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Loneshoreman
member (17)member
  
08/27/2020 08:54AM  
How many people 'what if' themselves into a bunch of unnecessary tackle and space? I seriously can pack everything else with military precision until it comes to the tackle bag. As I get older it gets more frustrating because the portaging sure doesn't get easier.

Heading out of Angleworm on Sunday for 6 days and seriously trying to strip this bag down. Lol...

Anyone else have similar problems or life hacks on simplifying this?
 
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08/27/2020 09:13AM  
I only target walleye and LT so that helps. I seem to catch all the SMB and northerns I care to catch. Time of year will dictate some tackle choices also.
 
Savage Voyageur
distinguished member(14414)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished membermaster membermaster member
  
08/27/2020 09:56AM  
I usually bring way too much tackle. One trip the only thing catching fish was a Rapala with a red lip. Another trip was a #3 Mepps spinner.
 
Loneshoreman
member (17)member
  
08/27/2020 10:05AM  
I ran into that last September where bottom bouncers and slow death rigs were all that would produce. Not alot of room per se but those bouncers add up in pack weight quick .
 
Basspro69
distinguished member(14142)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished membermaster membermaster member
  
08/27/2020 01:03PM  
Skimp on something else, if you’re seriously fishing bring the tackle.
 
08/28/2020 07:11AM  
Nah...but really what if you lose that Rapala that caught 90% of your fish last trip...what if you find a great campsite that you can slip bobber off...what if they only bite on leeches...what if it is a crawler bite...what if they like minnows better...those rippin raps Al Linder was using look like they would kill on a reef so better throw a few of those in and at different colors...ever read Quetico Mikes article...better have some Of those Z-man flukes and paddle tails...Better have some jigs and every possible color of tails...just getting started so yea I guess I know what ya mean :)

T
 
Loneshoreman
member (17)member
  
08/28/2020 07:45AM  
timatkn: "Nah...but really what if you lose that Rapala that caught 90% of your fish last trip...what if you find a great campsite that you can slip bobber off...what if they only bite on leeches...what if it is a crawler bite...what if they like minnows better...those rippin raps Al Linder was using look like they would kill on a reef so better throw a few of those in and at different colors...ever read Quetico Mikes article...better have some Of those Z-man flukes and paddle tails...Better have some jigs and every possible color of tails...just getting started so yea I guess I know what ya mean :)


T"


This is exactly how my mind works lol... And Quetico Mike articles are responsible for at least a couple extra pounds of tackle. :)
 
Farmboy88
senior member (68)senior membersenior member
  
08/29/2020 03:09PM  
Mine gets bigger every year so don’t ask me! lol if I catch a fish on one lure I will buy ten of them al in different colors and sizes. I see people post pictures of their tackle box usually the clear Plano box, well my bag has six of those and the side pouches are packed with plastics. My tackle bag weighs as much if not more than my pack. I also offer up my tackle box to anyone fishing with me so I feel like I halfwAy justify it. But then again we go specifically for the fishing and spend all day everyday fishing
 
09/01/2020 04:42PM  
Tackle and rods and reels are items that I always have more then I need.
 
09/02/2020 05:28AM  
Basspro69: "Skimp on something else, if you’re seriously fishing bring the tackle."


Yup! What if?!? :)
 
mutz
distinguished member(1267)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
09/02/2020 04:00PM  
Too much tackle? Nope don’t think that thought has ever come up.
 
mgraber
distinguished member(1486)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
09/04/2020 12:39AM  
walllee: "Tackle and rods and reels are items that I always have more then I need."


Me too, but that pretty much tells you where are priorities lye, doesn't it? lol
 
scotttimm
distinguished member(647)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
09/04/2020 09:54AM  
Every year my tackle boxes get smaller and smaller. The last two years I've come to the sad but slow realization that I only ever use a handful of lures. When I first started I had a whole backpack dedicated to fishing. This year I had it down to two Plano stow-aways...still didn't use 75% of it.

After this summer's second jaunt, I first plucked out of my two Plano's the lures my son and I actually used this summery (probably 4-5). Then I plucked out one spoon in each color, then realized I don't think I've ever used more than two spoons on any trip so I picked my two favorite. Then I set out a few jigs in each color, a few jig tails in each color, a few spinnerbaits...a few rapalas...two whopper ploppers...and got it down to ONE Plano stow-away box, so I put a piece of tape on it that says BWCA and packed it with our gear.

We'll see if I have the courage next year to only bring that one box. 50/50 chance I think.
 
H2OFanatic
member (20)member
  
09/05/2020 10:06PM  
Entering on Sep 13 with a friend and I have told him that its no longer a tackle box but should now be referred to as a TACKLE STORE.

It's nearly as heavy as the food pack but I still have a pretty long list of "must get" items before I enter.

When it comes down to it I'll probably leave some sinkers in the car to lighten the load and even left a package of soft plastics at home. So I'm trying to get my "crack" habit under control but its definitely a struggle.

