Building my Tackle Box

[TAMU Fish]

Howdy,

I am brand new to this forum and fairly new at the whole sport of fishing. Back home I would fish every now and then but now that i'm off to college I have been getting into it A LOT more! I recently got a new pole (Gander Mtn. Pro Select Spinning Combo) and am anxious to try it out. Seeing as i'm fairly new to fishing, I need some help getting my tackle box together. I've seen some of my friends and to say the least, I'm jealous. I want to have a broad range of depths i can fish, different fish i can fish etc etc.. for the most part price isn't an issue so i should be good for whatever ya'll recommend.

T/A and i look forward to hearing what ya'll have in store for me

[bass or bass ?]

Welcome to the forum.

For surface baits, I like Jitterbugs, Hula Poppers, Zera Spooks, and floating jerk baits like original Rapalas.

Soft swimbaits; 3" Storm WildEye Swim Shad baits in shad and baby bass colors.

Booyah chartreuse and white spinnerbaits.

Rattletraps.

Carolina rigs with watermellon color worms and lizards, glass beads in red and green with brass weights.

That's a start for you of some of my favorite baits.

[tnbassfisher]

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1158577137

Check that out.

Also, look through this thread and you should be able to find some great information.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?virboard=Fishing_Tackle_ID;num=1253486034

Be sure to keep stock on the little things (hooks, weights, line, etc.)

[scrutch]

careful now... you're about to begin a lifelong addiction from which there is NO return! ;D ;D 

Dive in and have fun!  good luck.

[Carrington]

for a starter i would recommend getting some 5 in yamamoto senkos, crankbaits ranging from .5 ft to 18 feet to cover all depths.  Different spinnerbait blade and color combinations.  that should give you a good start, once you master those then come back and ill tell you some more lol.

[Carrington]

also, if you get serious about the sport dont waste money buying cheap rods and reels, if you spend the money for high end rods and reels, they will last a long time and save you money over the long run such as a lifetime.

[The Bassinator]

the bait monkey will be on you soon dont worry 

[A-Rob]

Keep it simple, you'll eventually become an addict and own so many lures you'll forget about them and won't have time to fish them.

I'd get a tube and senko. The tube is nice b/c you can swim it or "snap" it, so basically power fish it. The senko in slow-mo is amazing, I have best luck while keeping bottom contact.

Spinnerbait catches fish anywhere when the water is rippled, in any type of cover/structure with little to no hangups, amazingly easy bait to fish.

Crankbaits. Lipped for deeper water, say 10' for example. Lippless for shallower water. Both work good for covering water fast, just chuck and crank.

You can catch fish on any lake with those things.

I like a carolina rig, or drop shot for deeper water, but get into that whenever, not mandatory. Worms are also awesome, but the senko is basically a worm, albeit a very good one.

[NewAngler]

also, if you get serious about the sport dont waste money buying cheap rods and reels, if you spend the money for high end rods and reels, they will last a long time and save you money over the long run such as a lifetime.

There is great value in house brand rods/reels. His particular one I am not familar with, but I'm sure its fine.

One tidbit of advice, don't over do it at first. You will more than likely be fishing your entire life, so you don't need to filld your rod holder and tackle box in one week. BUT you said money wasnt an option, so buy the entire the store.

[-nick-]

also, if you get serious about the sport dont waste money buying cheap rods and reels, if you spend the money for high end rods and reels, they will last a long time and save you money over the long run such as a lifetime.

Well in order to figure out if you even WANT to get serious in the sport, you can start out with a cheap combo. I have the same cheap spinning combo that I had from day 1 2 years ago after serious use and it still works great and I'm sure I'll have it a good while.

[TAMU Fish]

BUT you said money wasnt an option, so buy the entire the store.

well money is somewhat of an option lol. In terms of baits and lures etc...i should be fine...however buying the store might not be so feasible

[-nick-]

for a starter i would recommend getting some 5 in yamamoto senkos, crankbaits ranging from .5 ft to 18 feet to cover all depths. Different spinnerbait blade and color combinations. that should give you a good start, once you master those then come back and ill tell you some more lol.

;D ;D ;D

:

4in and 5in Gary Yamamoto Senkos (BPS Stik-Os are a great alternative). Some Bandit 100 series, or since money is no object some Lucky Craft RC 1.5s (they'll be on sale starting next friday). Get pretty much 2 colors of each Rage Tail soft plastic. Watermelon and black/blue! Get some Rapala Husky Jerks. Get some 1/8 bullet weights and some 3/0 and 4/0 EWG Gamakatsu hooks.

Oh and some Xcalibur xr75s

[wisconsin heat]

senkos or other stick style worms,,, this is the no.1 lure that will get u hooked on fishing and will teach u the most about it.

[TAMU Fish]

where are they going to be on sale?

