In the event of a disaster or emergency, there are critical survival elements you have to figure out without delay: shelter, water, and food.
Having a survival fishing kit—a small kit to help you catch fish in the wild—in your bug-out bag, in your hiking pack, or in your at-home survival supplies will put your mind at ease knowing you have a way to secure food.
Finding the best survival fishing kit that meets all of your needs definitely takes some time, but don’t worry, because we’re here to help you out with all of that!
We’ve compiled a list of our five favorite survival fishing kits to help you make the best decision for your survival needs!
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
Vigilant Trails Survival Fishing Kit Stage-3
Best Budget
Best Glide ASE Basic Survival Fishing Kit
Best Variety
Off Grid Tools Fishing, Camping, and Hunting Kit
Best Overall
Vigilant Trails Survival Fishing Kit Stage-3
If you’re ever caught in a survival scenario, there is no doubt that having the Vigilant Trails Survival Fishing Kit will play to your advantage.
The Vigilant Trails Survival Fishing Kit comes with everything you need to be able to fish in a disaster or emergency and includes a handy fishing guide to increase your odds of scoring the perfect catch.
The kit makes fishing easy for beginners with the inclusion of both a hand reel and an automatic metal reel. It also comes with a variety of lures that will help you catch almost any species of fish in North America.
If you’re looking for a larger survival fishing kit with absolutely everything you’ll need, this is absolutely the kit for you!
Pros
- Lightweight and portable
- Includes multiple reels, lures, hooks, jigs, swivels, sinkers, and more
- Includes first-aid items, fishing guide, and other additional supplies
Cons
- Larger than other smaller kits on the market
Best Budget
Best Glide ASE Basic Survival Fishing Kit
For an incredibly affordable price, snag the Best Glide ASE Basic Survival Fishing Kit! This kit was designed collaboratively by survivalists and fishermen so you can rest assured that you will always be prepared to catch some food in an emergency scenario.
Weighing less than 0.1lb, this small survival kit can go anywhere with you! The kit is packed in a water-resistant tin container with a rubber seal on the interior to keep its contents dry. Inside, there are various jigs, flies, hooks, split shots, bobbers, and leaders. Also included is a fishing line and a tube of salmon eggs for bait.
Pros
- Compact design to fit in any travel bag or backpack
- Covers basic survival fishing needs
- Includes bait
Cons
- Short fishing line
- Less variety than in other kits
- No reel included
Best Variety
Off Grid Tools Fishing, Camping, and Hunting Kit
Looking for a survival kit that is a little more robust? Perhaps you’re hoping to have gear that can serve multiple purposes in the case of an emergency.
Well, the Off Grid Tools Fishing, Camping, and Hunting Kit has you covered!
This waterproof, outdoor survival kit is a must-have for any wilderness enthusiast’s backpack or survivalist’s bug-out bag. From slingshots and snare wires to artificial lures and bait, this 127-piece kit includes emergency fishing, hunting, and trapping gear and is loved by users for its immense versatility.
Pros
- Includes tools for fishing, hunting, and trapping
- Survival information sheet to help you use the equipment
- Compact size; can fit in a cargo pant pocket
Cons
- Slightly larger than other smaller kits on the market to accommodate additional hunting and trapping gear
Uncle Flint’s Survival Fishing Kit
Uncle Flint’s Survival Fishing Kit comes with over 63 pieces of survival fishing supplies in a steel tin that will probably fit in your coat pocket!
From the get-go, Uncle Flint’s Survival Fishing Kit stands out from its similar-sized peers for its 50ft of both 20lb and 40lb test monofilament line. These lines are much stronger than what you’d typically find in a survival fishing kit, meaning you can catch larger and heavier fish! Add in a vast variety of hooks that’ll help you catch fish in nearly every scenario and you’ve got a brilliant, high-quality kit.
Pros
- Stronger fishing line than other kits of comparable size
- Well organized with lures, hooks, and equipment coming packed in small ziplock bags
- Variety of hooks and lures to catch different kinds of fish
Cons
- Higher price compared to kits of similar size
- No reel included
Rule The Wasteland Survival Fishing Kit
Land a fish in nearly any situation with the Rule The Wasteland Survival Fishing Kit!
Loved by anglers and survivalists alike, this kit includes over 260ft of line (15lb and 30lb test monofilament line), 10 large hooks, 25 small hooks, three treble hooks, 10 lures, three bobbers, and more, all packed into a round aluminum tin with a watertight screw-top.
The kit also includes a handy multi-purpose tool and razors so you can easily process your bait and your catch!
Pros
- More fishing line available than other kits of comparable size
- Durable and compact container
- High-quality fishing equipment
Cons
- Higher price compared to kits of similar size
- No reel included
Survival Fishing Kit Buyer’s Guide
What to Consider When Buying a Survival Fishing Kit
When looking for the best survival fishing kit, there are a few things to consider before you pull the trigger and buy a kit. Definitely ask yourself the questions below—and know the answers—before making your decision!
Where are you most likely to be using your survival fishing kit?
The kinds of fish in your area are going to determine what you’ll need to have available in your survival fishing kit. From different lures and line lengths to sinkers and weights, knowing which fish are nearby, and the best methods to catch them will help you pick the best survival fishing kit that meets those needs.
