Can a tackle box get too fat ?

[Bird]

What I'm implying is can we actually have to much of the same in our arsenal. 

 

I fish several days per week and fumble around in the boat looking for that perfect bait, packages laying everywhere. 

 

Yes I've been fishing for a very long time and have thoroughly enjoyed this great hobby and have had great success but when I go through all this tackle, I realize something....much is the same.

 

Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits 

Ned rigs and drop shots

Buzz baits and spooks

Flukes and assassins

Creature baits and skirted jigs

Zooms and Roboworms

Frogs and poppers 

 

Are to many tackle choices counter productive or are we blessed with so so many options ?

I get dizzy sometimes. Lol

 

 

 

[JediAmoeba]

Sounds great in theory until I am getting skunked fishing bait x and someone else is fishing bait y and is slaying them...

[Terrance Waters]

The only thing better than one fat tackle box is two fat tackle boxes.

[Derek1]

36 minutes ago, Terrance Waters said:

The only thing better than one fat tackle box is two fat tackle boxes.

Word

[Mobasser]

I probably carry less tackle now than I have in 25 yrs. I got tired of hauling around so much stuff, and paired it down. I carry all that I need for a trip, and only carry what has worked best for me.

[stk44]

I tried to downsize this year, and use tubes, senkos, ned rigs, worms, and crankbaits as my staples. I’ve only been out twice, but it did make things a lot simpler like they used to be. 

Once I get outta grad school and have more time on my hands, I will try to keep it simple with the staples first, then depending on season or situation, change it up. But realistically, if a bass doesn’t eat a worm, jig, or tube... you should probably just move on anyways. 

[GreenPig]

I've been losing fights with the Bait Monkey for years. I always carry a good bit of gear when I hit the water. My fishing partner likes to joke about the size & weight of my bags. I've warned him that when he needs one of my lures while we're on the water that he can purchase it at 300% or rent it. The rental fee is lower until you add in the cleaning/drying and hook sharpening fee. ?

[islandbass]

That’s a former case for me. I started realizing what baits and colors were more effective and stuck with those but I do keep the occasional odd color or bait for those desperate times. It felt good to lose that weight lure wise. If only losing body weight was just as easy lol. 

 

The downside is that it this minimal approach does contradict my other philosophy... It is better to have and not need than to need and not have. 

 

Go figure. 

[Chowderhead]

5 hours ago, Terrance Waters said:

The only thing better than one fat tackle box is two fat tackle boxes.

Can I get a Amen... ?

[MN Fisher]

If your tackle box/bag is getting too fat...get a bigger one.

 

I'm in that quandary now..with the latest influx, my two bags are stuffed. Time to replace the 4-box Plano Weekender with a second 6 (7) box Advanced Angler.

[Bluebasser86]

I've gotten to where I mainly buy a handful of colors from a handful of companies and try not to get too crazy. It's help cut down on my tackle selection a bit but I'm not carrying a tackle bag much either.

[jmz313]

I have a 3 part tackle approach as a land based fisherman.  Because it can get too fat if you gotta lug it around.

 

1- tackle bag, 3 3700 trays of tackle/plastics appropriate for the spot i'm fishing

2- The car parked a reasonable distance away with a Bucket full of all the rest of my plastics and a bunch of extra copies of appropriate tackle in case i break off the magic lure for the day.  lots of jigs and spinnerbaits.  

3- a couple pegs in my shed with unopened tackle that i haven't tried yet, or don't think is appropriate for the season. 

 

If i was boat based it would all be in the locker though.  Isn't the boat the tackle box?

[MickD]

Make a bag of the stuff you use 90% of the time.  When fishing on another's boat, only take that.  Keep your necessary tools, leader material, snaps, sinkers, etc in it.  If the other fisherman is like I and my buddies are, a loan of something you missed that is working that day is offered.

 

When fishing your own boat you can have "all your stuff" under cover and out of the way.

 

 

[J Francho]

I used to feel like this.  Organization was the key.  It helped me see what I actually had, what I was low on, what I was using or not using, what I could scratch, and what I could add.  Figure out a plan to organize it all.  Personally, I arrange the boxes to match up with the rod I use to throw the baits.  Obviously, there's crossover, but essentially, I'll have topwaters, poppers, and some jerkbaits in one box.  Another box will be jigs, bullet weights, and flipping hooks for my heavy cover rod.  Another box might have stuff for DS, SS, sliders, and ned rig stuff.  Makes it easy to put my crate together for a kayak trip.

