The Five Essential’s For Your Tackle Box

Many fishermen get out on the water and start fishing, a trout hammers their hook and takes them for a ride fighting hard and then ripping the hook off of their lure. Or how about getting into your boat for an eight hour float trip and then blowing your reel one hour into your trip, you might want to keep a spare reel in your box! This guide to the five essential pieces of equipment will save you time and frustration while out fishing.
Hooks

The first piece of equipment you need in your box is a spare box of hooks, go out and buy a new box of your favorite hooks and store them in your back pack or tackle box in case your break a hook. After I have used a hook for several weeks or months, I will switch it out for a brand new laser sharp hook. Hooks will also get snagged on the bottom of the river or lake and will take great force to remove the hook from the rock or wood it is snagged in. Once the hook has been damaged beyond repair, it is highly recommended to replace the hook. You do not want a hook to be snapped off in a trout’s mouth and stuck there for months on end. Replace the hook out if you see to much damage to your hooks/hooks. It is important to note that you will need to use the same size of hooks that are included from the factory. If you use a larger or smaller hook you will throw out the balance of the lure and disrupt the way the lure is designed to work from the factory.

Pliers

Next we come to the most important tool besides the hooks themselves. What removes them from the fish’s mouth, a pair of pliers! I find this tool so important that I carry at least three sets of pliers with me at all times. I do this in case I loose a pair on the shoreline or they fall out of my back pocket. It is crucial to the fish that you remove the hook quickly and release the fish back into the water without the fish staying out of the water too long. This is important for the fishes well being and survival. If you are taking a hook out with your bare hands, it may take too long and the fish will be susceptible to dying. With a good set of pliers you can keep the fish in the water and quickly remove the hook without taking it out of the water. Pliers are also great for straightening out bent hooks and pinching your barbs back if you are fishing a barbless river or lake. Certain types of pliers have other tools included with them which are great for quick boat repairs while on the water. I carry a mini tool box on my boat but it comes in handy when you need a Philips screw driver and you have one included with your set of pliers.

Split Rings

Using factory split rings can sometimes be frustrating and can also result in lost fish. I might be just me but I think the lure makers are getting cheaper on the quality of the split rings they use. I especially do not like using split rings that are made of brass. They are not as strong as the stainless steel split rings and they have a tendency to bend out when a large fish is hooked and fighting hard. I have seen large trout just destroy brass split rings and then get away with a hook embedded in its mouth. I keep at least two dozen thirty pound strength split rings in my back pack at all times. I change all brass split rings out at home before I go fishing to maximize my fishing time on the water.  

Sunscreen

One of the most forgotten items in a fisherman’s tackle box, but once you get burned a few times you learn real fast. How many times have you said “crap I forgot my sunscreen again”? Every fisherman who spends the day out in the sun near water needs to protect themselves with at least a 30 S.P.F sunscreen. What matters most is reapplying the sunscreen after a few hours to make sure you are fully protected against those harmful UV rays. If you plan on wading or getting out of your boat into the water, then you will need a water proof sun screen.

Polarized Sun Glasses

Not only are polarized sun glasses great for U.V. protection they are also essential to see structure under the water. The lenses of polarized sunglasses reduce glare reflected at some angles off shiny non-metallic surfaces such as water. They are popular among us fishermen because they allow wearers to see into water when normally only glare would be seen. This will help you locate prime cover for fish to hide behind or underneath, and then cast to them. Sunglasses improve visual comfort and visual clarity by protecting the eye from glare. There are an array of different lens materials and tints available to cover almost any fishing condition you may encounter.

Grey

Grey lenses are excellent for day to day use. Gray lenses transmit all colors of the spectrum so there is little distortion. Ideal for bright sunny days and open water fishing.

Copper

Copper is a very high contrast lens that is soothing to the eyes. It absorbs blue light; heightening visual acuity and boosting contrast, making this lens the best choice for sight fishing applications.

Brown

Brown colored lenses are considered by many to be the best all-around tint for fishing. They provide excellent contrast and true color perception. Brown lenses are great for shallow water stream and flats fishing in medium to bright light.

Amber

Amber lenses are excellent for low light conditions such as first and last light or heavily overcast days.
So as you see there are many different choices when it comes to the tint of a polarized lens. Choose a couple of different tints and keep one pair in your back pack or tackle box, and wear the other pair while you are fishing. It’s a good idea to keep two pairs of glasses with you while you are out on the water.

There are so many more items I could add to this list but I thought I would keep the list to five items. Please feel free to comment and add the items you keep with you when you are out fishing.