertically instead of laying them flat in a tray compartment.
    • If you fish with plastic worms, the trays should be made of a material that won't react with the soft plastic the worms are made of. (You shouldn't keep plastic worms and crankbaits in the same compartment for this reason.) You can also keep plastic worms in a small tackle box designed just for plastic worms that you can carry in the bottom of a larger tackle box.
  5. Look for a water-resistant tackle box. When closed, your tackle box should not permit water to enter it unless it falls into the water and sinks. This feature can be especially important if you do a lot of fishing in the rain or other foul weather conditions.
  6. Allow some room for expansion. As you get more into fishing, you will buy more fishing tackle and related equipment. Buying a slightly larger tackle box than you need right now, unless you normally hike to your fishing spots, will give you room to grow into the sport and give you room to carry a few non-tackle items, as well.
  7. Look at the manufacturer's guarantee. The longer the manufacturer guarantees its tackle boxes for, the more reputable the company generally is and the better-constructed its tackle boxes are. Look for a warranty of at least 2 years; some manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty on their tackle boxes.

Equipping Your Tackle Box � Tackle Items

  1. Carry an assortment of hooks. Most first-time fishermen start out fishing with live bait, either worms or minnows, and many experienced fishermen also use live or prepared baits at least some of the time, depending on the type of fish they are fishing for. A good selection of hooks is helpful in fishing with live or prepared baits of various sizes and for fish of various species and sizes. Hooks come in 3 types �- single, double, and treble -� and a number of sizes. Some hooks are equipped with wire weed guards, while others bend the points at an angle.
    • Single hooks have only a single point. Most types have straight shafts, although some, such as those used to fish plastic worms with the hook point buried in the worm body (self-weedless rigs), feature bent shafts. Other single hooks feature points that are bent at an angle to the shaft.
    • Double hooks feature 2 points, bent at a 30-degree angle from the shaft. They are more commonly found on lures such as the Hofschneider Red Eye spoon than used with live bait.
    • Treble hooks feature 3 points set 120 degrees apart. They are often used with prepared baits such as dough balls or marshmallows or with large live baits such as minnows when fishing for species that might turn the bait in their mouths such that a single hook would miss the roof of the fish's mouth when an angler attempts to set the hook.
    • Hook sizes are numeric. For hook sizes given as straight numbers (2, 4, 6, 8, etc.), the larger the number, the smaller the hook. Hook sizes that include the designation "/0" (read as "aught" or "oh" after the number before the slash) are larger than hooks without this designation; the larger the number before the slash, the larger the hook. You'll want to use smaller hooks when fishing for smaller species such as bluegill, crappie, and other panfish with tiny baits such as grubs and worm pieces and larger hooks when fishing for larger species such as bass, walleye, trout, and pike with larger baits such as whole earthworms, minnows, or shad.
  2. Carry a selection of sinkers. Sinkers are pieces of lead or steel that provide casting weight to lightweight baits and help the bait sink to the bottom. You'll want to use enough weight to help you cast and present your offering, but not so much that it creates an undue amount of drag when a fish takes it. Sinkers come in several types, as described below:
    • Split shot are small, round sinkers with an opening the center. They are designed to be crimped on your line with either fingers or pliers. Some split shot also feature nibs on the opposite side to let you remove the sinker without cutting your line. Split shot are often packaged in a round, plastic package that offers an assortment of sizes.
    • Dipsey, or bell, sinkers are bell-shaped sinkers molded around a metal shaft with an eye through which you loop your line to attach them. They are useful when you need more weight than split shot can provide; larger ones can also be used as practice plugs to practice your casting away from the fishing hole. Some dipsey sinkers feature special eyes that let you fish them in a fixed position on your line or as slip sinkers. You can buy individual packages of a single size or an assortment of sizes as with the split shot.
    • Slip sinkers are designed to be threaded onto your line and slide up and down as necessary. These come in 3 styles: round slip shot, bullet-shaped sinkers used when fishing Texas-rigged plastic worms, and egg-shaped sinkers used when fishing a variation of the Texas rig known as the Carolina rig.
  3. Include a few bobbers. Bobbers help keep your bait afloat when you need to suspend it off the bottom and also provide an indication of when a fish has taken your bait. Bobbers come in several types:
    • Clip-on bobbers come in 2 types. The more common "beach ball" type is round and features a button on one side that extends a hook on the opposite side into which you insert your line, then release the button. (A variation of this kind of bobber has a second hook in the button to better secure your line.) The other type is elongated and uses a tiny spring on 1 or both ends to hold it on the line. You'll want to have bobbers of this type no larger than 1 inch (2.5 cm).
    • Slip bobbers are designed to slide up and down the line the way slip sinkers do. Some bobbers of this type are clear and designed to be filled with water to provide casting weight when fishing ultralight lures, such as fishing flies with ultralight spinning tackle.
  4. Consider some artificial lures. Many fishermen are perfectly content to fish with only live or prepared baits. Others, however, enjoy fishing with artificial lures. Unlike live bait, which can simply be cast out and let sit, artificial lures usually must be retrieved to attract fish. Lures are available in a number of sizes and types. You'll want to have a selection of jigs, spoons, and spinners, plastic worms and crankbaits if you fish for bass, and flies if you fish for trout.
  5. Keep some swivels on hand to prevent line twist. Some lures, such as spoons and crankbaits, can cause the line to twist as they wobble when retrieved. Attaching a swivel to your line before attaching such a lure will prevent this. Swivels can also be used as a line stop for slip sinkers or slip bobbers. The best swivels feature tiny ball bearings to help them rotate more freely.
    • Some swivels are equipped with snaps at one end to make it easier to change lures. Look for snap swivels with rounded snaps to allow the lure greater freedom of movement.
    • Some lures, such as jigs, flies, and self-weedless rigged plastic worms, are intended to be tied directly to the line.
  6. Carry leaders if the species you're fishing for requires using them. For most fishing, most of the time, you won't need to use a leader. The main times you'll want a leader are for fly fishing and when fishing for species such as northern pike and muskellunge, whose teeth can snag and cut monofilament fishing line.
    • Leaders for fly fishing are made of monofilament and tied directly to both the fly and the fly fishing line. They are of various lengths.
    • Leaders for pike fishing are made of bare or coated wire and usually have a swivel on one end and a snap on the other. They are usually about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} in length.
  7. Carry a stringer. Stringers are useful for keeping fish you've caught while you continue fishing. The simplest stringer is a length of heavy, narrow cord similar to that used in trot lines, while more common stringers are lengths of lightweight chain with large metal snaps attached at various places. (A more expensive form of this stringer covers the chain with plastic tubing to prevent rust.)
    • You won't need a stringer, however, if you practice catch and release fishing or if you fish from a boat equipped with a live well, a small tank commonly found in bass boats.
  8. Keep a spool of line in your tackle box. Although swivels can help prevent line twist, over time your line can still become brittle from twists and nicks. Having a spool of replacement line can be helpful if you find your line repeatedly breaking while fishing. This line can also be used for makeshift leaders, such as when fishing a Carolina rig.
    • If you fish with spinning or spincasting tackle, you can carry your extra line on an extra reel spool so you can swap spools. You can even carry several spools with different weights of line to adjust to different conditions.

