By Joseph Kemp

To hardcore fishermen there is nothing more sacred and vitally important than the tackle box. Like any good Boy Scout you want to be prepared for any and everything and your tackle box is the trusty saddlebag.

Of course, you want the basics like lures, extra line, hooks, fishing knives, flies, weights and spinners. But, what are all those things and what do they do?

There are so many different types of lures one could fill an entire book on that subject alone. There are lures that look like frogs, worms and lizards and still more that are scented or rattle. Then you have an entire different subsection of each group and differences between fresh and saltwater fishing lures.

When choosing a lure, you first must decide what you wish to catch – whether it be a bass or even a barracuda. The only way to get better at choosing the right lures is to get experience using all the varieties available on the market today. Try different types, talk to the old timers and see what you feel most comfortable using.

A few of the more common and popular types of lures are:

• Jigs – a lure with a weighted metal head and a tail made of animal hair, soft plastic, feathers or rubber. These can be used for most freshwater fishing and a few saltwater fish as well.
• Spoons – these are metal lures made to resemble a swimming baitfish. You can use spoons to cast or trolled behind the boat.

• Plastic Baits – these come in the shapes of worms, minnows, and crayfish in a variety of sizes and colors. You can use them with or without a weight. Sometimes, they’re used with a jig head, spinner or spinner bait. Some even come with a nice scent, like Old Spice for fish to attract a fish.
• Plugs – these are made of plastic or wood and can be used at the surface of the water or below the depths.
• Spinners – these have one or more blades that spin around a straight wire shaft. Some come with hair-like projections.
• Poppers – these, along with flies, are small lures used with spin cast and fly fishing tackle. These attract fish that feed on the surface such as trout and bass.

Weights, or sinkers, are used to weigh the line down. This lowers the bait to a good depth to attract a yummy fish. The weights can be the size of a BB pellet to a whopping pound or more. A bopper is like the fire alarm. It tells you when a fish has struck your line by “bopping” in and out of the water. They also help you lower the bait to depth you want.

With hooks, they say a normal pack with ranges from numbers 6 to 10 will be fine. But, if you’re tackling larger fish, you’ll need to upgrade. Fishing line also comes in an assortment of sizes and strengths.

Every tackle box needs a good knife. This is in case your line becomes wrapped around a dead branch. You can also use it when the fish aren’t biting to trim your toenails.

So, gather up these useful items for your tackle box, whistle the theme song to Andy Griffith, and head down to the old fishing hole.