Tackle Box Essentials For Fishing Success

It’s the perfect time to head out for a couple of hours of fishing in the sound, a local lake or even along the Pacific Coast. Not only is fishing a great pastime and a relaxing hobby, it can also help you save you some money you spend on your weekly food bills! To get the best results, you have to prepare before you head out. Otherwise you might find yourself out on the water when you realize you don’t have some essential equipment on hand. One of the essential steps is to pack your tackle box with the right items.

Rockingham Boat is your local boat dealer in Hampstead, NH and we’ve listed out some of the items you’ll want to keep in your tackle box whenever you head out fishing. For more tips or to check out quality boats for sale in Manchester or Nashua, get in touch with our sales team to see our wide selection of models!

Lures

You need lures to help you, well, lure the fish. The types of lures in your tackle box should include minnow imitations, top-water lures, spinners and spoons, as each of these is designed to attract a different type of fish. You might prefer a certain type but it’s a good idea to experiment different kinds of lures in different fishing environments. 

Bobbers

Also known as floaters, these are the lightweight items that let you know there’s a fish on your line. Once it sinks below the surface, you know you’ve got a bite. The most common design is the round red-and-white bobbers but they can limit how deeply you can cast your line. For more depth, use slip bobbers which can slip up and down the line. A piece of cork with a stick in it will also do in a pinch, though!

Sinkers

You need a sinker to help the line go deeper into the water since your hook and lure are usually too light to do that job. These are heavy little gizmos that can easily get lost so you should keep some extras in hand. Traditionally, sinkers were made of lead but  due to the environmental hazards of lead, it can be banned in many places in the country. You can still get sinkers made of other metals like steel, bismuth, tungsten and brass.

Needle-Nose Pliers

This small tool is very handy to have on board your boat when you’re out fishing. You can use pliers to get the hooks out of the fish you’ve caught. They are also useful for bending wires or removing other items that can cause you any inconvenience. A pair of pliers is pretty universally handy for a lot of reasons, so make sure you have some available.

Extra Line

Ask any long-time angler and you’ll hear how important it is to keep some extra line stashed on your boat. Your fishing line can get tangles or break easily when you’re fishing. Sometimes it can get caught on something, while at other times a fish can snap it. For fishing in rougher waters, you’ll want to have an extra heavy-duty line on hand, while thin and clear lines are better for calm inland waters.

Spare Hooks

You never know what type of fish you’ll encounter in some places so it’s a good idea to keep extra hooks in your tackle box. You should keep a variety of different hooks (including J-hooks and French hooks) as well as hooks of different sizes. This will be very helpful for those anglers who try different fishing spots as you’ll be ready for all sizes and types of fish you’ll come across. 

First-Aid Kit

When you head out into nature, you can encounter a number of new situations, which you should be prepared for. A well-stocked first-aid kit should be part of your tackle box basics. Some essential items are bandages of many sizes, gauze, waterproof medical tape, tweezers, ointment, antiseptic cream, sunscreen, bug spray, nail clippers, petroleum jelly, painkillers, antacids and anything else you think you might need.

Line Cutter

Sometimes you end up with a fishing line that’s so hopelessly entangled there’s no way of saving it. Then you have no choice but to cut the line. A sharp blade can help you out in a pinch or a pair of nail clippers that’s stashed away in your first aid box can also help out. Despite that, you should also have a small pocket knife or multi-tool with you.

We hope this information will help you have more successful and enjoyable fishing trips! If you need additional help or are looking for boats for sale in Hampstead, NH, get in touch with us at Rockingham Boat and we’ll show you our vast selection! We’re proud to be the leading boat dealer for our clients from Manchester and Nashua!