Cleaning Out Your Tacklebox?

[Feathers and Fins]

Here this might help

1.pdf

[Bitethis]

Here this might help

thats a nice layout, thank you! I noticed in your surface bait box that it appears you don't have any buzzbaits. I also don't see any spinner baits? Are they hidden, or do you choose not to mess with em? I would assume you limit your excursions to panfish and wallays, except for the arig/swimbait box?

[Old plug]

you got a pile of stuff there fins. I think down there in those crystal clear lakes things are different in a way than up here.

The point I was trying make was about understanding the lure you use more then just buying more. I think I was thinking in terms of things like Plastic worms and jigs. Well over 90% of my fishing I do with one or the other. They work well here on LOZ most of the year. There are so many things and ways to use these two.

[Feathers and Fins]

I target all species actually bass, stripers, whites, hybrids, crappie, walleye, catfish and Gar. The surface box has pencil-poppers and Pop-r's mostly with a couple jointed swim baits and Flies for when I catch them shallow. I don't use buzzbaits never found the need and never seen the need to use a spinner bait either. What I have is what works. I don't mess with what doesn't and I want baits that can target multiple species at one time.

[zarraspook]

My problem is I have 35-40 lures I carry because, over the last 30 years, they were the only thing the fish would hit that day...

[Feathers and Fins]

OP I use those same lures on Devils Lake, TR and the Arkansas River, only thing I do different is use a different color but the baits stay the same and most of them I have used in Cali and Florida, its more about knowing where and when to use them than anything else imo.

[Bitethis]

The point I was trying make was about understanding the lure you use more then just buying more. I think I was thinking in terms of things like Plastic worms and jigs. Well over 90% of my fishing I do with one or the other. They work well here on LOZ most of the year. There are so many things and ways to use these two.

Although there isn't a ton of different ways to use a crankbait (slow retrieve, fast retrieve, pause and go is the extent of my uses), there are a lot out there. I can narrow them down to a few colors....but I struggle with the variety:

1. Flicker Shad
2. Wiggle Wart
3. Bomber
4. Livingston
5. Rapala (and so many variences here)
6. Bandits
7. Megabass
8. Luckycraft
9. Norman
10. Strike King
11. Jackall
12. Yo-Zuri
13. Spro
14. X-Calibur

Then there is:

1. Square bill
2. round bill
3. Short body
4. Long body
5. Flat
6. Fat
7. Silent
8. Rattle
9. Etc.

Then there are the new ones that hook me more than I hook fish:

1. Lifetarget Shadball Crankbait
2. Gary Yamamoto
3. Yo Zuri
4. Storm Arashi

I think to your point, I whittling it down to what you have success with is what I need to do...but what if <insert newest/hottest bait here> will outperform my standby's? Then I accumulate and rotate, and the hobby continues and turns into something like my wifes spoon collection.

[Feathers and Fins]

With cranks im looking more at the depth I can get them first followed by size then color. I have a formula I use

1. Depth? ( at what depth are the fish at and what crank do I need to use to get there) all things being equal

2. What size bait is in the area or fish species? ( If I know its small 1.5 to 2.5'' baits I want to use that size if need be I will put lead on the crank to help it get down or even run downriggers ) if the lip wont plane it to that desired depth.

3. Color ( Clear water white or a variation on it. Stained a Gold or darker color )

Combine the three for and you can select a bait pretty accurately. Then its a matter of how to get it there, sometimes I will cast others troll depends on what the fish tell me they want.

[Bitethis]

With cranks im looking more at the depth I can get them first followed by size then color. I have a formula I use

1. Depth? ( at what depth are the fish at and what crank do I need to use to get there) all things being equal

2. What size bait is in the area or fish species? ( If I know its small 1.5 to 2.5'' baits I want to use that size if need be I will put lead on the crank to help it get down or even run downriggers ) if the lip wont plane it to that desired depth.

3. Color ( Clear water white or a variation on it. Stained a Gold or darker color )

Combine the three for and you can select a bait pretty accurately. Then its a matter of how to get it there, sometimes I will cast others troll depends on what the fish tell me they want.

Thanks for that formula, seems basic enough (basic enough that I should know it;-). How do you decide which brand to use? I have a thing about NOT using basspro brand, but other than that I just tend to stay away from cranks over $6, usually. I have a hard time justifying spending more than that.

[Old plug]

I only have about 2 or 3 on that list. One of them is a Spro BBZ 1 that is new. I have been playing around with it around the dock trying to see what I can make it do.