THIS Is The Most Important Tool In Your Tackle Box
- By: Pat Ogletree
- on
In your opinion, what is the most important tool in your tackle box?
We’re talking soft plastic lures, hard body lures, jigheads, hook styles, anything in your tackle box!!
Check out the TRUTH right here!!
Most Important Tool In Your Tackle Box [VIDEO]
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Featured Equipment:
- Z-Man Pro ShroomZ Jigheads
- Z-Man Mag ShroomZ Jigheads
- Mission Fishin’ Jighead
- Saltwater Assassin Pro Elite Jighead
- Hoss Helix Hooks
- Owner Weighted Twistlock Hooks
- Z-Man Texas Eye Jighead
- Battle Rattles
Contrary to what you may believe, your Hooks & Rigs Box is the most important part of your overall tackle.
Over the past few months, I have been using all sorts of different jigheads to catch tons of fish across the southeastern United States.
However, in each location, I was faced with different challenges and obstacles to overcome like different current speeds and water column depths.
To start, the box I use to hold all my jigheads is a Plano 3600 Guide Series waterproof box.
It is actually important to get a waterproof tackle box for your hooks because you want to prevent the saltwater and salty air from eating away at the metal hooks.
I organize my jighead box by the size of the jighead and then by weight increasing as you move from left to right.
Flat-Bottom Jigheads
These have been labeled a wintertime jighead, however, are extremely valuable in the spring when trying to trigger strikes from heavily pressured fish.
In these scenarios, fish respond to the Pro ShroomZ jighead because of its design and the fact fish have not seen it very often.
Additionally, the longer hook shank on the Mag ShroomZ jighead makes it a perfect match to the Power Prawn U.S.A. or larger soft plastic lures.
Typically, you want to fish these lures in areas with shells or sandy bottoms avoiding any rocks or heavy structure.
Also, because of the jighead design, your lure will sit upright on the bottom and the tail will slightly wiggle in the current.
These jigheads come in various different weight increments that are perfect for inshore saltwater fishing.
Open-Face Jigheads
Examples of open-face jigheads are Mission Fishin’ jigheads or Saltwater Assassin Pro Elite jigheads.
Organization is really left up to your own personal preferences, however, I like to keep my jigheads organized by color.
One of the easiest and most effective ways to keep everything in order is to stick to one color for each size jighead.
That way when you change out jigheads on the water, you quickly know which jighead is the right size based on its color.
Weedless Presentations
The next row in my tackle box is the weedless hooks and presentations.
Between Hoss Helix Hooks and Owner Weighted Twistlock Hooks, there are different styles and weights to these hooks.
Hoss Helix Hooks come in a 3/0 or 4/0 size and have a slightly wider hook gap than others.
With regards to weedless presentations, you want to size the hook with the size of the lure you are fishing with.
The weight of the hook is determined by current, depth, and wind direction.
You can have the right lures but if you don’t have your lures at the proper depth, you may miss out on tight lines.
When it comes to these rigging hooks, you typically won’t use anything heavier than a 3/16 oz. weight.
When you get into 1/4 oz. and above weights, you will want to turn towards open-face jigheads.
If the structure beneath you is too intrusive for using rigging hooks, then a Z-Man Texas Eye jighead is an ideal choice.
The Texas Eye jighead has the ability to be rigged weedless in various weights.
The most common weight sizes I prefer are 1/16 oz., 1/8 oz., and 1/4 oz.
Additional Items
Battle Rattles
In addition to the many different hook and jighead styles in your tackle box, it is encouraged to also have Battle Rattles with you.
Battle Rattles are internal rattles you can put in soft plastic lures for enhanced attraction.
A bonus of these rattles is their low-pitch rattle.
Loud, obnoxious rattles sometimes spook fish off but a low-pitch rattle is just enough to pique the interest of predatory inshore fish.
Pinch-On Weights
Another beneficial item to have with you is small pinch-on weights.
Pinch-on weights are additional weights you can add to your presentation without having to re-tie.
If you are fishing in slightly heavier wind or current, a pinch-on weight can provide just what is needed to get to the right depth.
Silica Gel Desiccant Packs
Silica Gel Packs help prevent rust build-up on your hooks in your tackle box.
