The Ultimate Packing List for Anglers: Must-Have Gear for Every Trip

There are few activities as enjoyable as a day out fishing with friends, family, or simply spending a solo day on the water chasing fish around. For many outdoors enthusiasts looking to try fishing for the first time—or to improve their skillset—purchasing new fishing tackle can be a daunting task. It’s often intimidating to walk into an outdoors or fishing store and simply try to pick out what you need, and shopping online can be even more of a challenge. How does one begin to sift and sort through the myriad of offerings online.

Purchasing your tackle and gear is one of the most significant challenges facing beginners learning to fish, which seems somewhat contradictory in terms as, really, only a few basic pieces of equipment are required to go catch fish. At its most basic, fishing requires a rod, a reel, line, a hook, and something to tempt the fish to eat (a worm, bait, or a lure itself). It’s not a terribly long gear list, but it means each item carries more importance. 

So how does one go about tackling the breadth of offerings on the market? Navigating the seas of fishing tackle and fishing apparel offerings on the market can seem like an impossible task, but rod selection can, really, be deceptively simple.

Rods 101: The Basics

Regardless of your prior experience fishing, three key questions will enable you to whittle down your potential rod section.

First off, where are you going to be fishing? Lakes or rivers? Realizing that, at some point in your fishing career, you’ll likely do all of those things, where are you starting? If you got in your vehicle right now and headed to the water that’s inspired you to fish, what does it look like?

Second, what species will you target most often? Again, you’ll likely chase many different fish throughout your lifetime. But right now, in that target water, what’s swimming around? Do you live in the desert and plan to fish a vast reservoir and its canyons? Or are you on a tiny natural lake in Florida looking for big crappies in the weeds? Maybe you’re an aspiring Midwestern angler hoping to go chase bass on the local lake with the kids. Figure out what kind of fish you’ll most often be fishing for, and plan accordingly.

Third, what kind of bait or lures will you be throwing? Tossing big plugs up in the Northeast? That’s likely going to require a different gear set-up than that neighborhood bluegill pond you’re planning to target with a Styrofoam box of worms. Throwing spinnerbaits for bass or trolling big crankbaits for pike along weedlines? Each of these different methods of fishing is going to require different rods to get the bait / lures into the target zone. Once you’ve decided where you’ll most often be fishing, what species you plan to target, and what kind of bait or lures you’ll often be throwing, we can begin to talk about rod characteristics and preferences.

“Length”, “Power”, and “Action” are terms you’ll often hear fishermen use when talking about fishing rods. One key tenet to remember is that each angler needs to determine their preferred balance of strength (power) and action (where along the blank the rod primarily flexes). As a rule of thumb, strong, heavy rods can throw larger bait or lures, but aren’t as well-suited to finesse applications.  And while lighter rods can be more sensitive, they are sometimes not strong enough (many anglers use the term “backbone” to refer to rod stiffness and strength) to fight larger, more aggressive fish. This balance between power and action will vary depending on the target species and the water being fished (which is why those questions up above are so key!) but also by angler preference.

Fishing Reels and Lines: Core Selections

The rod throws the line, but the fishing reel is what holds it. Conventional fishing reels come in three formats: spinning reels, which are the most common, the most versatile, and likely what you are already fishing. Casting reels, often used in heavy duty bass or other predator fish situations, can hold more line and throw / manage larger lures well. Spinning reels are easy to spot: the open design mounts to the bottom of the rod, and each turn of the handle rewinds more line back onto the reel. Anglers flip the “bail” (the wire rim-looking piece along the outer edge of the reel) outward to allow them to cast out line, and then flip the bail back into a locked position to reel up line. It’s a simple design that has become beloved by anglers around the world over the years. Spinning reels come in a variety of designs, speciality models, sizes, and price points.

And if you’ve ever played with one of the cheap—and wonderfully fun—all-in-one kits for kids or new anglers, you’ve likely played with a spincast reel, which is often marketed as an entry-level or youth reel. Spincasting reels have a closed-face design, and also mount along the top of the rod. They function with a simple crank handle and, instead of flipping a bail, anglers often simply press a button to cast out more line. The ease of use makes spincasting reels a favorite for kids or new anglers.

Anglers use either monofilament, braided, or fluorocarbon fishing line on fishing reels. Braided, or “braid” is often considered the superior choice as it has no stretch, high durability, and no line memory, which means it won’t kink and curl after being stored in coils on the reel. Fluorocarbon, often called simply “fluoro,” sinks and has some stretch, and is nearly invisible in the water with high abrasion resistance. The cheapest choice, monofilament (aka “mono”) is a lot of stretch, floats, and tends to have memory, which means it can be frustratingly coiled or kinky coming off the reel.

Fishing Tackle Essentials: Filling Your Tackle Box

How you choose to stock your tackle box will largely be dependent on where you are fishing and what time of year it is. Some basics you should consider are: plenty of hooks and lures (we’ll go into more details on lures below), extra fishing line, bobbers, sinkers, swivels, snaps, and pliers. Tackle boxes are largely an exercise in personal preference, but ensuring you have lures or bait suitable for the fishery, as well as ways to tie these lures and bait to your line and get them to either float or sink as desired, is the basic idea.

Types of Tackle

It’s easy to get lost in the world of lures. We can divide lures into basic categories: soft baits, hard baits, fishing jigs, spinner baits, and terminal tackle. As their name suggests, soft baits are made of a soft, moldable plastic that is “squishy” and imitates a swimming creature. Even though hooks must be added separately, soft baits can be cheaper than hard baits, and effective in the right situations. 

