There are no amount of words or haiku’s that can truly describe the feeling of hitting your favorite body of water; from the ocean to a back mountain stream. You don’t need a lot of money to enjoy the great outdoors and fishing is one of those hobbies that can be as cheap or as expensive as you make it. When reviewing each fishing backpack, we found it hard to sift through hundreds and hundreds of bags. So many options, so many choices, but at the same time…so many are very similar. When it’s time to get down and do a fishing backpack review, we had to choose the best. Not only should it have everything you need, but it should last more then just a couple fishing seasons. Make sure to pay attention to the size, especially if you’re going to carry a lot of crankbaits. So with that, enjoy the review and PLEASE make sure you introduce a child into the outdoors this year…
Wild River Large Fishing Backpack With Lighting
If you’re looking for the biggest backpack out there for fishing, you may want to take a hard look at this model from Wild River. It boasts four 3600 fishing tackle trays, which is awesome in my opinion. It has tons of mid-size storage that you can keep all your gear in. Seriously, if you can’t fit everything in this fishing backpack, you may as well carry a suitcase. I also like the fact that it offers lighting, especially since I tend to fish a lot at night during the spring and summer. I also love how the front cover folds down, giving you a flat working space for when you need to perform surgery or miracles while on the water. It has removable pliers, and tons of bells and whistles like that which makes this one of my favorite fishing bags.
PROS: HUGE storage compartments and innovate features all over this bag.
CONS: A little on the pricey side, but on sale often.
BlissWill Outdoor Multi-Functional Fishing Backpack
If you’re seeking a fishing backpack that will hold your gear and for a solid price, BlissWill did a heck of a job. Besides the price, the main thing that stuck out in this fishing backpack is the multi-use out of it. It’s so versatile in that it can be carried as a backpack, over the shoulder, in the front, etc. If you’re out in the stream, you need a fishing backpack that is easily accessible, and that’s why this design caught our eye. It’s not built cheap either, it’s heavy duty water resistant nylon helps reduce friction and wear on this bag. This is the “just works” type of product that we like to point out.
PROS: Great price tag on or off sale, built well, adjustable to carry comfortable and as needed.
CONS: If you’re going to carry A LOT of gear over a long haul, the straps can rub a bit.
Anglatech Adjustable Fishing Backpack
This is another one of those products that seem to make sense for fly fishing anglers. It’s not real heavy, and can be adjusted to fit MANY sizes of anglers. The storage is decent, but nothing for large trays. It does have a 1.5 liter water bladder so you can have fluids easily accessible. Has a lot of pockets, and is perfect for long journeys in and out of the back country.
PROS: Water bladder, built nice, very light.
CONS: Not the biggest storage.
Wild River Lighted Fishing Backpack with Trays
If you like to carry a lot of tackle and be organized at the same time, you may want to look at this fishing backpack. It comes with four 3500 series plastic trays for organizing your fishing tackle. Keep in mind, the 3500 series trays are the SMALLER trays, not the BIG ones. So you’re not taking your entire tackle box on a run with this one, but enough storage to get it done in most situations. It has a built in light for finding stuff in low light or dark…which is nice. It also is water resistant, with multiple pockets and holsters for tools, cell phones, etc. What I really like on this fishing backpack is the comfort. It has a really comfortable design which makes transporting much easier then straps that “dig” into your skin. Not a bad setup for almost any angler.
PROS: Very comfortable for carrying, lots of storage, unique layout and features.
CONS: A bit on the spendy side and the zippers look like they could be trouble at some point.
Piscifun Waterproof Tackle Backpack
If you’re looking for a fishing backpack that’s a bit on the smaller side, and without breaking the bank, Piscifun has created a very viable option. First off, they went out of their way to make this a waterproof fishing backpack. That’s key, in my opinion. It has 13 storage compartments, although most are on the smaller side. You’re not going to fit a bunch of tackle trays in this tackle bag, unfortunately, due to the smaller large storage space. BUT, this is your option if you don’t plan to carry a ton of tackle. And the best part about this fishing backpack is it’s shipped to your door for under $30 retail…score! It comes in a variety of colors as well, if that matters to you.
PROS: Super cheap and one of the most waterproof fishing backpacks…also love the zippers.
CONS: A bit small, but you should know that buying this.
Let’s face it, when it comes to buying a fishing backpack…you have options. Really it should boil down to what size of a bag do you really need? If you’re planning on carrying a lot, buy accordingly. Typically, the more you spend the larger the backpack (not always). And if you plan on wearing this for long periods of time, you want to get one with extreme comfort, and lighter weight. Any way you slice it, we chose a lot of great options and most, if not all, can be shipped to your door in 2 days. Best of luck this year and please, take a kid fishing. And be sure to let us know if you would like to see a product added to this review!
