When it comes to fishing, having the right gear can make all the difference. It’s the difference between an enjoyable day at the lake and driving home sunburnt and fishless. While a lot of Amazon fishing tackle quality is suspect at best, there are some diamonds to be found that can save you some money to spend elsewhere. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or a beginner, there are five essential pieces of fishing gear on Amazon you should consider adding to your kit.
1. Amazon Fishing Tackle: Line Snippers
Perhaps one of the most overlooked pieces of fishing gear, line snippers, are a must-have for any serious angler. Gone are the days of using your teeth or rusty scissors. Precision matters when you’re out on the water, and a clean, exact cut can be crucial. Especially when you are dealing with fine line and those pesky tag-ends.
One standout product on Amazon is the Boomerang Line Cutters. These line cutters are fantastic, and I am about to order another due to losing my last pair. They are durable, compact, and have a retractable tether that is great for attaching to your person so you always have it at hands reach. The best part about these cutters? They chop right on through braided line with ease, which is an absolute must for most bass fisherman. Having to carry separate scissors or fumble around with other braid cutters just wastes time.
You can purchase these at other stores for a couple bucks more than Amazon, but if you are already making an order you might as well throw these in too. Save yourself some gas and shipping. Trust me, once you inevitably lose your first pair you will be kicking yourself for not buying a few of them.
2. Amazon Fishing Tackle Tip: Rod Socks
To keep your precious fishing rods safe and free from scratches or tangling, rod socks are an absolute necessity. They protect your rods during storage and transportation, extending their life and preserving their quality. What is crazy is people will pay anywhere from $5-$15 for a single rod sock. Ludicrous I say, when you can buy a 12-pack off of Amazon for under $20. Nobody cares if your rod sock matches your rod. That is a personal thing, and I think your hard earned money can be better spent on tackle that makes a difference.
To be honest, I don’t think brand matters whatsoever. I purchased a 12-pack similar to the image below, and still have them on all of my rods today. What if you don’t have 12 rods? Simple, you will my friend. You will. The addiction never stops, so consider it a very small investment on protecting your soon to be had rods. You could give six of them away and still be ahead then purchasing separately at stores.
At the time of this post, buying in bulk shakes out to $1.50 per rod sock. Seems like a steal to me!
3. Amazon Fishing Tackle Tip: Bobber Stops
Bobber stops are crucial for controlling the depth of your bait in the water or keeping your weights pinned. These simple yet effective tools can significantly influence your success when fishing in different conditions. In the same vein as the rod socks, you all are way overpaying for what you get. A quick Google shows that for 12 beads, you are paying anywhere from $2-5. How about spending a penny or two each?
Amazon offers an excellent product in this category, where you can buy 1200 bobbers stops for a whopping $12 at the time of this post. Maybe some guys can tell the difference, but I haven’t found a reason I should be buying higher quality ones. Quite frankly, I can’t envision myself going through 1200 bobber stops anytime soon, or even my lifetime. Seems like a no brainer.
Just like your rod socks, you could give most of these away and still come out way ahead than buying some from Walmart, Cabelas, or wherever else.
4. Amazon Fishing Tackle Tip: Rod Guides
Every angler knows the annoyance of a damaged rod guide. Rather than replacing the whole rod, a fishing guide replacement kit can be a real day-saver. There is a trend to this list, and that is you are saving a ton of money for virtually the exact same thing. The rod guide kit below is no different. You are getting a large amount of guides for pennies on the dollar compared to what you would pay at your local tackle haunts.
The THKFISH guide kit comes with a variety of sizes of guides that allow you to fix your rod on the fly. There are a variety of kits that will cater to your specific rods. I personally have repaired four of my guides with this kit and have had zero issues with them so far. I even carry the kit around in my fishing bag for repair if necessary. A Fuji 3-piece kit that I see folks buy is close to $20, which is highway robbery.
Pick yourself up a THKFISH kit or two to fit your specific rods and call it a day.
5. Amazon Fishing Tackle Tip: Fishing Pliers
A good pair of fishing pliers is worth its weight in gold. From cutting lines to removing hooks or crimping leads, these tools are invaluable for every angler. While you can go super fancy and get yourself $50+ fishing pliers, I find that it is often unnecessary. I think I can speak for all of us bank anglers, losing pliers seems to be a common experience and that can add up when you are buying premium.
A fantastic option on Amazon is the KastKing bundle shown in the photo below. These anodized aluminum pliers offer excellent corrosion resistance, making them ideal for both freshwater and harsh saltwater environments. They cut line, unhook fish, and seem to be pretty durable. As a note, the lip gripper is not the same quality as the pliers, but is serviceable if needed.
As a bonus, the pliers come with a sheath and a lanyard. There is a reason they are a best seller on Amazon, because they do the job and at a low price.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are a seasoned angler or just starting on your fishing journey, these five essential pieces of fishing gear available on Amazon will help you make the most out of your experience at a fraction of the cost you spend elsewhere. While I like supporting local business and companies, I also like saving money and not overspending on items that don’t directly affect my success in catching fish.
For more money saving tips when it comes to fishing gear, check out this article that serves to help us anglers ball on a budget. Need some more tips, check out the fellas at Wired2Fish, they have some quality posts out about how to maximize bang for your buck.
Tight lines,
Dawson