One of the best parts fishing is choosing your tackle (at least while you’re off the water). Brightly colored lures and worms are like the adult version of Pokemon cards; you gotta catch em all! While the efficacy of all these different baits is debatable, one thing is for certain, new baits are great at catching eager shoppers. In 2012 U.S.anglers spent ~$42 billion on lure, baits, and tackle and growth has steadily continued since then.
As demand has continued to grow numerous companies have capitalized with subscription based business models. Firms leverage buying power at scale to scoop up large lots of overstocked inventory at low prices and pass these savings on to subscribers. The result is a curated assortment of lures and baits made available to consumers at lower than retail prices.
Monthly fishing boxes offer a price effective way to grow your tackle collection; or simply replace the ones you’ve lost. These fishing subscription boxes are a great option for beginner and experienced anglers alike. They’ll save you a trip to the store and expose you to brands and tackle you might not normally try. We’ve put together the most comprehensive list of fishing subscription boxes for your perusal below.
What Makes a Great Box
Before we dive in it’s worth noting what makes a subscription fishing box great, and what makes them…smeh.
Quality Lures
Designing a good lure takes time and skill. But designing a great lure takes experience, master craftsmanship, and passion. The mainstays lures of today like the Heddon Spook, Rapala Minnow, or Mepps Roostertail didn’t just happen overnight. They were perfected over countless iterations spanning multiple decades.
Making fantastic lures is a full time job; and there are plenty of talented small and middle sized companies that deliver innovative and unique new lures to the market. Subscription boxes that showcase both new and established brands and lures to anglers are awesome. Companies that slap a new label on a cheap plastic lures cranked out from a Chinese factory, are not. And unfortunately that’s commonly the case with many in-house brands.
With that being said not all in-house brands are equal. Some in-house brands outsource production to bonafide lure/tackle companies. But it’s pretty easy to see who’s relabeling cheap crap and who isn’t.
Engaging Content
New lures and fishing techniques are always fun to try – especially when they result in a catch. But the learning curve for any new bait can vary between “put it on a hook” and “what the heck is this”. We love to see brands that go the extra mile with pamphlets or guides that explain how to rig the baits in the box; which is especially helpful when you’re out of cell range on the water.
Additionally brown boxes are boring. Colorful designs, stickers, and schwag may not be the most important thing in the world. But these extra touches convey a dedication to improving the consumer experience. And they’re just plain fun.
Flexibility
Let’s be honest – only the most dedicated of fishermen needs new baits and lures year-round. Once your tackle box is overflowing and the winter months arrive you’ll probably want to press pause on your monthly fishing box. That’s why we feel it’s important for companies to offer consumers control over their account and plan via interactive websites. Brands that incorporate automated systems to process order changes are great. Brands that use manual processes like email to cancel an order aren’t necessarily bad, but they are more error prone.
The Best
6th Sense Super 6 Sack
While technically not a “box” the 6th Sense Sack still offers anglers access to some spectacular gear. 6th Sense has built a name for itself off of impeccably crafted crankbaits. Their hardbody lures are some of the best looking in the business and boast amazing action as well. From a crankbait foundation 6th Sense has also moved into soft plastics, rods, terminal tackle, and innovative gear and apparel.
The 6th Sense Sack is a little different from other offerings on this list in that it only includes 6th Sense products. Three tiers; Standard, Premium, and Tailored are available at $23, $37, and $43 respectively with savings for buying multiple months at once. 6th Sense Sacks group products together by their designed depth in the water column. And the Tailored option allows customization for hitting your target depth with your favorite colors. Sacks include a rotating variety of 6th Sense products such as baits, hooks, jigs, and even apparel. Use the code BaitmanSuper6 for $10 off your first order.