These packs keep the tackle box dry and prevent rust growth.
Make sure to remember not to ever put a wet hook in your tackle box if one of these packets is in there.
It is best to rinse your hooks off with freshwater before storing them away.
The Silica Gel Packs keep moisture out of your tackle box and help extend the life of some of your gear.
Labeling
If you are especially new to inshore fishing and the jighead styles, you can always label them.
Most jigheads come in small packaging with a small label that you can keep and store with your jigheads.
That way you know everything about the jighead every single time you go to switch.
Or you can even tape the labels on the inside lid to the tackle box so each time you open the box, the labels match up to the respective hook.
Whatever works best for you personally to stay organized is your best bet.
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Conclusion
If you are new to fishing or you are trying a new style of fishing, sometimes you can get confused and use the wrong hook for your intended style of fishing.
Jigheads and hook styles are one of, if not the, most important aspects of your tackle and gear.
Do you have any more questions about the most important tool in your tackle box?
What are your favorite, must-have jigheads in your personal tackle box?
Please let me know down below in the comments section!
And if you know someone who wants to learn more about the most important tool in your tackle box, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Yea I like the crust tackle boxes from flambreau(probably didn’t spell that right) and my others if there are hooks or anything metal I usually put a couple gell packs in the compartment the kind found in pill bottles it helps keep moisture at bay and I label all my boxes jighead and various hooks rattles ect and I usually keep an assortment of jighead with various weights I’m pretty organized that way I know where everything is in my boat at any given time thanks for the info and all you do😉👍
Sorry my phone likes to spell things it’s own way🤔
Mine does too!
Thanks Steven!
Sorting weights by color don’t work when tackle supplies are short and need to replenish. As you said.
Painter’s tape isn’t a good idea for obvious reasons.
Also, I’ve had the packing-taped wrapped identification tag blown away by the wind too many times.
I now use a machine-printed label for all of my organizational needs.
I still haven’t solved the problem of dropping a tackle box and messing up the whole system.
The label maker sounds like the way to go. I’ll have to break into the wife crafting box!
Thanks for a fantastic tutorial Pat !!!!
Appreciate it George!
Great report Pat as usual. I pretty much follow the same COA as you do but I mark teh outside of the box with a sharpie to quickly gauge what I need or need to stock up on. I also use pieces of blackboard chalk to help with moisture control. At least in the air. A couple of pieces in various compartments and everything is good to go. Of course, I do not return lures to the box until they are cleaned with fresh water and allowed to dry.
Good stuff Luis! Never thought about the blackboard chalk!
Another great report Pat!
I need all the organizational help I can get! Trying to be a minimalist in my yak is tough for me! When I can only get to the salt water 4~6 times a year, I feel like I need to have it ALL, “just in case!” 😉
I have used the paper labels in tape for about 2 years & it works! The tape is key, if the paper gets wet, the labels are OK, BUT any water (and salt) are in the paper and doing their damage in the box.
I have written about the silica gel packs before, but it bears repeating. Once the pack (silica beads) soak up all they can, they can release their trapped moisture when the ambient humidity is lower than the surrounding air. This can cause moisture to be released into your sealed tackle tray (Typically occures when case sealed and in the sun.). The silica gel can be recharged (dried back out) by placing in an oven at 300* for an hour. The problem here is that most of the packets wrappings don’t fair well at that temp. My fix for that was to put the silica beads into a mini altoids-type tin with holes poked or drilled into it. Bigger tins for larger cases. Then the tins can be baked without issue.
This all comes from 40 years with professional camera repair (including underwater camera equipment) and high end survey equipment repair, as both a user and a technician.
Great tips Neal! I’ve heard you can microwave them too, never tried it though.
Hadn’t heard of the releasing moisture back into the air, good reason to keep an eye on them. I have seen the ones that change color when they are “full” so that might help for identification as well.
Thanks for sharing!
So a first aid kit isn’t needed?
Nope suck it up buttercup! Put a hook through your thumb cut it off pre-rigged shark bait! Didn’t catch a shark on your thumb maybe the wife can sow it back on when you get home salts a preservative should be good to go.
Extra bonus points to anyone who takes the bleeding hand now missing a thumb and noodles for shark
Great report Pat. I especially liked the label hack.
Thanks James!