Beginner’s Tacklebox

How to Choose the Best Tackle Box

For most beginner’s tacklebox, their first tackle box was a plain old Plano beginner’s tacklebox. These small, rectangular, plastic boxes have been around since 1952. Known for their variety, design features, and sturdiness, these boxes are made to be filled and used. That’s why many, to this day, consider them to be the best tackle box on the market.

Plano boxes range from lunchbox style $20 boxes perfect for kids, up to $200 professional boxes for guides. They even make angled boxes designed to sit in the bow of a kayak.

Let’s face it, everybody needs gear to fish. Just as mechanics need ways to organize tools, an angler needs a good tackle box to organize gear. This includes items such as an emergency flashlight, pliers, maps, and charts.

A well-organized box will keep the beginning angler from stabbing fingers or losing a catch because he couldn’t find the tool he needed. A good box will also transport comfortably from basement to car to boat, and back.

It will withstand bumps and drops, and it will keep its precious cargo protected and dry.

How Do You Find The Best Beginner’s Tacklebox? It’s the One That Works!

The best tackle box, especially when looking for a beginner’s tacklebox, is simply the one that works. Most beginners don’t have a lot of gear, so a small, easily expandable, box is a good start.

For many beginning anglers, a simple tool or craft tackle box works fine. These types of boxes are inexpensive, basic, and have lots of areas for hooks, lures, weights and more.

However, a basic black tackle box is only good for a short period. Unlike boxes made specifically for fishing, a craft or recycled, green tackle box, will quickly show the wear and tear of water exposure.

This is especially true if any saltwater fishing is happening. These types of boxes are simply not made to withstand sun and surf. Besides, with so many options to choose from, why not get what is needed?

A Rapala tackle box, for example, is made to withstand the rigors of the water, while providing multiple sizes of storage areas and the ability to expand the size of the box. It’s like a magic tackle box, only without those pesky magicians.

What to have in a tackle box

A tackle box is like life, what comes out of it depends upon what’s put into it. The best tackle box in the world is useless if there isn’t anything worthwhile inside of it.

For any beginner’s tacklebox, there are a few must-have items. Lures and worms are a must, as are an assortment of hook sizes and types. Extra line, a good knife, needle-nose plyers, and a flashlight should all be basic equipment.

For the best worms, look into basic soft plastic baits like the Tattletail Worm. This finesse bait is deal for drop-shots and shaky heads. It features a paddle tail that goes absolutely wild with even slight movements.

The body of the Tattletail Worm is built with a round, ribbed profile and a flat underside that makes for easy rigging, an especially nice feature for those beginners who are learning a proper Texas rig.

Another top performer is the Gene Larew Hammer Craw. Designed to mimic a crawfish, this soft bait lure features a segmented body that allows for a heavy flipping hook.  The ribbed belly vibrates through the water to attract fish.

For the best lures out there, look no further than the Popping Perch. This hollow body topwater lure is designed to drag across the top of the water, walking fast and easy to entice even stubborn fish.

The Popping Perch was designed by the Strike King Pro Staff, who know a thing or two about catching fish. It comes in a variety of colors for various conditions, and is solid enough to stay sealed and usable strike after strike.

Pro Tackle Box – Sometimes we need a little more

Want a truly cool tackle box? Ready to upgrade into something made for the experienced angler? Then it’s time to check out the professional grade, soft sided, expandable boxes.

These tackle boxes have it all. They have multiple handles, making them easy to carry and stow. Soft sided, with outside pockets and carbineers, most of these boxes allow for easy access to commonly needed items, like a multi-tool.

In addition, many of these boxes have stackable, removable trays. This means the savvy angler can grab just the trays needed for that day’s fishing, and only open whatever tray is needed for the moment.

When it comes to water and sun, especially salt water, the less exposure the better. Being able to only open one compartment of one tray, while keeping everything else protected and dry, will increase the usability of all equipment.

Since the trays are stackable, a fisher can also leave out a tray or two on days when larger equipment is needed. The versatility of these bags make them a must for the experienced angler, or the beginner who wants to grow into his gear.

After all, you need a great place to store the best panfish lures so you can cook up a great meal when you get home!

Price isn’t everything, but it is certainly something!

With respect to the late, great Aretha Franklin, “what you want. Baby I got it!”

Here at the Rusty Angler we believe in fishing giveaways, fishing sweepstakes, and fishing promotions. While a fishing giveaway might land some free swag, fishing sweeps are a great way to enter competitions for extra gear.

That being said, one of the best areas to investigate is the world of fishing promotions. Companies, even tackle box companies, have fishing promotions all the time specifically to attract new buyers or to highlight new products.

Why is that important? Well, that means gear at either greatly reduced prices or even free. There’s nothing wrong with getting free gear with that tackle purchase!

On another note, a good fishing contest allows anglers to win free gear just by doing what is already being done – catching fish.

So grab some gear, grab a great Rusty Angler deal, and grab the best beginner’s tacklebox. Those fish are out there and they sure aren’t going to catch themselves!