[813basstard]

Got my soft plastics like this:

Big zip lock of ‘greens’

Big zip lock of ‘non greens’

 

7 spinnerbaits/3 chatterbaits

8 crankbaits

15 jigs

4 frogs

3 top water walkers

1 buzzbait

 

3 baitcasters

1 spinning

 

And GPS to the ramp.

 

If it doesn’t get used in 6 months, it goes in the offsprings bag.

 

 

[Catt]

I carry what I call my attack bag, I adjust what's in it according to the body of water I'm fishing.

 

Besides plastics there's Plano boxes of hooks-n-weights, & jigs.

 

I carry an old school Plano spinnerbait box, besides spinnerbaits there's buzzbaits, & Chatterbaits.

 

There's a storage bag with seven Plano 3700 boxes with backup of everything. This bag may end up staying at the camp or tow vehicle.

 

We aint discussing what's at home!  ?

 

[Tizi]

Catt,

what is the first bag you referred to?

[BassNJake]

16 hours ago, Bird said:

but when I go through all this tackle, I realize something....much is the same.

 

Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits 

Ned rigs and drop shots

Buzz baits and spooks

Flukes and assassins

Creature baits and skirted jigs

Zooms and Roboworms

Frogs and poppers 

 

I'll be the one to disagree, seems to be my personality type or character flaw if you will.

Except for the flukes and the assassins, none of the above are much the same.

 

Ever tried throwing a popper in the slop?

Or how about a spook next to a laydown?

Snag city- but a Buzzbait or a frog will come through those areas virtually snag free

 

They are all tools for the right conditions.

It is up to us to figure out those conditions on that specific day where we are at.

 

If i was a mechanic i'd want to be the one with a whole snap on tool box filled with various tools and not the guy that has a pair of vice grips, a crescent wrench and a hammer.

[Columbia Craw]

Only if you buy your tackle at Golden Corral. 

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Tizi said:

Catt,

what is the first bag you referred to?

 

It's actually a camera bag I confiscated from my wife!

 

Next to the compartment on the left is another zipped compartment that I stash spinnerbaits, & 2 smaller ones with clippers & Spike-It Dip-N-Glo. Inside is 4 smaller pockets with miscellaneous items.

 

On the bodies of water I fish I'm usually dialed enough to where that's all the tackle I keep at hand.

[Tizi]

So I cannot source one for myself?  Bummer.

34 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

It's actually a camera bag I confiscated from my wife!

 

Next to the compartment on the left is another zipped compartment that I stash spinnerbaits, & 2 smaller ones with clippers & Spike-It Dip-N-Glo. Inside is 4 smaller pockets with miscellaneous items.

 

On the bodies of water I fish I'm usually dialed enough to where that's all the tackle I keep at hand.

 

[lo n slo]

17 hours ago, Mobasser said:

I probably carry less tackle now than I have in 25 yrs. I got tired of hauling around so much stuff, and paired it down. I carry all that I need for a trip, and only carry what has worked best for me.

same here

[king fisher]

If catching fish is your only goal, than yes you can have to much tackle.  If experimenting with different lures techniques, or just plain enjoy variety, than no.  Some days I spend more time changing lures than fishing.  Especially if they are really biting. Slow days I experiment less.  When I really want to catch fish, I rely on a few lures.  Besides, nothing is better than when your friend has to beg for the only lure working.  Hasn't happen to me yet, but the Bait Monkey assures me it will some day.

[WRB]

Having more tackle then you can remember is the result of bass fishing. 

Knowing what to use seasonally is the difference, you only need what is working during any specific outing. 

Organization is the key to knowing what you have, finding it is keeping organized,

The highly skilled pro has a lot tackle, just watch any Major League event. Every ML event  the contestants ends up with a dozen rods rigged on the deck, the winners however end up with just a few, usually the 1 that is working.

 I am always impressed when I fish with someone who has 1 tackle bag and a few rods that is a skilled bass angler because they know what is working. If you know what is working  it's easy to find what you need if you are organized, impossible if you are not.

Tom