How are you planning to use your survival fishing kit?
How you plan to use your survival fishing kit will determine how robust you need it to be. Are you just planning to take it along for your camping/hiking trips to try out catching a fish? Great! No need for a heavy-duty kit.
But if you’re planning to use your survival fishing kit in your bug-out bag, or for emergency scenarios, you may want to consider purchasing a larger kit with more variety and supplies that will last beyond one or two uses.
How much experience do you have fishing?
Experienced anglers can get away with smaller kits, or kits with no instructions, due to their past experiences fishing. If you’re not an experienced fisherman or -woman, definitely consider purchasing a survival fishing kit with an information sheet and equipment that suits a wide variety of environments and scenarios. Kits that come with reels, for example, will make survival fishing easier for those with less experience.
What Makes a Good Survival Fishing Kit
There are plenty of survival fishing kits out on the market, so how do you find yourself a great one that will meet your needs and considerations?
While shopping for your kit, keep on the lookout for the following indications that the kit you’re considering is a good one! Look for:
- A compact, watertight/waterproof, and organized container for easy storage and access.
- At least 50ft of 10lb or 20lb test monofilament line.
- Hooks of various sizes to fit different fishing needs.
- A variety of different lures. Lures that can be used for multiple fish species are an asset!
- A ready supply of bait (salmon eggs, for example).
- Sinkers/weights to sink your line if needed.
- A basic reel. While many smaller kits do not come with a reel, having one is ideal for folks with less fishing experience.
Practice Using Your Survival Fishing Kit
Using a survival fishing kit differs greatly from a regular fishing experience. Depending on your kit, it can be quite the bare-bones, luxury-free experience.
To get used to catching your meals with less equipment, practice using your survival fishing kit. Familiarizing yourself with the equipment and how to best operate it will ensure that you’re well prepared when and if an emergency does roll around!
Note that, if you plan on practicing, you may need to buy some duplicate supplies (e.g. a practice kit and a real kit) to ensure you’re fully equipped during an emergency.
Build Your Own Survival Fishing Kit
Many people out there prefer to put together their own survival fishing kits so that it is entirely customized and well-suited to their needs! Or they’ll purchase a premade kit and add to it.
Building the best survival fishing kit yourself is a great option if you want something completely tailored to the fish species in your area.
What to Consider When Putting Together Your Survival Fishing Kit
The considerations you’ll need to take into account are very similar to what you need to think about before buying a premade survival fishing kit. Just like buying a premade, think about which fish are in your area, what are you going to use the kit for, and how much experience you have fishing.
However, when building your own kit there are a couple of additional questions to ask yourself, so read on!
What is your budget?
Buying a multitude of lures, hooks, and lines can run up the bill pretty quickly—especially if you get caught up in buying top-of-the-line supplies—so consider your budget against your needs carefully before setting out to build your own survival fishing kit. A super flashy and expensive lure is beautiful, but definitely consider whether it is necessary for your kit.
How are you going to pack your Survival Fishing Kit?
Ideally, you’ll want to pack all of your equipment in a small, waterproof container. Keeping lures, lines, hooks, and all other equipment from tangling up together is super important—the last thing you’ll want to be doing in an emergency scenario is detangling lines or finding out some of your supplies are damaged from rattling around in your container.
To keep things separated and secure, small tackle boxes with dividers or mini ziplock bags used inside a waterproof container are ideal for packing your kit.
What to Include in Your Survival Fishing Kit
Finally, time to get to building your custom kit! Here is a checklist of what you’ll want to think about including:
- 50ft of 10lb test monofilament line
- 50ft of 20lb test monofilament line
- Hooks of various sizes
- Lures suited for fishing in your area
- Bait
- Sinkers to sink your line when needed
- Bobbers to keep your line on the water’s surface when needed
- Swivels to prevent line tangling
- A reel
- A collapsible rod (not necessary, and takes up more room, but will make fishing much easier for those with less experience)
- A hand net
- A great fishing pocket knife
How to Store Your Survival Fishing Kit
Now that you’ve built or bought your kit, make sure it’s stored in the place where it is most likely to be easily accessible in the event of an emergency!
If you have a bug-out bag in your garage, store your fishing survival kit inside it. If you’re using this fishing survival kit for camping, make sure it is stored in or near your pack!
Thrive in Any Emergency Scenario With Your Survival Fishing Kit
Now that you’re supplied with the best survival fishing kit, you won’t just be surviving in an emergency or disaster, you’ll be thriving!
So grab the kit best suited to your needs, toss it in your bug-out bag, and sleep comfortably knowing that you’re entirely prepared to catch your meals if needed.
Interested in more disaster and emergency prepping supplies? Read the 7 most important disaster prepper supplies for wonderful and useful additions to your emergency survival bag! Or if you want some more ideas for up levelling your fishing adventures, check out the Skagit pontoon.
A former park ranger and wildlife conservationist, Lisa’s passion for survival started with her deep connection to nature. Raised on a small farm in northern Wisconsin, she learned how to grow her own food, raise livestock, and live off the land. Lisa writes about homesteading, natural remedies, and survival strategies. Whether it’s canning vegetables or setting up a rainwater harvesting system, Lisa’s goal is to help others live more sustainably and prepare for the unexpected.