Tools you need

[Rebbasser]

A while back we had a must-have lure thread, and reading a several other threads it occurred to me that one thing I have NEVER seen discussed here or anywhere else: Tools you need to have.

IMO there 3 and if you use braid 4 must haves:

The first and probably most important tool you must have-even if you don't have anything else-is a pair of needlenose pliers. There are a lot of uses for it, but unhooking fish is where I use them the most. After that, in no particular order:

Line clippers
Hook sharpener
and if you use braid, scissors.

An optional item is a pair of sidecutter pliers-in case you get a deep hooked fish or need to cut the hook out of something.

I have a few other items-a pair of hemostats, a wacky tool for rigging wacky rigs using an o-ring, and a crankbait tuner. I carry it all in a Nite Ize Pock-Its case on my belt. At one time or another all these items have come in real handy.