Packs, Vests & Nets · Roundup
The Best Fishing Bags
A fishing bag is the box that lives in your trunk: it carries the tackle you are not wearing, in trays you can lift out. Here are five real bags from $23 to $56, what each holds, and the one question that decides which size you need.
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Quick picks at a glance
Tap a pick to read the full write-up, or the price button to check it on Amazon.
- 1
The bag most anglers should buy: built around standard 3600 tackle trays, with a shoulder strap, rod straps and enough external pockets for pliers and a water bottle. It is the trunk bag — you carry it to the bank, not up a mile of creek.
Best for: Best fishing bag overall — the standard tackle bag9.3 - 2
Buy this version if you do not already own tackle trays. Trays cost $6 to $10 each and the bundled bag usually works out cheaper than buying them separately, which makes this the sensible first purchase rather than the upgrade.
Best for: Best value — the same bag with the boxes included9.2 - 3
The one here that is genuinely built to shed water rather than just resist it, and it ships with four 3600 boxes. If your bag sits on a wet boat deck or on a creek bank in October rain, this is the version of the format to own.
Best for: Best waterproof fishing bag — for boats and rain9.1 - 4
A 3600 organizer with MOLLE webbing, which means you can clip pouches, a pliers holster or a water bottle carrier to the outside instead of stuffing them inside. Useful if your kit keeps growing, and pointless if it does not.
Best for: Best for adding gear — MOLLE webbing on the outside8.9 - 5
The budget pick and the only bag here you would carry any distance: a sling rather than a shoulder bag, so the weight sits on your back. It holds far less than the KarryAll, which is the trade for being wearable.
Best for: Cheapest fishing bag — and the one you can actually walk with8.8
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KastKing KarryAll Fishing Tackle Bag The bag most anglers should buy: built around standard 3600 tackle trays, with a shoulder strap, rod straps and enough external pockets for pliers and a water bottle. It is the trunk bag — you carry it to the bank, not up a mile of creek. | Best fishing bag overall — the standard tackle bag | 9.3 | $35.99View on Amazon#ad |
| 2 | KastKing Karryall with Box Tackle Bag Buy this version if you do not already own tackle trays. Trays cost $6 to $10 each and the bundled bag usually works out cheaper than buying them separately, which makes this the sensible first purchase rather than the upgrade. | Best value — the same bag with the boxes included | 9.2 | $44.79View on Amazon#ad |
| 3 | Ghosthorn Waterproof Fishing Tackle Bag with 4 3600 Boxes The one here that is genuinely built to shed water rather than just resist it, and it ships with four 3600 boxes. If your bag sits on a wet boat deck or on a creek bank in October rain, this is the version of the format to own. | Best waterproof fishing bag — for boats and rain | 9.1 | $55.24View on Amazon#ad |
| 4 | GEARALL Fishing Tackle Bag, 3600 Tackle Box Organizer with MOLLE System A 3600 organizer with MOLLE webbing, which means you can clip pouches, a pliers holster or a water bottle carrier to the outside instead of stuffing them inside. Useful if your kit keeps growing, and pointless if it does not. | Best for adding gear — MOLLE webbing on the outside | 8.9 | $43.99View on Amazon#ad |
| 5 | KastKing BlowBak Tactical Sling Tackle Bag The budget pick and the only bag here you would carry any distance: a sling rather than a shoulder bag, so the weight sits on your back. It holds far less than the KarryAll, which is the trade for being wearable. | Cheapest fishing bag — and the one you can actually walk with | 8.8 | $22.94View on Amazon#ad |
Buy the KastKing KarryAll if you already own tackle trays, and the KarryAll with boxes if you do not. Those two cover most buyers. Choose the Ghosthorn waterproof bag if your bag rides on a wet boat deck, and the BlowBak sling if the cheapest option that you can also walk with is what you are after.
Prices come live from the retailer with the date stamped under each buy button. We compile published specifications — capacities, tray sizes and shell materials — rather than running field tests.
The one question: how many boxes?
Tackle bags are sized by the trays they take, and the standard is the 3600. That number is a tray footprint, not a volume: a 3600 box is roughly 11 by 7 inches. A bag advertised as holding four 3600 boxes is telling you its real capacity more precisely than any liter figure would.
Four 3600 trays is a full day for two anglers. One tray of spinners, one of soft plastics, one of hooks and weights, one spare. If you fish alone with a fly rod, you need half that and should buy the smaller bag.
Buy for the tackle you own, not the tackle you plan to own. A half-empty bag rattles and a full one is heavy. The useful upgrade is almost never a bigger bag; it is throwing out the lures you have not tied on in two years.
The five bags, compared
| Bag | Type | Boxes included | Waterproof | Buy it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KastKing KarryAll | Shoulder bag | No | Water-resistant | You own trays already |
| KarryAll with Box | Shoulder bag | Yes | Water-resistant | You are starting from nothing |
| Ghosthorn Waterproof | Shoulder bag | 4 x 3600 | Yes | Boats, rain, wet decks |
| GEARALL 3600 MOLLE | Organizer | No | Water-resistant | You want to clip extras on |
| KastKing BlowBak | Sling | No | Water-resistant | Cheapest, and you need to walk |
Waterproof or water-resistant?
Water-resistant is enough on a creek bank. A coated fabric bag shrugs off rain for an hour and dries out afterward. For walk-and-wade fishing where the bag sits above the waterline on dry ground, that is all you need.
Waterproof matters on a boat. Standing water on a deck will find its way into a water-resistant bag within a day, and wet hooks rust fast. If your bag spends time in a kayak or a jon boat, pay for the sealed shell.
Either way, dry the trays, not the bag. Hooks rust because they were put away damp, not because the bag leaked. Open the trays at home.