Mystery Tackle Box
Mystery Tackle Box (MTB) is one of the most successful and well known fishing subscription boxes available. Founder Ross Gordon started packing MTB boxes in garage and his business quickly exploded into a fishing staple. MTB’s boxes are beautifully designed and include detailed instructions on rigging and fishing techniques for the included gear. Big name brands like Googan Baits, Z-Man, and Rapala are all commonly featured as well as newer upstarts and foreign baits.
MTB has three different box tiers priced at $20, $30, and $40 a month with additional savings for buying more up-front. Boxes are targeted at both fresh and saltwater species (bass, walleye, reds, etc.) and there’s no required commitment. You can change your species, tier, or just cancel altogether at any time. Use the promo code TRYMTB10 for an extra $10 off your first box.
TrueFly
Truefly specializes in fly fishing flies and gear for both fresh and saltwater species. Their monthly “Supply Drops” come in standard and pro editions priced at $29 and $49. Each drop includes between 9 and 24 (dependent on package) along with an assortment of gear that’s valued at $45 (standard) and $85 (pro). Truefly also features a robust customer loyalty program where participants can earn points that can be spent on add-ons and gear. They also feature a totally customizable box if you’re more finicky.
Truefly offers fisherman customization, account self service, and most importantly – stickers! This is a great option for fly fishermen who want more than just flies each month.
MonsterBass
MonsterBass is an all American owned and operated company based out of Los Angeles, California. Founder Rick Patri split from his ventures with Lucky Tackle Box to provide consumers with more focused and high quality lures. They’re unique from other companies in that they focus their efforts on the pursuit of a single fish – the Bass (duh) and tailor lures to different U.S. regions. Bass behavior varies geographically due to a multitude of factors; so lures that work in one spot might be totally ineffective a few hundred miles away.
Two tiers are available with MonsterBass: the National Level that comes with 6 different lures, and the Regional Pro with 8. The Regional Pro is priced at $35 monthly while the National comes in at $25; there’s no monthly commitment and upfront savings are available. MonsterBass partners with some great companies like V&M, Booyah, and Daiichi and boxes are packed with awesome baits. Use the code SAVE10 to save $10 on your first order.
Post Fly
Post Fly claims to be the original monthly fly fishing box and is one of the better options for fly fishermen. Boxes are species specific, or subscribers can opt for a fly-tying box for fishermen who prefer the DIY route. The O.G. tier runs at $25 a month and delivers flies, leaders, and gear valued at $35. The Guide Series tier doubles up the flies and provides gear valued at $85 for only $45. Upfront savings are available and users can cancel anytime.
PostFly includes third party and in house flies/gear. This is one case where in-house brand isn’t a bad thing – PostFly’s gear is well made and packaged to keep it safe during transit. These boxes are a great option for fly anglers who want more than just flies each month.
iFlies
iFlies offers fly fishermen a simple and cost effective option for growing their never-ending supply of flies. This UK based company started shipping curated flies 2014 and now supplies anglers around the world with high quality flies on a monthly basis. Flies come neatly arranged in a pocket sized tins which are perfect for storing in your vest or satchel.
Tins are available in 5 and 10 fly counts, as well as a double up option for duplicates. Anglers can choose flies targeted towards trout, salmon, or warm-water fish. 5 fly tins run £7.99 and 10 fly tins for £10.99 with additional savings for buying multiple months at once. There’s a small additional shipping fee that varies by country. iFlies is an elegant option for the consummate fly fisher looking for a tidy supply of monthly flies.
The Rest
Freestone Fly
Freestone Fly is another monthly fly fishing subscription service. They offer two tiers: the Original membership at $20 a month and the “A-Fish-Inado” (aficionado) membership at $40. Boxes are available in 5 different flavors (salmon, warmwater, etc.) and feature a mix of 3rd party and in house brands. Upfront savings are available and consumers can manage their accounts via the website.
Freestone Fly looks to be a new and upcoming entrant in fly-fishing boxes that presents an attractive offering. Flies are decent quality but we’d like to see some better packaging. Flat-pack envelopes can lead to smushed flies that need a little tlc before going on the tippet.
