Hey there fellow angler! If you‘re anything like me, you‘re always looking for an edge to help you catch more fish. Whether it‘s the latest lures, the newest techniques, or just some good old-fashioned luck, we‘ll try anything to up our game out on the water. So when I first heard about Mystery Tackle Box, a subscription service that delivers a box of fishing goodies to your door every month, I was intrigued.
But is it really worth the hype (and the subscription price)? I‘m here to give you my honest take after trying Mystery Tackle Box myself. I‘ll cover everything from what‘s included to how the subscription works to whether I think it‘s a good value for the money. By the end of this Mystery Tackle Box review, you‘ll have all the info you need to decide if it‘s right for you. Let‘s dive in!
What Is Mystery Tackle Box?
First, let‘s start with the basics. Mystery Tackle Box is a monthly subscription box for fishing enthusiasts created by the folks at Catch Co. The concept is super simple: every month, you get a box delivered to your door packed with a variety of baits, lures, and fishing accessories. The contents of each box are a surprise (hence the "mystery"), but they‘re curated by the Catch Co team to match your fishing preferences.
When you sign up for Mystery Tackle Box, you‘ll choose between three main subscription options:
- Regular ($20-23/month): Geared towards beginners and occasional anglers. Includes 4-6 products.
- Pro ($30-35/month): Designed for the more avid fisherman. Includes 5-7 higher-end products.
- Elite ($40-45/month): The top tier box for the serious angler. Includes 6-8 premium, often hard-to-find products.
You‘ll also select the species of fish you typically like to target, such as bass, walleye, trout, panfish, catfish, or inshore saltwater species. This allows Mystery Tackle Box to further tailor your box contents to your specific fishing style.
Once you‘ve chosen your options, your first Mystery Tackle Box will arrive on your doorstep within a week. After that, your box will be delivered around the same time each month until you choose to cancel or pause your subscription (more on that later).
| Subscription | Price | Number of Items |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | $20-$23/month | 4-5 items |
| Pro | $30-$35/month | 5-7 items |
| Elite | $40-$45/month | 6-8 items |
Inside a Mystery Tackle Box
So what can you actually expect to find inside a Mystery Tackle Box? To give you a better idea, let me walk you through my first experience unboxing my Mystery Tackle Box Pro.
When the bright green box showed up on my porch, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. Kudos to the Mystery Tackle Box team on the fun, eye-catching packaging. Even before I opened it up, I was excited to see what was inside.
I carefully cut open the tape and lifted the lid to find a nice variety of soft plastics, jigs, hard baits, and terminal tackle nestled in black tissue paper. On my first glance, I could tell these were quality products – brand names I recognized like Strike King, Z-Man, Reaction Innovations, and more.
Here‘s exactly what was included in my August Mystery Tackle Box for bass:
- Strike King KVD Square Bill 1.5 Crankbait (MSRP $7.50)
- Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer (MSRP $15.99)
- Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver 4.20 Creature Bait (MSRP $4.59)
- Mustad KVD Grip Pin Soft Plastics Hook (MSRP $3.79)
- Hayabusa WRM930 Wacky Worm Hook (MSRP $7.00)
- Googan Baits Mondo Worm (MSRP $4.99)
The total retail value of the box came out to $43.86, which is pretty solid considering the $34.99 monthly price of the Pro box. I was very impressed with the selection – a good mix of staple items like the creature bait and wacky hooks along with some higher-end options like the ChatterBait that I was pumped to try.
One thing I really appreciate is how Mystery Tackle Box includes items that pair well together. For example, the KVD grip pin hooks are an ideal choice for rigging the Mondo Worm. It shows the thought that goes into assembling each box.
The box also came with a product info card highlighting each item and a QR code linking to the "Tips & Tricks" page on the Mystery Tackle Box website. There you can find more details on the products in your box along with helpful videos and articles to get the most out of your new gear. Although I‘m an experienced bass angler, I actually learned a new trailer hook rigging technique for the ChatterBait that I used to land a nice 5-pounder on my next fishing trip!
What Other Anglers Are Saying
Of course, my Mystery Tackle Box experience is just one data point. So I did some digging to see what other customers had to say about their Mystery Tackle Box subscriptions. Spoiler alert: the vast majority of anglers seem to be hooked on this service.
Mystery Tackle Box has over 6,900 reviews on Trustpilot with an impressive average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Here are a few highlights:
-
"I love the anticipation of getting my box each month. The lures are high quality and the information card is great. I‘ve learned a lot and caught some amazing fish thanks to my MTB subscription." – Chad S.
-
"I‘ve been a Mystery Tackle Box subscriber for over a year now and it never disappoints! The variety is great and I‘m always surprised by how much they pack into each box." – Kim T.
