Fishing Tools & Tackle Boxes

Fishing Tools & Tackle Boxes How-Tos

Essential Fishing Tools For Every Angler

When you are headed out to the lake for a weekend of fishing, you know to bring your fishing rod, reel, and whatever bait or lures you are going to need while fishing. But what other fishing tools should be included in your stash? Below are some of some of the essential fishing tools that every angler should carry when fishing.

Pliers, Cutters, Knives, Shears, and Sharpeners

Before venturing into the sea or ocean, always ensure you have the following fishing tools:

Pliers:This handy device may be used to adjust or straighten a hook that may get bent during the struggle. It can also be used to remove bait which has gotten stuck or fixed inappropriately and for cutting line or removing leftover line from hooks. There are also floating pliers which can be handy if you drop them in the water.

Cutters / clippers:These are useful in a variety of situations, but mainly are used to nip the line or cord. The cutters are also helpful when trimming the mooring lines. The best cutter should be easy to use, cuts without leaving frayed edges and safe to handle. If it clips to your belt for ease of use, even better!

Fishing Knife: Probably one of the most important tools that should feature in an angler's tool box and is used for two main purposes: Filleting a fish after it has been caught and also cutting and preparing bait.

Fishing Shears:Any serious angler should never be without a pair of shears in his toolkit. This is used to cut light pieces of line, cord or fabric. Fishing shears may also be used to nick the edges of a chord after splicing. It's always advisable to go for stainless steel shears to avoid corrosion.

Sharpener:One of the most vital accessories in an angler's toolkit is the hook. This device will determine how quick you hook a fish. Overtime, it may become blunt hence not hooking the fish as desired. The knives and clippers also become blunt after use. To ensure they remain sharp at all times it's necessary to use sharpeners.

Tools for Bait and Catch Management

Storage of bait is always overlooked when fishing. Many people will place it in tight spaces or open buckets. This may lead to the bait being strewn all over. Bait is best managed by using plastic vials or jars, and bags. A good bag should be made from water-proof material and user-friendly.

Fishing tools for catch management can cover a variety of tools that you may need when you bring the fish out of the water. It can include a net, de hooker, a fish gripper, creel, net, stringer, wire basket or more. Using this equipment is key to storing your catch safely. Placing it anywhere is unhealthy. It also makes the deck slippery which can result in an accident. And of course - measuring your catch is half the fun, so rulers and scales are also something to carry on the boat.

Line and Rod Management

One of the biggest challenges anglers have is trying to keep the lines organized and free. The lines may get entangled, form knots, coil or blown by the wind. This not only hampers the activity but can make someone trip. The drawbacks can be avoided by using a line management tool. These can include a spooling station or a line stripper.

It is also vital to think about rod management when stocking your boat with fishing tackle. Safe handling and storage of the rods minimizes loss, breakage or wear and tear. They should be stored in safe and easy to reach locations.

There are hundreds of fishing tools that you may find essential to every fishing expedition, but the above is a good list to get you started. It can be a challenge to bring them all on board and keep them organized, so they don't get in the way during a struggle with a large catch. Make sure you have a tool organizer - they can suction cup onto a smooth surface in a cockpit or cabin. From pliers, knives, and shears to rod holders and tool organizers, iboats.com has everything you need to enjoy a day on the water.