Need Help Lightening My Tackle Bag

[NotnatsSamoht]

How do you choose what baits to take and in what colors, I have a bad habit of trying to take everything bank fishing with me and then carrying a 30lb backpack, I always feel like the bait I left home is going to be the one I need, and I know I'm not going to need everything but I try to pack it all in anyway.

Should I just consider the water clarity and weather for the day to choose, cause the weather channel lies to me all the time, having sunny days when they say rain. If I pack for rain and it's sunny will those same baits be enough?

I like to over think everything, another bad habit of mine. Any help lightning my tackle bag is appreciated.

[Ringonu]

I'm still a beginner so take my advice with a grain of salt. I just packed my bag for tomorrow morning. Quarry lake with no grass/pads. I packed one 3600 box with some tube jig heads, worm hooks, weights and shakey heads. Packed a couple jigs, couple poppers in white and black, white spinnerbait, wake baits, some craw trailers, tubes, ned rig, various robo worms. Very limited but covers most of what I would cover with 4x the baits. 3-4lbs with my scale, water bottle, pack, and pliers. I forget i'm carrying it most the time.

If you think you'll use everything you pack then definitely take it. I don't pack "just in case" stuff too often. I do ultralight backpacking so I try to keep it simple. If you haven't used a lure on your last couple outings, leave it home. Did the same with backpacking gear when cutting weight. Hope that helps.

[bigbill]

I want to rethink my "quick fish" go fishing on the fly tackle box. I'm thinking on just carrying my hottest baits.

Bomber Model A crankbaits

Norman thin 's.

Spinnerbaits

Inline spinners

Spooks

Poppers

Plastics, grubs,

Soft minnow baits.

C-rig senkos, brushogs.

Spin flys

Way less than I was carrying. It's going to be hard to leave my portable bait shop home.

[MIbassyaker]

I always have to confront this issue, as I am limited to one backpack on the bank, and one backpack plus a part of a crate and a small hatch in the kayak. Usually I've got 2-3 plano 3500 (or 3600) boxes for hardbaits and terminal tackle, and a bunch of plastics in their original packs inside the backpack.

 

To choose baits to bring, the first thing I do is make sure I have covered three areas of the water column: topwater, mid-depth, bottom, maybe a few of each.  Then I want to make sure I cover different speeds.  I want some faster moving baits to swim, buzz, walk, jerk, and some slower baits to fall, hop, drag, twitch, shake, or deadstick; preferably some of each at each area of the water column.  For instance, consider this combination of 6 baits: Buzzbait (fast top), Popper (slow top), crankbait (fast mid), wacky-rig senko (slow mid), jig (bottom), texas rig worm (bottom). That might cover the basics. Of course, you'd adjust depending on conditions, type of cover, forage, etc. Maybe bring an alternate or two of each kind. What I don't do is bring an entire box of poppers or entire box of crankbaits, or 7 packs of senkos. One or two of each, three max, maybe different to cover different sizes, shapes or styles.

 

For color, I choose based on water clarity and light. For clear water and bright days, I want natural colors -- greens, browns, and forage patterns (bluegill, perch, shad, craw, etc.) -- and flashy things that catch the light -- silvers, chromes, and flake patterns. For murky or stained water, or overcast/dark I want darker or bolder colors for contrast and visibility-- purples, blues, reds, golds, chartreuses, firetigers. When in doubt, black is never the wrong color for any condition. I avoid bringing multiple colors of exactly the same bait.

[NotnatsSamoht]

That's one of my problems, I'll take 7 of the same plastic in different colors, I gotta start narrowing it down to the colors I need.

[Senko lover]

Honestly man, Green Pumpkin is my color. It's what I've found works for everywhere I regularly fish. I carry mostly that color. To me (you may disagree) color is 50% mental and 50% attractive to bass. 

 

Just find a color or two that works consistently on your waters, and leave the rest home. Consolidate your boxes by cramming in as much stuff into one as possible. If you haven't used a lure in the last three months, probably a good hint you should leave it home. 

 

I used to take everything, now I fish a lot lighter. I don't miss all the stuff sitting at home!

[K_Mac]

I wish I could give you a simple answer. The truth for me is that over time I've learned what works for me in most situations. I used to worry  way too much about what, when the more important question is where. This is especially true when it comes to colors and plastics. I have dozens of different plastics in a huge variety of colors. I use six or eight in three or four colors most of the time. Jigs and trailers, cranks, topwaters, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and swim jigs (including scroungers) are much the same. That is not to say I don't take far too much stuff when fishing from the boat, but if when i bank fish I can get by with far less. Knowing the water will also allow me to carry less. I think it just takes most of us a while to get to the point where we worry less about about having exactly the right bait and more about getting our bait properly in the right spot. I'll get back to you when I get that figured out...

[Weld's Largemouth]

I have a simple answer

Just send me your lures

[jtharris3]

Pffft.....only 30lbs?! ;-)

[Fishes in trees]

I don't understand this fixation on minimalism.  Why try to "get by" when you have the ability to carry anything you want.  I think that if you bring what you want a fish how you want to fish the weight issue will take of itself.

[NotnatsSamoht]

I don't understand this fixation on minimalism.  Why try to "get by" when you have the ability to carry anything you want.  I think that if you bring what you want a fish how you want to fish the weight issue will take of itself.

