Tackle box setup

[Foretwoone]

Super new to bass fishing. A lot is foreign trip me since I grew up fly fishing for trout. Moved to Texas and live a few miles from lake fork and after constantly hearing how great it is for bass it got me intrigued. So now I'm wondering what are some specific things to stock my boxes with?  I'll have to ease into it because I only get to spend quarterly bonus money(wife has regular paychecks on lockdown). We were considering getting kayaks anyway so a good chunk is going to those.  I'm sure I'll need a 7' medium rod, spinning reel, 10lb? Fc?  What are some suggestions for say $100 give or take of tackle to get me started. Obviously more rods, reels and tackle will come with time but I'm so lost on where to even start....

[ironbjorn]

Step 1: Ditch the box. Get trays and a bag.

[Fishlegs]

What kind of water will you be fishing? Creeks, rivers, or lakes? I'd recommend starting with soft plastics like worms, swimbaits, craws, creature baits, etc. Those are inexpensive and can work most anywhere.

 

Welcome & good luck. It's a fun hobby, but you will soon develop a love/hate relationship with something we call the bait monkey.

[PressuredFishing]

28 minutes ago, Foretwoone said:

10lb? Fc?

A good mono will work fine floro is not nessesary. I would start with bullet weights, worm hooks 3/0, and some different plastics lizards, stick baits, etc etc. I would not invest a ton into the sport until you Give it a try. Bass fishing can be as simple or complicated as you want to make it, bass can be caught 24/7 year round on plastics if fished correctly. If you have fun you can invest in hard baits. Ditch the box and buy a school backpack and trays

[MN Fisher]

21 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

Step 1: Ditch the box. Get trays and a bag.

Ya - just starting out. Get a Plano 3600 Weekender, 1-3620 box for hooks, weights and some other sundry items, 3-3607/10 boxes to put a variety of plastics in. @PressuredFishing makes a good suggestion on starting tackle.

 

Don't need to spend a ton on the rod/reel

Medium/Fast rod - 6'6" to 7'0":  Dawia Aird-X is very affordable and does well above it's price point...I still have 2 Aird-X rods in my arsenal that get used. About $50

 

2500-3000 size spinning reel: Shimano Nexave is budget priced, but a good reel from reviews. Also about $50

 

8#-10# Trilene XL or Sufix Elite line

 

 

[DaubsNU1]

50 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Ya - just starting out. Get a Plano 3600 Weekender, 1-3620 box for hooks, weights and some other sundry items, 3-3607/10 boxes to put a variety of plastics in. @PressuredFishing makes a good suggestion on starting tackle.

 

Don't need to spend a ton on the rod/reel

Medium/Fast rod - 6'6" to 7'0":  Dawia Aird-X is very affordable and does well above it's price point...I still have 2 Aird-X rods in my arsenal that get used. About $50

 

2500-3000 size spinning reel: Shimano Nexave is budget priced, but a good reel from reviews. Also about $50

 

8#-10# Trilene XL or Sufix Elite line

 

^^ Great advice ^^

 

I have two Shimano Nexave spinning reels.  They are great!

 

Bunch of buddies and I went to Lake Fork in the 1996(?). It was tough going for the first few days...then talked to a local who gave us this advice:

 

"Get some slip-bobbers, rig them to run about 8-9' deep...then get yourself some big-ol-shiners on a good sized hook. Might need a weight to keep them down. Toss in the flooded timber...crack a beer...and wait. When that bobber goes under, count to three...then SET THE HOOK!  And HOLD ON!"

 

We caught a bunch of 4-5lb bass, and one that went just over 8lbs. Great time!

 

Enjoy!!

 

 

[RDB]

Fork has some fairly heavy cover with a lot of wood and some vegetation.  For LMB, a spinning rod with 10lb test is a pretty light setup for Fork.  The water is stained, so no need to go light line.  If it were me, I would start with a MH rod and a baitcaster with min. 15lb test.  Once you get comfortable, a baitcaster is likely what you will have in your hand the majority of the time anyway.

[Foretwoone]

4 hours ago, ironbjorn said:

Step 1: Ditch the box. Get trays and a bag.

