A UK Fisherman’s Guide to Preparing Your Fishing Tackle Boxes With Everything You Must Have
Posted in Fly Fishing Gear on the February 22, 2010
As fishing season gets underway and you prepare for your first outing, remember that a lot of the fun comes from getting your tackle box loaded up with the things you’ll need for the trip. Though it’s unlikely that you’re forget leaders, hooks, line, bobbers, and sinkers, you might forget an essential item, the lack of which can ruin your outing. Here’s a list of some of the items that are necessities for any angler’s tackle box.
Fishing Tackle Boxes - Pliers with a Needle Nose
Needle nose pliers are a great addition to any tackle box. This tool makes it easy to remove hooks from fish. Be certain to pick a needle nose containing an integrated cutter. A cutter is useful for cutting off the end of a hook before pulling it out of a fish. They can also be helpful for crimping leaders as well as split shot onto your line.
Knife
Pick a strong knife that can be used for many things. I’d recommend a pretty large blade made of stainless steel. A partly serrated blade provides you with maximum usefulness. The blade also needs to be strong enough to clean or fillet fish. Two good features to have on a fishing knife are a hook remover and a scaler.
File
You can use a file to sharpen both your knife and hooks, with some practice. Choose a small triangular shaped file with a different abrasive surface on each side. Some fishermen prefer to carry a whetstone, but using one correctly takes a bit of practice.
Toilet Roll
Let’s be honest - when you need it, there’s no substitute. You really don’t need to carry the whole roll. Unwind a good amount and seal it in a plastic bag. Make sure to take plenty though, and you may want to add some paper towels or Kleenexes, too. If a fire is needed on the trip, these items all burn quite well.
Fishing Tackle Boxes - Nail Clippers
Most clippers include a file that’s useful for making hooks sharp. Also, the clipper itself is a good way to cut the line.
Cigarette Lighter
It’s hard to know in advance if you’ll need to create a fire for some reason. You also can use the lighter to seal the ends of nylon rope to prevent fraying or to repair damaged plastic worms.
Fishing Tackle Boxes - Emergency Kit
The best option is to buy a small, pocket sized kit. Be sure it minimally contains bandages, a way to cleanse a wound and antibiotic ointment. An Ace® bandage and gauze pads are excellent to include. Be certain to take aspirin or some other analgesic with you. Finally, don’t forget the sunscreen.
Bug Spray
Getting eaten up by bugs and insects is a sure-fire way to have a miserable outing, so make sure your tackle box includes some bug spray to keep those pests far, far away.
Easily Portable Food
Pack a few energy bars or granola bars. These make a nutritious lunch, along with a handful of nuts or raisins.
Once you’re set with all this gear, you can concentrate on landing that trophy specimen!