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Fishing Gear Reviews and Buying Guides
Research-based roundups of rods, reels, line, lures, and tackle. We set our criteria first, compare what manufacturers publish, and rate every pick with the FH Score.
Latest Buying Guides
A kayak needs very little thrust to move, and every extra pound of motor and battery hurts how it paddles,...
Braid gets most of the attention, but monofilament still does a lot of work in salt water. It stretches under...
Fluorocarbon is nearly invisible underwater, sinks, and transmits bites well, which makes it popular for finesse fishing on spinning gear....
Felt soles are still the grippiest choice for many anglers on slick, algae-covered river rocks. The soft fibers press into...
Fly fishing puts more demands on sunglasses than most fishing. You need to see into moving water to spot trout...
A folding net solves the most annoying thing about landing nets: they are awkward to store and carry. With a...
When bass leave the shallows in summer and winter, they often hold on offshore ledges, humps, and channel edges 15...
A lure kit gives you a range of baits and terminal tackle in one purchase. It is a good way...
Most crappie are caught on small jigs: a light jig head, usually 1/32 to 1/8 oz, with a soft plastic...
All Lures & Baits guides ›
Surf fishing asks a lot of a rod and reel: long casts with heavy sinkers, sand and salt spray on...
A telescopic rod collapses into itself, so a full-length rod fits in a car trunk, a backpack, or under a...
A spinning rod is the most versatile rod most anglers own. It casts light lures easily, handles light line without...
All Fishing Rods guides ›
A 4 weight is the trout rod for anglers who fish dry flies, small nymphs, and modest streams. It lands...
In fresh water, a fly reel mostly stores line. In salt water, it has to stop fish. A redfish, bonefish,...
A beginner fly tying kit should do one job well: let you tie your first dozen flies without a second...
All Fly Fishing Gear guides ›
Kids get wet. Waders let them stand in a creek, launch a canoe, or follow you along a muddy bank...
Polarized sunglasses cut the glare bouncing off the water so you can see fish, weed edges, rocks, and stumps under...
Fishing gloves protect the backs of your hands from sun, your palms from line cuts and paddle blisters, and your...
All Fishing Apparel & Footwear guides ›
Fluorocarbon line is hard for fish to see because it bends light much like water does. It also sinks, stretches...
Six monofilament lines compared by job: all-round spinning, low stretch, heavy cover, big fish, budget, and bulk spools.
Six braided lines that handle well on spinning reels, compared by job: all-round, finesse, low visibility, cover, 9-strand, and budget.
All Fishing Line guides ›
A dull fillet knife tears flesh, wastes meat, and takes more force, which is when slips happen. Fillet knives dull...
A fish scale settles the “how big was it” question and helps tournament anglers cull to their best five fish....
A fish gripper clamps a fish’s lower jaw so you can control it without touching teeth, gill plates, or a...
All Fishing Tools & Accessories guides ›
Most bass techniques that use heavier line or bulky lures, such as jigs, Texas-rigged worms, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits, are easier...
Five budget baitcasting rod and reel combos compared by job, from the best all-round starter to tough, spare-tip, and IM7…
Four catfish rod and reel combos compared: budget spinning, heavy-duty 8 ft spinning, and conventional level wind for big cats.
All Rod & Reel Combos guides ›
A one-man ice shelter is built for anglers who fish alone and move often. Most are flip-over designs: a sled...
An ice combo is the simplest way to get on the ice with a balanced setup: the reel is sized...
Safety note: Check ice thickness before setting up a shelter, and follow your state agency’s guidance; a shelter with several...
All Ice Fishing Gear guides ›
Safety note: Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket every time you paddle; federal rules require one wearable life jacket...
Safety note: Trolling motors draw high current. Install the circuit breaker or fuse the motor maker specifies, use wire of...
Safety note: Anchoring a kayak in current or wind can pull the side of the boat under and flip it....
All Boating & Kayak Gear guides ›
A spincast combo is the easiest fishing setup to learn. You press a button, cast, and turn the handle; the...
Spincast reels are the easiest reels to learn. You press a button, swing the rod, and release the button to...
Trolling puts a reel in a rod holder for hours, then asks it to handle a fish that hits at...
All Fishing Reels guides ›
Salt water is hard on tackle bags. Spray and wet decks soak fabric, sand grinds into zippers, and salt crystals...
A good tackle box keeps lures organized, dry, and free of rust so you can find what you need fast....
Minnows, shiners, and shrimp die quickly in warm, still water. An aerated bait bucket keeps oxygen in the water, and...
All Tackle Storage guides ›
Surf fishing is mostly bait fishing: a rod in a sand spike, a weight holding bottom, and a hook carrying...
A bobber (or float) holds your bait at a set depth and shows you when a fish bites. It is...
A fishing swivel is a small metal connector with two rings joined by a rotating barrel or bearing. It links...
All Terminal Tackle guides ›
A jon boat is small, flat-bottomed, and usually aluminum, which shapes what fish finder makes sense. You have limited dash...
An underwater fishing camera shows you what a fish finder only hints at: whether those marks are crappie or bluegill,...
A fish finder will not catch fish for you, but it shows depth, bottom structure, bait, and fish that you...
All Fish Finders & Electronics guides ›
How We Pick
- Criteria first. For each guide we decide what matters for that gear and that kind of fishing before we look at products.
- Compare published specs. We research manufacturer specifications and product details and note where sources disagree or data is missing.
- Pros, cons, and who should skip it. Every pick gets balanced pros and cons and a clear note on who should buy something else.
The FH Score
An editorial rating on a 10-point scale, built from five weighted criteria. It is not based on Amazon ratings, and commissions never change it.
- Performance for intended use35%
- Build quality and materials20%
- Versatility15%
- Warranty and support15%
- Value within its price tier15%
How the FH Score works ›
Who is Fishing Hacking?
Fishing Hacking publishes research-based reviews and buying guides for fishing gear, written to help you choose equipment that fits how and where you fish.
For every category we set our criteria first, then compare products using the specifications and details their manufacturers publish. See how we review.
100+Buying Guides
13Categories
63Subcategories
What we cover
Rods, reels, line, lures, electronics, and the rest of the gear anglers carry, from first setups to fly and ice fishing.
How we choose
We set criteria before comparing products and hold every product in a guide to the same standard.