Hard Baits

As the name suggests, are made from hard materials including plastic, wood, or metal. Hard baits are designed to represent a moving creature, and therefore must be animated when used (often by a reel-and-jerk motion and continuous retrieval, pending on the fishery and lures being used). They have attached hooks.

Fishing Jigs

Fishing jigs are hooks that have metal weight permanently attached to the hook itself, often paired with a rubber skirt to help create enticing motion and more natural action. Jigs sink at different rates pending how much weight is attached to the hook, and can be used in a variety of fishing scenarios. 

Spinner Baits and Buzz Baits

These are easy to spot, thanks to their unique appearance. Often lumped into the same group as buzz baits, these two lures are fashioned with spinning metal blades surrounding a hard wire frame which suspends them apart. These flashy creations spin around when they are retrieved, creating a flashing, bright disturbance in the water which hopefully entices an aggressive bite. Buzz baits work on the same principle, but are fished with a quick retrieval across the surface of the water, creating a unique “buzzing” sound to draw fish in. 

Terminal Tackle

This is a catch-all term used for fishing gear tied to the end of the line which holds bait or lures. Hooks, snaps, bobbers, sinkers, and swivels all fall into this category. Stock up on a variety of terminal tackle that’s suitable for your target fishery in a variety of conditions: the hooks and snaps you use to rig one rod one day might not work the next when you want to rig a different rod in a different method for new conditions. Local fishing stores and online forums are a great resource to see what’s popular in your area.  Terminal tackle never goes out of style and is always in play for most species.

Fishing Boats, Floats, and Kayaks

While there are many opportunities for anglers to fish from the shore and find great success, fishermen often find themselves dreaming of owning a boat. Different types of boats are best-suited to various waterways and styles of fishing, and it’s worth doing your homework as you consider your first boat purchase. Recreational anglers may consider starting off with something man-powered, such as a fishing kayak or a Jon boat, which is a flat-bottomed, stable vessel designed for calm inland waters (it’s easy to fit a small trolling motor to most Jon boats as well, should the desire strike.) Center console boats (with the helm in the center of the boat) and dual-console boats (with the helm located on the right side) are both good options for recreational angling and family lake trips.

There are many other specialty fishing and recreational boats on the market, including belly boats, pontoon boats, bay boats, runabouts, and walkaround boats. If possible, spend some time on a boat similar to the one you may be interested in, and get a feel for how it runs and works on the water. You may find a few details you’d like to change or finesse when the time comes to purchase your own boat. 

If you are fishing from a boat, consider investing in electronics to outfit the boat. Common options include multifunction displays, fish finders, bow-mount trolling motors and VHF radios. A favorite of anglers—largely because it helps find the actual fish—is the fish finder. Fish finders use sonar to detect fish and other underwater objects by sending out sound waves, or sonar signals, and receive the echoes. When the waves hit a fish, they reflect back and the fish finder converts the reflection into an image on a screen. You’ll be able to see individual fish, fish schools, and the distribution of these schools. Sonar can scan straight below the boat, out to the sides, or forward-facing controlled by the angler.  Fish finders also provide information about the water, including the depth, the condition of the lakebed, and even vegetation.

Choosing the Right Fishing Apparel

As with any outdoor undertaking, the best fishing apparel for the lake will largely depend on where you are fishing and what time of year. Summertime is arguably the most popular season for recreational angling, and fishermen will head out on the water in a layered system: lightweight, breathable, and sun-protective shirts and shorts or long pants. Shirts with hoods are popular in sunny climates, as they offer excellent protection against sunburn for the vulnerable back of the neck. Slip-proof and non-marking shoes are key for anglers fishing from boats, and a solid hat is key for sun protection and to help increase vision by keeping sun out of the angler’s eyes.

When the mornings and evenings grow a little colder, it’s wise to bring along layers as well. A lightweight fleece can add valuable warmth to a brisk morning, and gloves can help keep knot-tying fingers warm. Regardless of the forecast, consider bringing along a solid rain jacket as well: conditions can change quickly on the water, and it’s better to pack it and not use it than to get caught in a deluge and wish you had it.

Anglers who ice fish will find themselves exploring a whole new realm of angling apparel. Insulated jackets, bibs, boots, gloves, and layers help keep wintertime fishermen safe and comfortable while on the water. These days most outerwear, along with being light, warm and comfortable, also floats, adding an additional layer of safety to the garment.

Regardless of the season or conditions, anglers should invest in a good pair of polarized sunglasses. Not only will the polarization help anglers spot structure and fish underneath the surface, but the sunglasses help protect against flying hooks and other objects while on the water.

Fishing Map Apps: The Secret Weapon

One of the most valuable things an angler can do to prepare for a fishing trip is to do their reproach as they plan their time on the water. Plan your fishing day using curated data and tools within the onX Fish App. It’s easy to scout ahead from the comfort of home, using our detailed maps to explore lakes and plan your fishing day.

Find which species live in which body of water, their size, and relative abundance.  onX Fish provides fishermen customizable filters to highlight fish species and sizes of interest, all while offering multiple “plan B’s” at their fingertips. As an added bonus, onX Fish gets you to the lake with detailed information on boat ramps and access points. onX Fish will help you find new opportunities you never knew existed. Our goal is to give you all the information you need to confidently plan your next fishing trip, get to the access point, and then find your target fish successfully with unique map tools and layers.