A fishing bag is not a wading bag
Bag, backpack or sling?
Bag for the car-to-bank trip. Maximum tackle per dollar, trays you can lift out, nothing worn on your body. The right answer for pond, dock and bank fishing and for carrying gear for a family.
Backpack when you walk and carry rods. A fishing backpack takes rod tubes and spreads the weight across both shoulders, which a shoulder bag cannot do — the field is in the fishing backpack roundup.
Sling or chest pack when you are in the water. Smaller, worn, and designed to be opened one-handed while you are standing in a creek. See the chest pack roundup. And if you are flying somewhere with rods, that is a different bag again — the travel bag roundup.
What to put in it
One tray per category, labeled. Spinners and spoons, soft plastics and jig heads, terminal tackle, and a tray of fly boxes if you fish both ways. Sorting by category rather than by species is what makes a bag faster than a pile.
The small tools live in the outside pockets. Pliers, line clippers, a spare spool and a headlamp. The full list of what actually earns its place is in the fly fishing accessories guide, and the beginner version is in beginner fishing supplies.
Leave the net out of the bag. A landing net belongs in your hand or on a magnetic clip, not buried under four trays — the landing net roundup covers the ones that clip on.
The picks in detail
KastKing KarryAll Fishing Tackle Bag
9.3/10Best for: Best fishing bag overall — the standard tackle bag
The bag most anglers should buy: built around standard 3600 tackle trays, with a shoulder strap, rod straps and enough external pockets for pliers and a water bottle. It is the trunk bag — you carry it to the bank, not up a mile of creek.
- Type
- Shoulder tackle bag
- Sized for
- 3600-series trays
- Carry
- Shoulder strap and handle
- Holds a full day of tackle for two people
- Trays lift out to the tailgate
- Cheap enough to beat up
- Not waterproof — water-resistant at best
- Awkward on a long walk in
KastKing Karryall with Box Tackle Bag
9.2/10Best for: Best value — the same bag with the boxes included
Buy this version if you do not already own tackle trays. Trays cost $6 to $10 each and the bundled bag usually works out cheaper than buying them separately, which makes this the sensible first purchase rather than the upgrade.
- Type
- Shoulder tackle bag
- Included
- Tackle boxes
- Carry
- Shoulder strap and handle
- Boxes included — nothing else to buy
- Same proven bag
- Cheaper than bag plus trays
- Included trays are basic
- Heavier out of the box
Ghosthorn Waterproof Fishing Tackle Bag with 4 3600 Boxes
9.1/10Best for: Best waterproof fishing bag — for boats and rain
The one here that is genuinely built to shed water rather than just resist it, and it ships with four 3600 boxes. If your bag sits on a wet boat deck or on a creek bank in October rain, this is the version of the format to own.
- Shell
- Waterproof
- Included
- 4 x 3600 boxes
- Carry
- Shoulder strap
- Keeps hooks and line dry
- Four boxes included
- Wipes clean
- Waterproof shells do not breathe — damp gear stays damp
- Stiffer than a fabric bag
GEARALL Fishing Tackle Bag, 3600 Tackle Box Organizer with MOLLE System
8.9/10Best for: Best for adding gear — MOLLE webbing on the outside
A 3600 organizer with MOLLE webbing, which means you can clip pouches, a pliers holster or a water bottle carrier to the outside instead of stuffing them inside. Useful if your kit keeps growing, and pointless if it does not.
- Type
- 3600 organizer
- Attachment
- MOLLE webbing
- Carry
- Shoulder strap and handle
- Expandable with clip-on pouches
- Firm structure protects trays
- Good external organization
- MOLLE webbing catches fly line
- Pouches are an extra spend
KastKing BlowBak Tactical Sling Tackle Bag
8.8/10Best for: Cheapest fishing bag — and the one you can actually walk with
The budget pick and the only bag here you would carry any distance: a sling rather than a shoulder bag, so the weight sits on your back. It holds far less than the KarryAll, which is the trade for being wearable.
- Type
- Sling tackle bag
- Carry
- Single shoulder, on the back
- Position
- Budget
- Lowest price here
- Wearable on a walk-in
- Swings to the front to open
- Much smaller capacity
- No tray-sized main compartment
Prices shown are from Amazon as of October 20, 2026 and change often — the button always goes to the current listing. Some links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. How this works.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best fishing bag?
The KastKing KarryAll for most people - a shoulder tackle bag built around standard 3600 trays at under $40. Buy the version with boxes included if you do not own trays yet, or the Ghosthorn waterproof bag if it will live on a wet boat deck.
What size fishing bag do I need?
Count tackle trays, not liters. A bag that holds four 3600 trays - roughly 11 by 7 inches each - carries a full day for two anglers. One fly angler fishing alone needs about half that, so buy the smaller bag and keep it full rather than rattling.
Do I need a waterproof fishing bag?
Only if it rides on a boat. Water-resistant coated fabric handles bank fishing and rain fine and dries out afterward. On a kayak or jon boat, standing water finds its way into a water-resistant bag within a day and wet hooks rust fast.
What is the difference between a fishing bag and a fishing backpack?
A bag is carried on one shoulder or by a handle and is built around lift-out tackle trays - it is the car-to-bank option. A backpack spreads weight over both shoulders and usually takes rod tubes, which is what you want when you walk any distance.
Can you use a tackle bag for fly fishing?
Yes, as the bag that stays on the bank or in the car holding fly boxes, spools and tools. It is the wrong tool for standing in moving water - for that you want a vest, chest pack or sling you can open one-handed.
Sources
Keep reading
Not sure where to start?
The beginner gear guide walks you through exactly what a new stream angler needs — the six essentials first, nice-to-haves later, with one safe-default pick per category.