[midnighthrasher]

Tubes and senkos. Buy a couple different bullet weights and hooks and go fishing. Once you get catching pick up a couple spinnerbaits and some in line spinners. Once you are comfortable with those pick up a few crankbaits and topwater baits. Once youve got those covered you will meet the baimonkey and its over for you. Keep your baits simple. Hetes what i would suggest:

tubes-strike king coffee tubes 3.5" brownish green

senko- green pumpkin black flake 4"

spinnerbaits- booyah 3/8 chartheuse/white willow willow

in line spinner- mepps anglia or roostertail

crankbait- rapala dt, shadrap

topwater- zara super spook jr, black jointed jitterbug

stay away from the baitmonkey for a while because you will just get confused. buy a bait, use it, get another bait.

[J Francho]

I usually outfit a newbie with moving, reaction baits, where it will be easy for them to detect the strike.  Spinnerbaits, Paddletails, Hard Jerkbaits, Cranks, Topwaters, Buzzbaits, etc all fit the bill. Once they have the hookset and landing the fish down, I'll have them start thinking about each bite critically. After they understand the idea of "locating" biting fish, and developing a pattern, then I'd show them a slower, feel bait, where they'll have to develop a better sense of detecting the bite, and put the bait in the right spot. I personally think something like a Senko is a mistake that might lead to many fishless days on the water, aimlessly casting at slack water.

[cbfishalot]

You are in big trouble jumping into bass fishing.  You said that money was not a huge issue.  You better be careful because once the bait monkey gets hold of you and a couple big bar tabs at the Dixie Chicken you will be broke.  All you will want to do is fish and you won't go to class.  The next thing you know you'll drop out of school and you'll never get to dunk your ring.  ;D

[roadwarrior]

Here are some ideas:

Soft Plastics:

GYCB Senko, Fat Ika, Kreature, Kut-Tail & 8" worm, double tail and

single tail grubs and Hula Grub. Micro Munch Tackle El Gordo, 3 1/2"

Mizmo tube. Slug-Go. Roboworm, 6" Shakin' Zipper.

New for 2009-10: Rage Tail Lobster, Anaconda

Eeliminator, Thumper and Space Monkey.

Top water: Zara Spook, Lucky Craft Sammy, Chug Bug,

Rage Tail Shad, Frog & Toad

Cavitron Buzzbait.

Crankbaits:

0-2' Bomber Square A, Norman Fat Boy, Mann's -1

2-4' Bagley BII

4-6' Lucky Craft Rick Clunn 2.5 & 3.5

5-10' Rat-L-Trap, Lucky Craft LV-300

10-15' Lucky Craft LV-Max-500, Yo-Zuri Rattl'N Vibe

15-20' Norman DD22, Mann's 20+

Deep Mann's 25+

Jerkbaits:

Lucky Craft Pointer 128, 100 & 78

Staysee 95 SP

Rapala Husky Jerk & X-Rap (4").

Jig & trailer

3/8 oz Evolution

Micro Munch Tackle 3/8 & 1/2 oz jigs

GMAN 1/2 oz jigs

GYCB Fat Baby Craw, Kreature, Flappin' Hog

Net Bait Baby Paca Craw

Rage Tail Craws, Chunks and Lobster

Spinnerbaits:

Terminator (one chartreuse and one white)

Ledgebuster 3/4 oz single willow blade

Small swimbait: GYCB Swimming Senko

Medium swimbait: Mattlures Baby Bass

[Paul Roberts]

Good advice above. Here's another tack worth considering:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1265905400

Go easy at first. I'd start with a small box, 'cause all those empty spaces just scream to be filled. ;D Add stuff as you need it, and you won't know til you get out there. Try to hook up with other more exp fisherman, and you'll gain needs, for YOUR waters, pretty quick.

[TAMU Fish]

hahaha cb...did you go to A&M

[Paul Roberts]

I usually outfit a newbie with moving, reaction baits, where it will be easy for them to detect the strike. Spinnerbaits, Paddletails, Hard Jerkbaits, Cranks, Topwaters, Buzzbaits, etc all fit the bill. Once they have the hookset and landing the fish down, I'll have them start thinking about each bite critically. After they understand the idea of "locating" biting fish, and developing a pattern, then I'd show them a slower, feel bait, where they'll have to develop a better sense of detecting the bite, and put the bait in the right spot. I personally think something like a Senko is a mistake that might lead to many fishless days on the water, aimlessly casting at slack water.

That's good perspective. Easy to get the cart before the horse, or the trough before the pig, or the tackle box before the angler  ;D

[90x]

good ole plastic worms.

especially zoom ss utail and magnum

[zbigbadaaron]

You should buy some 5" GYCB Senko in watermellon.

BooYah Spinnerbaits are good and not too overpriced.

Rapala, Bomber, and Bagley make very good crankbaits.

Berkley and zoom make good plastics.

For topwater I like zara spooks, booyah buzzbaits, and jitterbugs.

Zoom hornytoads are quality if you fish around alot of slop or lilypads.

Gamagatsu makes quality hooks. 4/0 ewg is good for most applications.

Also the gander mountain pro select is a fine rod I have 2.

[TAMU Fish]

what are some good crankbaits from rapala

[silverbullet32]

easy, cheap, and very successful beginner fishing = texas rigged plastic worms