-
"Mystery Tackle Box is the best gift I‘ve ever gotten for my husband. He‘s always so excited when his box arrives and can‘t wait to take his new lures out on the lake." – Jessica R.
On social media, you‘ll find tons of unboxing videos from happy Mystery Tackle Box customers showing off their latest hauls. Some of the most popular YouTube reviewers like Fluke Master and 1Rod1ReelFishing have dedicated videos praising the quality and value of their Mystery Tackle Box subscriptions.
There are a few complaints sprinkled in about receiving the occasional dud product or getting skunked with a box that doesn‘t quite match the angler‘s preferences. But Mystery Tackle Box seems to be very responsive to customer service issues. Several reviewers noted how the company quickly sent out replacement products or boxes when they had an issue.
The Pros and Cons
As you can probably tell by now, I‘m a big fan of Mystery Tackle Box. But no subscription service is perfect. To give you the full picture, let‘s break down some of the key pros and cons:
Pros 👍
- Convenient way to try out new lures and techniques without having to shop around
- High-quality products from trusted brands at a discounted price compared to buying individually
- Species-specific boxes to match your fishing style
- Helpful info cards and online resources to learn more about the products in your box
- Fun unboxing experience each month
- Easy to manage your subscription online
- Makes a great gift for the avid angler in your life
Cons 👎
- You don‘t have total control over the exact products in your box
- Some items might not work well for your specific fishing locations or conditions
- Not ideal for anglers who already have a huge tackle collection and know exactly what they like
- Shipping to some areas like Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada can be expensive or unavailable
- Auto-renews at the end of your prepaid term if you forget to cancel
At the end of the day, I think the pros far outweigh the cons for most recreational anglers. The value and convenience of the Mystery Tackle Box subscription is just really hard to beat. If I had to sum it up, I‘d say Mystery Tackle Box is best for:
- Beginners looking to fast-track their fishing knowledge and try a variety of baits
- Experienced anglers who geek out on the latest gear and love trying new techniques
- Anyone looking for a fun, unique gift idea for the fisherman in their life
If you‘re very particular about your tackle, only fish for one species with a tried-and-true approach, or live in an area with limited shipping options, Mystery Tackle Box might not be right for you. But I‘d still say it‘s worth trying for a month just for the fun factor!
How Mystery Tackle Box Stacks Up to the Competition
Mystery Tackle Box isn‘t the only fishing subscription box on the block. It‘s biggest competitor is Lucky Tackle Box, which offers a very similar service at a similar price point. I haven‘t personally tried Lucky Tackle Box, but just from browsing their website and reading reviews, it seems like the main differences are:
- Lucky Tackle Box offers more box options, with five different species-specific boxes compared to Mystery Tackle Box‘s three core options
- Mystery Tackle Box tends to include more premium, big-name brands in their boxes
- Lucky Tackle Box has a slight edge in the number of items per box, usually including 1-2 more baits
- Mystery Tackle Box provides more helpful info cards and online resources, in my opinion
Ultimately, I don‘t think you can go wrong with either service if you‘re looking for a fun fishing subscription. I chose to go with Mystery Tackle Box based on the brands they include and my positive experience with their customer service. But Lucky Tackle Box seems like a solid choice too.
The other main competitor is MonsterBass, which is more focused on bass fishing specifically. Their boxes are a bit pricier at $39-45 per month, but include some pretty high-end gear picked by pro anglers. If you‘re a diehard bass angler who wants the cream of the crop stuff, MonsterBass is worth a look.
My Final Verdict
As you can probably tell by now, I‘m sold on the Mystery Tackle Box subscription. I think it offers a ton of value and fun for the price, especially if you‘re newer to fishing or just love trying the latest and greatest gear.
Since signing up three months ago, my Mystery Tackle Box lures have netted me some personal best bass, introduced me to new techniques that have definitely upped my fishing game, and honestly just made checking the mail way more exciting. Even as a fishing veteran, I still feel like a little kid on Christmas when I see that bright green box on my doorstep.
I think Mystery Tackle Box has done a great job at taking the guesswork and decision fatigue out of restocking your tackle box. You can discover awesome new baits and learn from their detailed info cards without having to spend hours researching and shopping around.
That‘s why I‘m happy to recommend Mystery Tackle Box to my fellow anglers. In fact, I even got my dad a 3-month gift subscription for Father‘s Day and he‘s already asking for a renewal. Anything that helps us spend more quality time together out on the lake is a win in my book.
Ready to give Mystery Tackle Box a shot? You can sign up here and save $5 on your first box with the promo code TAKE5. I‘m excited to hear what you all think of the service, so drop a comment sharing your Mystery Tackle Box experience!
Tight lines!
The links included in this review are for reader convenience only. I am not an affiliate of Mystery Tackle Box and make no commission on any subscriptions or purchases.
