First Cast

Creating A Simple Tackle Box

Mike Webb

As a professional fisherman I tend to carry more tackle than I should. I like to be prepared for every possible scenario on the lake for that day. There are times when this just isn’t convenient and you need only the basics. You might be traveling on a family vacation and be short on space. You also might want to create a box of basic tackle to keep in your vehicle for when unexpected opportunities arise, or you may just be starting out in the sport and have a limited budget to spend on your gear.

Here is a list of the basics that should be in everyone’s tackle box:

Small spool of line
Small selection of terminal tackle (hooks, sinkers, swivels
Needle nose pliers with side cutters
Small bottle of sunscreen (30 spf or more)
Small bottle of insect repellent (with deet)
Small amount of first aid items (band-aids, antibiotic cream or antiseptic and sunburn cream)
Wooden matches to absorb moisture in case your box gets wet
Ruler or tape measure so you don’t break any laws on keeping your catch (cloth sewing tape measure works great)
Disposable camera to show the fish that didn’t get away!
Stringer if you plan on taking fish home
Favorite lures (just a few!) You need to pick at least one or two lures for the top of the water, the bottom, and in-between.

When selecting your lures pick top-water items such as chuggers or pop-rs. These are smaller in size and will be convenient if space is limited. For the middle of the water table you can use rattle-traps, small spinner baits or small crankbaits such as wigglewarts. Lastly for the bottom—try crawdad type baits like jigs and maybe some plastic worms.

Keep in mind that this kit probably shouldn’t be kept in your vehicle for prolonged period of time. I would advise against keeping it in the trunk in the summer season. Your plastics could melt and ruin other tackle. Remember that you don’t need every piece of tackle and every lure with you for every trip. Just the basics mentioned above will suffice for a lot of situations. You may also want to keep a 2 or 3 piece rod available if your space is limited. The rod, combined with this kit, could make for a great day of fishing on just about any water you come across!

Season 01: Episode 08