I said box out of general expression. I should clarify I did pick up a bag that holds 4 3600 trays 

49 minutes ago, RDB said:

Fork has some fairly heavy cover with a lot of wood and some vegetation.  For LMB, a spinning rod with 10lb test is a pretty light setup for Fork.  The water is stained, so no need to go light line.  If it were me, I would start with a MH rod and a baitcaster with min. 15lb test.  Once you get comfortable, a baitcaster is likely what you will have in your hand the majority of the time anyway.

I'll definitely consider a baitcaster. I've used them a few times fishing for striper up north off long Island and had terrible success lol but I might give it a try again. 

[FrnkNsteen]

On 7/21/2022 at 8:20 PM, Foretwoone said:

I said box out of general expression. I should clarify I did pick up a bag that holds 4 3600 trays 

I'll definitely consider a baitcaster. I've used them a few times fishing for striper up north off long Island and had terrible success lol but I might give it a try again. 

Start with the advice above, but when you feel you're ready for a baitcaster,... Watch some of the many Youtube videos out there and practice, practice, practice until you get a feel for it. Smooth casts are key. Don't snap your wrists while learning.

 

Today's brake systems are very forgiving while you learn. Start with the brakes heavier than normal, even if casts are shorter, then loosen them up as you get used to it.

[Big Rick]

On 7/21/2022 at 2:40 PM, Foretwoone said:

So now I'm wondering what are some specific things to stock my boxes with?  I'll have to ease into it because I only get to spend quarterly bonus money(wife has regular paychecks on lockdown).

Friend, you are in a bad way. Bait Monkey chewing on one ear and wife chewing on the other. Not a great place to be. I recommend a second source of income as this hobby will take further than you ever thought possible! I'm an addict with no desires for an intervention, so I know from which I speak...

[FrnkNsteen]

^^I'm guilty too^^

[Danika 327]

First things first i wouldn't get your "normal" tackel box what i started out with was an old book bag i had put my soft baits in a front pocket and could fit 4 clear boxes in the big part. Okat so now for some lures, i would def get some stick baits in about 3-4 dif colors, next i would get trick worms, and lizards, curly tails, an unpopular opion is invest in some ned rigs i know its a little expinsive but i tell you i will throw it when the bite is really slow and it will tear them up sometime with bass fishing you just need to make the presentation smaller and work it slower. For some hard baits i would go with a all white jerk bait, a shad colored crank bait. for some jugs i would got with black and blue and then a green and brown jig. next you will want some trailers just get some matching soft placits to match the jigs. next i would get some spinner baits all white and a neon color one. next is a frog and a whopper plopper go to acadmey and get the h2o express ones they are amazing, and cant forget to pick up some rooster tails. and then you can some shakey heads, texas rig, and then some wacky rig hooks. also check out youtube and watch some videos of people fishing where you are and how they like to rig some things. i know this is alot but hoped this helped. 

[The Baron]

Given where you're fishing (potentially bigger fish in cover) I'd recommend your first setup be a baitcaster - 7ft. MH/F with a 7:1 to 8:1 speed reel.  Probably most economical to start with a combo (Lews or Abu Garcia have some good ones at lower price points, I think).  One trick of a baitcaster might be to decide which hand you're going to reel with - I'm right handed, but I prefer a left-hand baitcaster same as my spinning reels.  If you don't have a friend with a baitcaster to try, you could hit your local shop or BP and try both to see which feels more natural for you.  Spool with 15#-20# Trilene Big Game to start.  Mono is cheap and easier to learn with on a baitcaster.  Tie on a 1/4oz-1/2oz. weight and go casting in your backyard or a quiet park, until you've got the hang of it (school of YouTube will show you how to setup a reel - it's very intimidating at first, but not complicated at all).

 

For lures, keep it simple and don't try to cover every technique until you've been catching some and finding what works/what you enjoy/what water you're fishing most often.  A frog (a classic summer bass technique, but it's questionable to frog the thick stuff with with mono), a spook or popper, a couple shad colored crank baits of different running depths (maybe a DT4 and a DT10, for example) and a small selection for Texas rigging - 4/0 worm hooks and 5/0 EWG, 1/4oz. and 3/8oz bullet weights, bobber stops and a bag each of 5" senkos, 6"-8" worms and a beaver bait in whatever colors guys tell you work on Fork. 

 

Once you're catching some, take your wife fishing.  Hopefully she likes it, so then you'll need another rod/reel for her and some baits.  You can then divert some shoe money into a M or MH spinning outfit with wacky worm and paddle-tail swimbait gear.  ?