I do still need some small white twisty tails and i don't have a single red/white daredevle. The struggle continues...

 
barehook
distinguished member (149)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
09/06/2020 11:07AM  
Because we always single portage, with all tackle including reels stored inside our packs, we have considerations of space and weight, more than we might if we double portaged. When it's my turn to carry the canoe and pack, I don't have a hand free for a tackle box or anything else.

Double portaging would allow for reasonably adding a lot of stuff in the 'what if' category. But, double portaging triples the time on the portage trail, and reduces fishing time accordingly.

Choices, choices. Our choice to single portage has caused me to pare down the tackle I take along and just hope I made good choices in what I selected. But I might add that I've gotten burned on two trips when I lost the 'hot lure' and didn't have a replacement. Most of the time, even being minimalist, I haven't used most of what I brought along.
 
Indyfisher
distinguished member (104)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
09/11/2020 09:51AM  
Over pack tackle all the time!

Should learn after 12 trips, 99% of all my fish are caught using an 1/8oz jig and a 4” plastic grub.

However, next trip I’ll pack 10 lbs of tackle and not us most of it!
 
missmolly
distinguished member(7681)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
09/11/2020 10:24AM  
barehook: "Because we always single portage, with all tackle including reels stored inside our packs, we have considerations of space and weight, more than we might if we double portaged. When it's my turn to carry the canoe and pack, I don't have a hand free for a tackle box or anything else.


Double portaging would allow for reasonably adding a lot of stuff in the 'what if' category. But, double portaging triples the time on the portage trail, and reduces fishing time accordingly.


Choices, choices. Our choice to single portage has caused me to pare down the tackle I take along and just hope I made good choices in what I selected. But I might add that I've gotten burned on two trips when I lost the 'hot lure' and didn't have a replacement. Most of the time, even being minimalist, I haven't used most of what I brought along."


What was the hot lure or lures that you lost?
 
09/12/2020 08:32AM  
25% of my gear is what if stuff.
What if it rains, what if I don't catch fish to eat, what if I don't have the lures their biting on, what if I twist my ankle, what if I dump the canoe etc.
 
thegildedgopher
distinguished member(1659)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
09/12/2020 10:45AM  
I can fit everything into a single double-sided Plano box if I tie all the trebles up with rubber bands and pack it really carefully. But then it’s a total pain to get lures out, rubber bands snap and trebles get all snagged etc. last year I split them across 3 single Planos (3700) and it made accessing my tackle on the water go so much more smoothly. It’s the same amount of tackle so weight is not much different, but the boxes do take up physical space as well.
 
mutz
distinguished member(1267)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
09/12/2020 10:49AM  
TOO MUCH TACKLE. This would make a great post on April 1st.
 
barehook
distinguished member (149)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
09/12/2020 08:56PM  
missmolly: "
barehook: "Because we always single portage, with all tackle including reels stored inside our packs, we have considerations of space and weight, more than we might if we double portaged. When it's my turn to carry the canoe and pack, I don't have a hand free for a tackle box or anything else.



Double portaging would allow for reasonably adding a lot of stuff in the 'what if' category. But, double portaging triples the time on the portage trail, and reduces fishing time accordingly.



Choices, choices. Our choice to single portage has caused me to pare down the tackle I take along and just hope I made good choices in what I selected. But I might add that I've gotten burned on two trips when I lost the 'hot lure' and didn't have a replacement. Most of the time, even being minimalist, I haven't used most of what I brought along."



What was the hot lure or lures that you lost?"


Tiny Torpedo one year. (smallmouth on beds) #3Mepps another (killing huge pre-spawn smallies).
 
BuckeyeVol
member (28)member
  
09/13/2020 10:27AM  
What if:

You're 3 days into a 7 day trip and a bear has gotten into your food cache leaving only dehydrated bread and feta cheese behind. You only have 1 lure left to keep from going hungry. What would you want it to be?
 
missmolly
distinguished member(7681)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
09/13/2020 10:38AM  
barehook: "
missmolly: "
barehook: "Because we always single portage, with all tackle including reels stored inside our packs, we have considerations of space and weight, more than we might if we double portaged. When it's my turn to carry the canoe and pack, I don't have a hand free for a tackle box or anything else.



Double portaging would allow for reasonably adding a lot of stuff in the 'what if' category. But, double portaging triples the time on the portage trail, and reduces fishing time accordingly.



Choices, choices. Our choice to single portage has caused me to pare down the tackle I take along and just hope I made good choices in what I selected. But I might add that I've gotten burned on two trips when I lost the 'hot lure' and didn't have a replacement. Most of the time, even being minimalist, I haven't used most of what I brought along."




What was the hot lure or lures that you lost?"



Tiny Torpedo one year. (smallmouth on beds) #3Mepps another (killing huge pre-spawn smallies). "


Coincidentally, I was on two trips too when those very same lures were my hot lures with bass. Cool, huh?
 
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