Real Mom Review: Mystery Tackle Box

This review is sponsored by Mystery Tackle Box. Our COO, Amie Morville, received free samples of Mystery Tackle Box in exchange for providing an honest review of her opinion.

For as long as I can remember, fishing has been a part of my life, thanks to the men in my family. I grew up spending weekends at my maternal grandparents’ cottage on the Susquehanna River and vacationing at my paternal grandparents’ home on Smith Island Lake. I have fond memories of my dad and grandfathers teaching me how to hook bait and cast off the dock, and the excitement of reeling a fish in!

We also grew up vacationing in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where my dad became a huge fan of saltwater fishing. When I was around 20, my parents bought a house there, and since then fishing has been a constant, both on the beach and in the soundside water behind their home.

When it came time for my husband and I to buy our own home, one of the most attractive things about the one we ultimately picked was the trail behind the house, leading through the forest and to a reservoir where we go fishing. I love seeing my husband and my dad teach my own kids how to fish, just as when I was little. As they say, life has come full circle!

When my colleague Leslie scored a deal with Mystery Tackle Box, I was thrilled to check it out and write this review. Mystery Tackle Box is a subscription box of fishing products delivered monthly. My first thought was, "This is such a COOL gift for someone who loves to fish!” - thinking of both my dad and husband for Father’s Day.

My second thought was, “If this company is legit, they will have a freshwater option and a saltwater option.” Any fisherman knows that the bait and tools needed are specific to the type of fishing you’re doing. I was super pleased to see that Mystery Tackle Box has just that. In fact, they have four options, what they call species - Bass, Panfish & Trout, Walleye (all freshwater fishing), and Inshore Saltwater (the kind of saltwater fishing NOT done on a big boat out at sea). Each species comes in three different sizes, regular, pro, or elite.

I decided to check out the Bass, Panfish & Trout, and Inshore Saltwater boxes. I got each freshwater box in the “regular” size and the saltwater box in the “pro” size. 

My third thought was, “Is the stuff inside good quality and what avid fishermen will really want to use?” I went to my husband and dad for answers. Even though I can bait and cast, I am by no means an expert and wanted their more experienced opinion. That meant this would no longer be a surprise Father’s Day gift, and they’d be getting it a bit on the early side, but they weren’t complaining.

When the boxes arrived, my husband just kept saying “Wow!” I think I heard him say it four or five times! Upon asking him what was so wow-worthy, he said it was the amount included in each box … leading me to the fourth question I had pondered, “Is this box going to be worth the money for what’s inside?”

Each regular box had five lures/bait valued at about $25, and the pro box had six lures/bait valued at about $40. Considering you can get your first box for just $10, we felt this was an amazing deal (and believe me, I am a deal expert being the COO of CertifiKID!). Even at the regular price after your first month, my husband felt the pricing was really good, and you’re still getting a discount of as much as 33% off.

Back to the quality. My husband is more the freshwater expert and my dad is more the saltwater expert. Adam immediately called up his friend Chris to chat about what was in the freshwater boxes. They both were excited to meet up and try out their new stuff. Both agreed the bait and lures included were great quality and items they would normally buy from the tackle shop.

For my dad’s opinion, we queued him up on FaceTime from NC to show him the goods in the saltwater box. His immediate response was, “Bring all of that when you come down next month!” referring to the upcoming vacation we will have with him in July. Stamp of approval achieved! He recognized much of the bait included and is excited to use it come July.

As a special bonus, the boxes come with cool stickers. While my dad and husband passed on using these, my kids were thrilled. My daughter promptly added one to her Hydroflask (she is a VSCO girl these days!) and my son slapped one on his bike. What can I say? Fishing runs in the family!

Order your own box HERE and enter coupon code CKID at checkout to get your first box for just $10 (50% off!).

CertifiKID was founded by a mom with a passion for helping parents provide the best experiences for their children on a budget. From outings to adventures, classes to camps, theater to sporting events, amusement parks to getaways, CertifiKID provides the best family-friendly experiences at unbeatable prices. Sign up for family-friendly deals in your area and start saving!