Bustin' out the ol' bass box -

I was going through some of my gear last night and I decided to peek into my old tackle box. From age 8 when I got my first fishing boat (a LoneStar Commander with a 5 hp Johnson) until I was 18 years old, I spent my summers chasing Smallmouth Bass on Lake Vermilion. My parents were both teachers and as soon as school was out in May we’d move up to “the lake” until September going back “into town” only once a week for half a day to pick up the mail, mow the lawn, and buy groceries. Three months of being cooped up at the cabin could be boring at times, and fishing was a fun way to keep busy.

I gradually amassed a formidable arsenal of Smallmouth lures and came to gauge my success by how many 5 pound (or larger) bass I could catch over the course of a summer. Over time I came to cherish certain lures to the point that I could no longer bear to cast them toward the rocks for fear that they’d be lost. Some of these lures were also named – like “Cheeky” the silver Zara Spook that, after a botched hook set, sailed through the air and became planted in my cheek less than an inch below my eye. Many of the lips on the crank baits have been ground rough by rocks and most of these plugs have “smiles” across their bellies from where the treble hooks rubbed during their miles of swimming – so many memories. What does a serious fisherman do with such a tackle box? I straightened it up, dusted it off, and put it safely back on the shelf. Now, I need to go online and get some useable tackle – brilliant!

Standard Disclaimers - Always practice catch and release fishing!