Utility Items to Carry When Fishing

  1. Carry at least 1 pair of needle-nose pliers. Needle-nose pliers are useful both to help you attach and remove split shot sinkers from your line and to help you remove the hook from the fish's mouth. (Some fishermen carry 2 sets, one to remove the hook and the other to hold onto the fish.) Look for a pair with a reasonably long point, allowing you to reach deep into the fish's mouth, if necessary.
    • Pliers can also be used to help peel away the skin from catfish. Special pliers are made for this task, but you can also use a pair of snub-nose or adjustable pliers.
  2. Have a utility knife or clippers. Either of these items will help you cut the tag end of your fishing line after tying a knot and can be useful for other purposes as well.
  3. Take along a fillet knife. If you clean your fish on-site, a good fillet knife, which features a long, thin, sharp blade, will help you separate the fish's meat from its bones and skin.
    • Fish other than catfish and carp can be scaled instead of filleted. If you prefer to scale your fish, you'll need a fish scaler, which is shaped somewhat like a brush but replaces the bristles with jagged metal teeth used to remove the scales from your fish. You'll still need a good knife to cut off the fish's head.
    • Some fishing sites provide fish cleaning stations, while most don't. To keep your fish from moving around while cleaning it, you can purchase a cleaning board with a clamp on one end to hold the fish's tail while you work
  4. Assemble a small first aid kit. Having a first aid kit along will help you deal with the bumps, bruises, and cuts that may happen while you're in the outdoors. A few adhesive bandages, an antiseptic salve, some gauze, a small spool of waterproof medical tape, and perhaps a small bottle of hand sanitizer will cover most of the minor injuries you're likely to deal with.
    • You can pick up some of these items for free if you attend trade shows. Many hospitals and health agencies who exhibit at these shows offer small first aid kits or their components as promotional items.
  5. Include items to protect you from the great outdoors. While fishing provides an opportunity to get away from the rigors of life, you can also come back with a sunburn instead of sunfish, insect bites instead of fish bites, and eye strain from squinting because of the bright sun. Having bottles of sunscreen and insect repellent, as well as a pair of polarized sunglasses will help you enjoy your time more and let you concentrate more on fishing.

Tips

  • If you buy swivels or sinkers in tear-open plastic packages, you'll find them awkward to keep the unused items in while in your tackle box. You can keep these items inside small plastic or metal boxes of the kind that small mints or pellet candies come in or in small utility boxes made for the purpose.
  • Other items you may want to consider having with you are rod holders to keep your rod in while waiting for a bite, a landing net (particularly when fishing from a boat), an identification guide to help you determine what an unfamiliar fish on your line is, and a rag to wipe your hands on or wrap around a struggling fish while you try to take it off the hook. Having a more experienced angler along the first few times you go fishing can be an even bigger help, both to direct you as to what items to acquire in the future and help you learn how to cast and land the fish.

Warnings

  • Regardless of what fishing tackle or utility items you carry in your tackle box or on your person, be sure you have a current license for the state you're fishing in and that you have it on your person.
  • Be aware that on some of the larger tackle boxes with trays, the trays do not automatically swing out as is true of most 1- and 2-tray tackle boxes.

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