I wish it were that easy but I have back problems and the next time I have to have surgery. If it weren't for that I'd be packing double what I take fishing now.

[Raul]

I own hundreds of crank baits, hundreds of jigs, a good couple hundred spinnerbaits and maybe 200 pounds ( probably more ) of soft plastics in all types, sizes and 3 or four rainbows of colors, the truth is that 99% of all that stuff has never touched the water, the truth is that out of all that stuff I fish pretty much the same baits I have been using since the 80´s ( why fix it since it ain´t broken ) which will fill a couple of Plano 3600 boxes ( and for some places even that is too much ) the catch here is, like an addict, quiting is 90% on you, ex: you say you carry 6 colors of the same bait, where is it written you have to carry 20 baits of each ?

[zachb34]

When I used to fish the banks primarily, I would pack 3-4 boxes of whatever sizes fit in my bag. One box I'd do half cranks and half jigs/ terminal tackle. And the other two would plastics with more specific terminal tackle for that technique in there in the original packages. As an example, if im throwing a Texas rig on the bottom it's mostly a big worm or big lizard. I'll pack a box with watermelon red or green pumpkin (sunny/clear water), some kind of red shad or plum (bright and easy to see) and then the old trusty solid black, that catches fish in clear water and dark water even night time. Then I'd pack a box of senkos and swimbaits together in the same box with a few confidence colors along with wacky hooks, weighted hooks worm hooks, etc. Those 3 baits are my confidence baits that I feel I can catch them any where, anytime, if they're in that spot. I think for the most part typical bass fisherman haven't mastered every technique and even the ones that have, don't use all of them within a particular season. Even when I'm on my boat and can bring about whatever I want if the fish are going to bite I should be able to get the job done on my limited tackle selection.

[MIbassyaker]

I don't understand this fixation on minimalism.  Why try to "get by" when you have the ability to carry anything you want.  I think that if you bring what you want a fish how you want to fish the weight issue will take of itself.

 

The true fixation is not on minimalism, it is on always bringing everything and encumbering yourself awkwardly with things you don't need and won't plausibly make use of during an outing. By selectively downsizing you save energy lugging it around, you reduce frustration of keeping track of it all, you save time searching through your stuff and making decisions about lure selection, and you cut the risk of losing or damaging some of it. You spend more time fishing and catching, and less time fiddling and fumbling with your equipment.

[NotnatsSamoht]

I own hundreds of crank baits, hundreds of jigs, a good couple hundred spinnerbaits and maybe 200 pounds ( probably more ) of soft plastics in all types, sizes and 3 or four rainbows of colors, the truth is that 99% of all that stuff has never touched the water, the truth is that out of all that stuff I fish pretty much the same baits I have been using since the 80´s ( why fix it since it ain´t broken ) which will fill a couple of Plano 3600 boxes ( and for some places even that is too much ) the catch here is, like an addict, quiting is 90% on you, ex: you say you carry 6 colors of the same bait, where is it written you have to carry 20 baits of each ?

I never thought about that, I could still take every color if I just don't bring the whole bag of plastics, thanks for the idea, soft plastics are the bulk of my backpack weight. I'm hoping once I learn my waters better I can eliminate all the colors I don't need.

[F14A-B]

Well I can't decide for you.. But. Make a go fast bag, put in your favorite 2 colors plastic worm some tungsten, hooks etc.. Add a couple 3 Rattlebaits or crankbaits, just consider your sea bag or garage as your tackle store & pull from it when needed or desired..

I once saw George Cochran win a BASS tournament with 3 baits in a small ziplock baggie.

A spinnerbait, a shallow squarebill & a husky jerk.. The Rapala was the bait for him that week.

[K_Mac]

The true fixation is not on minimalism, it is on always bringing everything and encumbering yourself awkwardly with things you don't need and won't plausibly make use of during an outing. By selectively downsizing you save energy lugging it around, you reduce frustration of keeping track of it all, you save time searching through your stuff and making decisions about lure selection, and you cut the risk of losing or damaging some of it. You spend more time fishing and catching, and less time fiddling and fumbling with your equipment.

Exceptional post. Very well said.

[hoosierbass07]

 I would only take what you really want to use or have fun using and ditch the rest.   

[Fishes in trees]

Consider this, you really don't need any help lessening the weight of your fishing bag.   What you need is a caddy.

[Heron]

Step 1.)  Start by getting yourself a much smaller bag, something that only holds a couple/few 3500 boxes.

 

Step 2.)  Fill that bag. Whatever doesnt fit, stays home.

 

Step 3.)  Go fish.  Rotate baits out as needed. 

[bigfruits]

I mix different colors of soft plastics in the same bag. For example, I might bring 4 each of black, green pumpkin and watermelon senkos in one bag and the leave the rest at home. You might find both 4 and 5 inch senkos in that bag.

[WIGuide]

If you know some information on the lake you're going to fish that can help. Things such as water clarity, structure/cover, and also depth will play a big roll in what you bring. Try to narrow it down to what you have the most confidence in. It's already been stated before, but narrow the number of soft plastics you take. Instead of taking a full pack, take half a pack. The more you fish some of these places, you'll figure out what's best for each lake and then you can pack accordingly to what you know. 

[.ghoti.]

Been trying for years to cut down. It's pretty close to a complete failure.

I don't need help, I need therapy.

Then again, it ain't broke, why try to fix it.