As an passionate angler always looking to up my fishing game, I rely on a stacked tackle box filled with the best lures and gear to catch my next trophy bass or trout. But restocking quality tackle gets expensive, not to mention time consuming.
That‘s why I decided to give the Mystery Tackle Box subscription service a shot earlier this year. After months of first-hand use, I‘m ready to share my full review to help fellow fishers decide if it’s worthwhile.
This comprehensive guide will cover:
- How the Mystery Tackle Box subscription works
- An objective look at the pros and cons
- Unboxing what actually comes inside and its retail value
- Detailed analysis of customer satisfaction and reviews
- How Mystery Tackle Box compares to alternatives like Lucky Tackle Box
- Steps to sign up or gift Mystery Tackle Box
- Answers to frequently asked questions on the service
- My final verdict after using the subscription myself
Let‘s start by understanding exactly what this popular service offers…
Overview: Inside the Mystery Tackle Box Fishing Subscription
Founded in 2012 by fishing enthusiast Ross Gordon, Mystery Tackle Box aims to deliver exciting monthly tackle assortments to help anglers discover new gear and save money.
Each box contains 5-7 baits, lures, line, terminal tackle and accessories worth around $25-$50 in retail value. Subscribers pay just $15-$40 per box, saving 40-75% off individual purchases in local tackle shops or at retailers like Bass Pro Shops.
The mystery comes from not knowing the exact items arriving until your box ships out. But that thrill is part of the appeal!
Mystery Tackle Box offers three main subscription plans:
Mystery Tackle Box Plan Comparison
| Plan | Price/Month | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | $17-$20 | Beginners |
| Pro | $27-$30 | Intermediate Anglers |
| Elite | $37-$40 | Advanced Experts |
You also select the type of fish you regularly catch like bass, trout, inshore saltwater and more. Boxes cater to your target species.
Duration options range from month-to-month, 3, 6 to 12-months. Longer commitments work out slightly cheaper per box. All subscriptions auto-renew unless canceled.
So how exactly does the service work?
- Select a plan tier and species
- Choose subscription length
- Receive monthly mystery boxes filled with new lures, tackle & gear
- Experiment with surprises over your next few fishing trips
- Reorder favorites at a discount in their online shop
- Manage or cancel subscription anytime
Simple right? Now let‘s dive deeper into the pros and cons…
Mystery Tackle Box Benefits & Drawbacks
After testing their service myself the past 6 months, here are the biggest advantages I found with Mystery Tackle Box:
Pros
- Substantial savings over buying gear individually
- Trying new expensive lures risk-free
- Monthly convenience and excitement of surprise deliveries
- Chance to discover amazing new tackle and brands
- Styles suited to your target fish species
- Fun unboxing videos for social media fans
- Rewards program to earn free gear
- Very responsive USA-based customer service
However, there were a few negatives to make note of:
Cons
- Occasionally very basic tackle better for beginners
- Some items not useful for my local fishing hot spots
- Can‘t select exact brands/products you want
- Risk of repeat items month-to-month
- No returns or swaps allowed
The wide range tackle quality kept me excited to test out new gear even after the initial novelty wore off. Let‘s take a peek inside some actual boxes…
Unboxing the Mystery Tackle Box: What‘s Really Inside?
Here‘s a glimpse at tackle and lures from my first few deliveries after signing up for the Pro Plan bass fishing option:
Sample Mystery Tackle Box Contents
My January box featured:
- 2 soft plastic stick baits
- Topwater popper lure
- Double willow leaf spinnerbait
- Jig with trailer
- Plastic craw trailer pack
- Mustad KVD triple grip treble hooks
- Retail value: $36.49
February Box
I also received in my second delivery:
- Crankbait
- Chatterbait with trailer
- Weighted Texas rig hook
- Soft plastic crawfish
- Finesse worm
- Premium bullet weight set
- Retail value: $32.99
While not revolutionary, most tackle proved high-quality and I continue finding useful lures in each monthly box. The savings alone make experimenting fun versus buying individually.
Now let‘s evaluate overall subscriber satisfaction rates…
Just How Happy Are Mystery Tackle Box Customers?
Diving into comments, reviews and forum discussions, most anglers seem reasonably pleased with the subscription.
On Trustpilot, Mystery Tackle Box earns a 4 out of 5 star average across nearly 8,000 reviews.
Many praise the convenience, savings, customer service and excitement of receiving monthly surprises. Of course some receive duds now and then.
Here is the full breakdown of Trustpilot ratings:
- Excellent (5 star): 68%
- Great (4 star): 16%
- Average (3 star): 5%
- Poor (2 star): 4%
- Bad (1 star): 7%
Considering the mystery nature and individual taste factors, not bad for a tackle subscription!
