When you head out fishing, you need to be prepared for any eventuality, and that means having a tackle box full of supplies. Sure, you head out head to catch some bass, but a nearby fisherman tells you of a fantastic spot to go for trout. Do you have the right supplies?
10 Things Every Mans Fishing Tackle Box Needs
1. Extra line.
Sometimes a line breaks because it’s old, other times because you’ve landed a monster of a fish and you need something stronger. No matter the reason, it’s important that you pack extra line in your tackle box to ensure that no matter the conditions, you’re prepared.
2. Extra hooks.
Girls have bobby pins, you have fish hooks. Make sure you bring plenty of extras, and as much variety as you can.
You’ll lose fish hooks to hungry swimmers, to hidden branches on the bottom of the water, or just to plain bad luck. Don’t let it ruin your trip; attach another hook and cast again.
3. Floaters
Sometimes it can be hard to tell when you’ve hooked a fish. By attaching a floater, or a bobber, to your line, it becomes much easier.
These brightly colored tools float on the surface of the water, attached a few inches up the line from the hook. When the fish bites the hook, the floater will sink below the surface, signaling to you that it’s time to start reeling it in.
4. Extra sinkers.
That worm hanging on the end of your hook probably won’t register on a scale, and it’s certainly not going to sink very deep. You’ll need a sinker for that – but they come off almost as easily as hooks do. Make sure you’ve got a few spare ones.
5. Small first aid kit.
Make sure you have at least basic medical supplies. Accidents happen no matter how careful you might be, and you have to make sure you are able to disinfect and bandage an injury until you can get to proper medical care.
Your kit should include bandages, gauze, band-aids, and disinfectant at the very least.
6. Sunscreen
Ignore those who say sunscreen isn’t manly. It’s important to protect your skin; any real man knows that. Make sure you’ve got at least SPF-40 sunscreen to help block harmful UV rays and protect your skin against damage which may cause cancer.
7. Small flashlight.
You never know when you might need a flashlight, whether that is to get a better look at an injury or to repair your boat’s motor. If you’re a fan of night fishing, a small LED light goes a long way.
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8. Hand sanitizer.
This is needed for more than the first aid kit. Fish aren’t exactly the cleanest of creatures, and after you’ve made your catch and gutted them, you’ll need to clean your hands.
If a friend gets injured and you have to tend to them, you’ll want to make sure your hands are clean. A small bottle of hand sanitizer costs nothing and goes a long way.
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9. A pair of pliers.
Pliers go a long way. From making repairs to small equipment, bending hooks, or removing the hooks from the fish, a miniature pair of pliers should always be in your tackle box. You might even need it to remove a hook from you.
10. A line cutter.
The fishing line sometimes gets snagged and has to be cut, but because of the strength of certain fishing lines, pocket knives sometimes pose a danger. It’s better to buy a specialized pair of line cutters in order to ensure your safety, but if all else fails, an old pair of nail clippers should work.