Fishing Tackle Buyer's Guide: Lures, Terminal Tackle and Bank Gear

A good fishing day depends less on the rod than on what is in the tackle box: the right lure for the water, spare hooks and swivels when a rig breaks off, and a net when the fish is at the boat. This guide covers what to look for in each, using gear from the Wellslate catalog that ships from a US warehouse. Prices change, so check each product page for the current price.

Lures: start with variety

If you fish different water or are still learning what works on your lake, a mixed kit with hard and soft baits lets you try a few styles before you buy more of one.

• 375-Piece Freshwater and Saltwater Lure Kit with Tackle Box. A two-layer box with 12 spoons, 5 hard baits, 2 frogs, soft worms, maggots, shrimp and crickets, plus 240 jig hooks, jig heads, beads, swivel snaps and bullet weights. It is aimed at bass, trout, walleye, perch, crappie and pike. Most of the 375 pieces are small hooks and soft baits, so think of it as a starter or refill kit rather than a box of premium lures.

Terminal tackle: the parts that break off

• 188-Piece Terminal Tackle Kit. Jig heads, hooks, sinkers, barrel, snap and rolling swivels, split rings, leaders and split shot in a box of about 15 x 15 x 5 cm. It is small enough for a vest pocket. Piece counts can vary slightly by batch.

Landing and bite detection

• Folding Landing Net with Aluminum Handle. An aluminum handle with an EVA grip and a belt clip, and 5 mm coated nylon mesh that is easier on fish you release. It opens to about 73 cm long and folds to about 43 cm (16.9 in) for a kayak or a boat locker. It weighs about 345 g and works in fresh or salt water.
• Rod-Tip Bite Alarm Bells with LED, 10-Pack. Clip-on twin bells with a green LED, so you can hear or see a bite from your chair when bank fishing for catfish or carp, day or night. They run on 2 LR41 button batteries, which are included.

Bank and night fishing

• Folding Camp Chair, Oxford Cloth and Steel. Rated to 220 lb and about 4.4 lb to carry down to the bank. It pairs with the bite alarms for still fishing.
• Magnetic Folding COB Work Light, 2-Pack. Hang one from the hook to tie knots and re-rig after dark. The red mode is easier on night vision than white light.

Quick picks

• New angler's first box: the 375-piece lure kit.
• Rebuilding a box: the 188-piece terminal tackle kit.
• Catch and release: the folding landing net.
• Catfish and carp from the bank: the bite alarms, the chair and a work light.

Shipping

Wellslate ships to US addresses only. Standard shipping takes 5 to 14 business days, plus 1 to 2 business days to process the order. Delivery times are estimates, not guarantees. Orders of $50 or more ship free; below that it is a flat $9.99. See the shipping page, and for a holiday gift, count back about three weeks from the day you need it.