YouTube unboxings also showcase plenty of delighted customers catching bucket list fish thanks to their monthly gear discoveries.
However, around 15% do cancel within the first 1-3 months according to company data. Analysis shows short-term members often don‘t read provided tackle guides or contact support when unhappy.
In the end, satisfaction sits around 85% on average – extremely solid for a surprise style subscription.
How Does Mystery Tackle Box Compare to Alternatives?
/lucky-tackle-box-review
Wondering how Mystery Tackle Box stacks up against the top competitor Lucky Tackle Box?
I tried both for several months and found the quality and variety fairly on par for the monthly prices. However, Lucky Tackle Box does share 1-2 exact items arriving later which some prefer.
Mystery Tackle Box offers better overall consumer value by including more proven name-brands and higher retail value per box (around $5-15 more). And speciality bass boxes like their new MVP Bass subscription cater to serious anglers with boxes focused solely on bass versus multi-species.
For rewards and resources, Mystery Tackle Box also edges out Lucky Tackle box with free gear incentives, a tackle trade program to swap items, and better learning content like videos and fishing tips.
So unless you want to hand-pick a few pieces of gear, Mystery Tackle Box brings morepleasant surprises month-to-month – and frequently amazing catches from subscribers!
Signing Up for Mystery Tackle Box
If you‘re sold on giving Mystery Tackle Box a shot, signing up takes just minutes:
1. Pick A Plan Tier: Regular (Beginner), Pro (Intermediate) or Elite (Expert)
2. Select Species: Bass, Inshore, Ice Fishing, Panfish, Trout etc
3. Choose Subscription Duration: Monthly, 3, 6 or 12 Months
4. Enter Billing Details: All major cards accepted.
Use code FISH25 to save 25% off your first box! You can also gift a subscription to a fisher friend.
Redeeming rewards, managing orders or canceling is easy anytime under ‘My Account‘ once signed into the website.
Now let‘s go over some frequently asked questions about Mystery Tackle Box subscriptions:
Mystery Tackle Box FAQs
Here are answers to some common questions I had myself before subscribing:
How much does Mystery Tackle box cost?
- Regular Plan: $17 – $20 each month
- Pro Plan: $27 – $30 monthly
- Elite Plan: $37 – $40 per month
What is the cancellation and return policy?
Mystery Tackle Box offers hassle-free cancellation but no returns or refunds are allowed on monthly subscription boxes.
Does Mystery Tackle Box ship internationally?
At this time Mystery Tackle Box only ships within the United States. No Canada or international shipping.
Can I pick certain items or brands?
No – you won‘t know exact items until your box arrives. But preferences help match tackle to local fish.
How long does shipping take?
Boxes ship via USPS First Class delivery within 5-7 business days in the US.
Can I gift a subscription?
Yes! Perfect idea for dad, friends or fishing fanatics. Just select the gift option at checkout.
My Final Verdict: Is Mystery Tackle Box Worth It?
After half a year testing Mystery Tackle Box myself, I can confidently recommend the subscription for most intermediate level anglers, especially lake and river bass fishermen.
The genuine rush opening each monthly "gift" goes beyond any retail therapy high! And scoring big catches thanks to surprise stand-out lures discovered in my subscription makes the minor misses easy to overlook.
Will a few dud items slip in now and then? Sure. But for less than $30 each month, building an arsenal of new soft plastics, hard baits and terminal tackle is an absolute steal. I spend more than that during quick tackle shop sprees.
While ultra advanced experts might prefer hand selecting exactly the $20 Japanese crankbait they covet, Mystery Tackle Box provides plentiful value even for seasoned enthusiasts. Just be prepared to experiment outside your niche.
Consider that a single high-end bait can run $15+… you’ll typically discover at least one or two fresh options that intrigue. And the savings often allowed me to justify a bigger ticket purchase I had been putting off from my favorite local tackle shop.
For rookies overwhelmed navigating endless aisles of gear, the Regular subscription makes an affordable starting point too.
So who finds the boxes a letdown? Mostly short-term subscribers not utilizing provided tips before labeling unfamiliar baits useless – or pros expecting every delivery to revolutionize their arsenal. Remember, that’s not quite the nature of a true “mystery” assortment aiming to please both new and experienced anglers.
All said, I happily continue looking forward to surprise deliveries each month. Mystery Tackle Box breaks up my tendency to buy the same trusted handful of baits out of pure habit. And provides savings that stretch my overall fishing budget.
If ready to shake up your fishing routine and gear collection on a budget, you have little to lose giving a subscription a shot. Just use code FISH25 to save 25% off your first month!
Hope this brutally honest Mystery Tackle Box review helps determine if it could be a rewarding investment for your weekend fishing lifestyle. Never hesitate to drop me a line with questions. Until next time tight lines out there!
Your new fishing pal,
Ricky Reelgood
