What Are the Contents of a Tackle Box?

Overview

Fishing can be an extremely competitive professional sport or it can be an enjoyable way to spend your free time. No matter which end of the fishing spectrum you fall on, you still need to be prepared. Whether you are deep sea fishing off a specialized fishing boat or dipping your line into the water from the side of a small pier, you need equipment to fish, and most people store their gear in a tackle box.

Hooks and Line

The basics of fishing include the hook and the line. You have line on your fishing rod to start off but over the course of a day of fishing you may lose some of it as it gets tangled or abused. In those cases, you will have to tie on additional line. The same holds true with hooks. You may have to replace or change your hooks depending on the type of fish you are trying to catch.

Bait

When you are taking part in a day of fishing you need to have enough bait to last. Most fishermen keep their bait--worms, insects or meat--in their tackle box.

Lures

Lures are designed to fool fish into thinking that they are looking at some type of live bait on your fishing line. Many fish, such as trout, can be fooled into thinking that they are looking at real prey as they stare at the lure on the end of your line. You can go to your local outdoor store to build up an array of lures that will suit your fishing needs.

Pliers

There are many times you will take a fish out of the water and realize that it is not worth keeping. You are not going to eat it and you are not going to mount it because it is too small. In many cases you can remove the hook from the fish's mouth with needle-nose pliers. This device will allow you to have the strength and dexterity to remove most hooks so you can return the fish to the water.

Knife

If you are combining your fishing expedition with a camping trip, you need a knife to help prepare the fish for cooking. Use your knife to gut and filet the fish so you can cook it over the camp fire.