Fishing tackle is the term that anglers use to describe the equipment that they need to bring with them in order to engage in fishing. Since the term is loosely defined any item that can be used while fishing can be referenced as fishing tackle.
There are many different items that may be included in fishing tackle such as hooks, spears, nets, sinkers, rods, waders, reels, lures, baits, and many more. There is also a separate subcategory of fishing tackle that is called terminal tackle which includes anything that goes on the end of a fishing line such as floats, hooks, beads, lures, bait, and other similar devices.
Another way to describe fishing tackle is with the phrase fishing gear, however there is a small discrepancy among professional fisherman since fishing tackle is considered to be for those who are fishing for recreation while fishing gear is the term used for commercial fishing.
There are a few instrumental pieces of fishing tackle that every angler must have in order to actually be able to hit the water. Among these are fishing bait, rod, reel, line, hook, and sinker.
Traditionally, these belong in their own subcategories of fishing tackle as well. For example, rod, reel, and line are often considered to be a separate entity since they all combine to create the structure that you can fish with. The rod is the “cane” that holds the line that can be cast into the water, and the reel is what actually allows a line to be cast and retrieved at will.
Hook, sinker, and bait also fall into their own category since these are the items that work together to allow a fisherman to catch the fish that they are after. The hook is simple enough to understand, since it is what actually grabs the fish that the angler is after.
However, to lure the fish towards the hook several types of bait are used such as lures, live bait, or spinners. At the same time, the bait and hook need to be lowered deep enough into the water so that the fish can see the temptation, which is where the sinker comes into play. The sinker is a weight that pulls the line down into the depths where the fish roam.
Although there are many more types of fishing tackle, these main items are the basis around which a fishing tackle kit is built.
