So this might be stupid but… I want to know the best way to grow my tackle box the right way. The past couple of years I’ve been buying what all the youtubers and whatnot say is ’really good’ and also buying what looks good but might not be the best lures for me. I live in upstate ny, fyi. I’ve also noticed I have a lot of fun “collecting” lures and im wondering if I should just stop getting lures all together and just fish with what I have. I know it’s not the cool stuff but I definetly need to work on my utility box, as well. What should I do?
Posted by Particular_Ebb5049
15 Comments
First, fish how YOU want to, not how people online tell you should. Then, concentrate on what YOU enjoy. Worms? Jigs? Crankbaits? Spinnerbaits? Get a few different kinds of each and learn how to use them really well. Finally, DON’T become a lure collector, unless that’s what you want to do. It can get out of hand really fast and burn through a lot of cash and it will not help you catch any more fish.
Think more practical.
You don’t need 18 different types of beaver style baits. You need 18 packs of the 2 or 3 that you like best.
And 3 packs of hooks in the sizes that fit each of those.
I have a boat full of tackle, literally. Probably $5-7k worth of shit I don’t need that I have acquired over the past decade. I end up using 7-10 baits regularly, and maybe 2-3 different types of soft plastics. Learn from my mistake and poor financial decisions. Keep it simple.
Honestly just figure out what works for your lakes and your style of fishing, and keep it to that, will probably fit in 2-3 boxes like the ones in your picture.
Worms, offset hooks, and a case of busch light
I was just marveling at how much tackle I don’t use yesterday.
Stick bait
Swimbait
Jig with craw trailer
Done
I’d say that you should see what you think you are missing out on and go from there. One by one in different lure categories.
If getting into something “new” I’d say do a little research and buy 2-3 baits in that category on the off chance one colour is a dud or something. You don’t need something ultra premium and $$$, but I wouldn’t buy the cheapest thing either. Find something that has some solid reviews.
Slowly.
Make a budget and try to stick to it within reason of getting more things you’ll use.
I’ve been collecting for over 25 years and I’ve gotten to a point where I pretty much know what works and what I’ll need to buy now or when the opportunity presents itself than to just go out and buy something because it looks cool or it’s the new best thing.
If a jig works for you buy more but if a senko doesn’t don’t bother.
The only fishing Youtube guy i watch anymore is “Realistic Fishing”… 99% of the rest are just rich dudes trying to sell you their Amazon wishlist.
I keep about 2 colors of every “basic” lure, one light and one dark. Size and match your lures to what you see in the water you’re fishing bc that’s what fish are eating. Earlier in the season baitfish are smaller, later in the season baitfish are a bit bigger. Earlier in the season bugs are bright n fresh (green grasshoppers) later in the season they are old and dark (rusty brown grasshoppers) Lots of bugs in late spring and summer, but baitfish are going crazy in fall. Creeks and ponds don’t have much scale so keep your bait smaller, big lakes have a bit more range in size. I also keep a handful of basic terminal tackle to fish it with. Beyond all that i just get whatever I like when i have the money or when something is on sale… key point “on sale” then your woman can’t yell at ya.
Life motto to remember: Lures are made to catch fishermen, not fish.
Also a rule of thumb, if you’re gonna be devastated when it gets hung up on a tree or snaps off, then it stays on the shelf. Fish aren’t boujee, fancy lures do no better than the lures your grandpa fished with.
Also… classic stuff outfishes this new crap we’re seeing hands down. And “big bait to catch big fish” isn’t fully proven. You can catch a hog on a grasshopper plus a dozen or more smaller fish that are just as fun to pass the time, or you can spend all day with that 6” triple jointed shad and get skunked.
And a fisherman NEVER stops collecting lures, he just gets more plano boxes lol. I go to harbor freight and get the cheap ones for my mass storage and throw what i’m using in my good plano’s to take with me to the water that day.
Terminal Tackle
Do not have a son with autism . He has raided my entire supply of soft baits (none with hooks) to use as toys in the tub.
Still work when I steal them back
Talk to other fishermen and women when you’re out fishing, ask what they are using and where the sweet spots are. I don’t post my baits nor spots online, but I will definitely tell people one on one. Pretty much everyone I talk to, one on one, does the same.
My old tournament partner (R.I.P. buddy) told me to go with the rule of 3s. Always keep at least 3 of a lure in any given color. You dont want to lose one & not have a backup of the color that is catching you fish. For example, one tournament we were killing them on a sexy shad colored squarebill crankbait, I lost one to a toothy critter. I tied on a different color & it was like the fish stopped biting. I tied on one of my spare sexy shad baits & they immediately started crushing the crankbait again.
It’s a long journey my friend. You find what works for you and the fishing you like to do while picking up extra crap you don’t need a long the way. Then you get to the point where you have so much tackle you have to start offloading it.
I recently started purging all of my plastics that I don’t use anymore, this is half of my *give away* pile 😬
https://imgur.com/a/96RUqEg
Water at least weekly