BadFish
If you’re a coastal fisherman going for inshore species like reds and stripers than you should strongly consider Badfish Supply. Based out of Newbury, Massachusetts Badfish focuses on anglers in the North-East and South-East regions of the U.S. They offer two tiers: the First Mate’s Box and Captain’s Box priced at $29 and $50 respectively which deliver $60 and $100 of value. Baits are sourced from new and existing brands such as Yo-Zuri, SeaGar, and Bubba. Badfish also offers a generous 10% discount for purchasing in 6 or 12 month increments and starter boxes for those just getting into hunting for big reds and stripers.
Lucky Tackle Box
Lucky Tackle Box (LTB) is a big player in the monthly fishing boxes market and has been around since 2013. Their offerings are split into two categories: Bass and everything else. There are two tiers available: the Classic XL with 7 items and the Classic Extreme with 14 items, priced at $27 and $42 respectively. There’s no obligatory commitment and upfront savings are available.
LTB provides a pretty decent value for anglers; you’d be hard pressed to pickup 7 lures for $27 in any retail store. However these boxes are a mix of 3rd party and in-house brand lures and baits – which can be of dubious quality at times. We think LTB is a great option for beginners looking to expand their collection, but seasoned fishermen might be dissapointed.
Warrior Tackle Supply
Warrior caters to freshwater fishermen and donates a portion of their profits to first responder and veterans support charities. Their boxes include both in-house brands and third party names like Keitech and Lunkerhunt. There are three tiers; Standard, XL, and Professional priced at $24, $30, and $43 with additional savings for upfront purchases.
Warrior offers a decent selection of bait and but inclusion of in-house brands isn’t encouraging. In addition cancellation is accomplished by email rather than through an automated system. However they do offer a 100% money back guarantee if you’re not completely satisfied. We think this one is worth a try.
Coastal Fishing
Coastal Fishing offers saltwater themed monthly fishing boxes that’ are tailored for fishermen targeting pelagic species. The Salt Box is available in three different tiers: Standard, Pro, and Tournament priced at $30, $50, and $70, which makes the Salt Box one of the more expensive options on our list. That makes sense considering that offshore baits are typically far more expensive than inshore and freshwater versions. Bigger fish need bigger baits after all.
The Salt Box features third party brands but also relies on in-house lures. Not all in-house lures are created equal, and Coastal Fishing lures look pretty darn good, so we think this box has high potential.
The Salty Fisherman
The Salty Fisherman offers a saltwater themed box at $35 a month. And that’s pretty much all the information we could find. With so few details available this is a risky buy at best.
Bass Baits
Bass Baits Monthly is a newer monthly fishing box that appears to have spun up around 2019 -2020. Although there isn’t a lot of info available it appears Bass Baits Monthly has managed to partner with some brands like Strike King, Missile, and Gambler. Bass Baits Monthly has a single tier priced at $35 with no ongoing commitment, nor any options for upfront savings. Use code PROMO20 at checkout for an extra 20% off.
Fishing Care Package
Fishing Care Package is perhaps the most infamous of monthly fishing boxes, and not for good reasons. Their offerings are enticing on their face due to prices that are much, much lower than the competition. But it’s an unfortunate reality that if something seems too good to be true, then it usually is. There’s a litany of complaints filed against Fishing Care Package because of packages that were never delivered and unresponsive customer servicet. We can’t recommend you roll the dice on this one.
Overview on Monthly Fishing Boxes
Monthly fishing boxes are a great way to build your tackle collection and explore new fishing techniques. You can easily push the boundaries of your fishing comfort zone without ever leaving your home; which is pretty handy given the current environment. We wouldn’t be surprised to see more companies entering this space in the near future; and we’ll continue to update this article as they do.
You’re going to need somewhere to store all that new gear from monthly fishing boxes, check out the best kayak crates for on the water organization.
