Now, there’s that rack of plastic tubs you see. The color is typically some vibrant shade of green or orange, and they promise instant action. It sounds like a no-brainer; something that should of everything from sinkers to lures for all your crappie and bluegill needs.
You grab a tub, swing it around, notice its weight, and off to the checkout line you go. These kit will give you a bunch of crap to stuff in the box and sell boxes. It’s all about selling volume.
It do not help you catch fish. The problem isn’t on the outside. So this is more about understanding what is in there and deciding if it’s worth the money or if you have better things to spend it on.
Breaking Down What Is Inside Panfish Kits
The Problem With Generic Fishing Kits
First, you’ll notice the selection of baits. Vacuum-sealed pouches of night crawlers is almost always part of the kit. The theory behind it all are convenience: pull one out, cut it up, fish.
Why Vacuum Sealed Night Crawlers Fail
In reality, those worms tend to be pale and lazy. They has no vibrant red to attract fishes attention, and the worms dry out fast. Before long you’ve got a grey mush on your hands.
Either use them within minutes or deal with the fact that a longer shelf life mean a less effective product.
Live Bait Options Like Mealworms
And then there’s the live bait, packs of worm like mealworms or waxworms. These are useful in cooler water when bluegill is less aggressive.
They last longer than nightcrawlers in your keep net. But again, this is typically only a few, and what you’ll get is a tiny little vial to empty with one or two casts. You can’t fish an hour without going through it all, and even though the kit let you try it, it doesn’t provide much.
Weak Sinkers And Poor Quality Hooks
Same goes for the tackle that come with them. They include a few little split shot sinkers (typically a size 4 or 6). That’s great for fishing on top of weeds, but not so great when you’re trying to fish deep then you might need something a bit heavier.
And then you have an even more generic hook selection, as you’ll get some combo of short-shank hooks ranging from a size 6 all the way up to a 10. These is great for little panfish. Not so great for anything with any kind of fight, as the hooks bend and break easy due to being made of soft metal.
Ineffective Bobbers And Cheap Spinners
Another staple is a bobber and floater. A bunch of little cork float are here. These plain round corks work for basic vertical presentation.
But they don’t have any feel to them. They’re not very sensitive, so they won’t let you know about those subtle bites. Then there are a few smaller spinner that is often made from cheap cast metals.
These guys just barely wobble on the surface of the water. So they lacks balance and flash. Maybe one time you’ll pick up an odd fish with it, but it’s never going to hold up consistantly.
The Useless Additions Like Bait Dip
They typically has a tiny tube of bait dip included. That stuff stinks, and supposedly draws fish by scent. It doesn’t do much in clear water, but it may help keep them around on muddy water.
They throw that in because it’s cheap and adds volume to the package. It doesn’t realy contribute anything other than weight, but you can buy a specific bottle of dip to use it better for less money. What does that mean?
Treating The Kit As A Learning Tool
That means if you’re new to fishing or maybe don’t exactly know what you want yet, this give you the basics and takes out all the guesswork on your first trip. You have everything together and it’s all there. And that’s realy what makes it worth something because it’s not necessarily a performance package… more like a sampler.
So if you’re serious about panfishing, take the kit as a beginning but realize that it will teach you something about what fishes on your home water. You’ll be able to see what fish like. What holds up and what doesn’t.
Upgrading To Better Tackle
Then upgrade those hooks. Buy some live bait at the store. Get stronger hook from a dedicated line.
But understand that this is just a learning tool. It is not a long term solution. So when you are looking at all of that bright packaging don’t get distracted by it.
It’s all about detail and detail in fishing mean using the proper tackle for the situation. A panfish magnet kit may be an easy entry point but it won’t get you winning. Learn what you’re getting and upgrade accordingly.
If that means upgrading what works then do it. That will help you actualy catch more fish.