I like fishing gear. Lures, braid, reels, rods, flies, tying materials, storage containers… I can’t get enough.

I think when we all reach the point of obsession with fishing, we try to accumulate as much stuff as possible. Lures that we think look cool, reels we may never use, enough soft plastics to plug a hole in the earth. But eventually, it comes time to clean house. This is what I did this off season. I sold off any lures that I find myself never reaching for, and doubled down on the proven favorites. We still have lots of stuff but it’s more proven stuff that we know we’ll fish. Here’s what the lure boxes look like for team 7S this year.

Important organizing note: I organize lures by like lures at the “top level”– for example, small spooks in one tray, large topwater in another, softbaits of like size in one, etc. These plano boxes will eventually live on the boat. From these larger “home trays” I pick and choose and create separate “kayak,” or “surf” or “jetty” or “back bay” boxes. This is a system I’ve found that keeps everything relatively organized and in the right place (until the albies show up, of course). Each of these situations are different and of course require different lures and gear. Look for another blog in the near future on what I’m putting in my kayak box for 2021.

Here’s how we’re rolling this season. Make sure you head over to Fish Northeast in Plymouth for all your striper, offshore, and freshwater gear. Or shop online at fishandtackle.com.

Small Spooks and Topwater plugs

Let’s start with the money box. These Jumpin’ Minnows may last me a month. Gotta have ’em in your box. Make sure to replace the trebles. I use a single treble or inline hook and a hookless flag on the read. The Hogy Dog Walker is anew addition for this year. Beefed up hardware and a weight of 1.75oz will make this a go-to when June bass are on herring and mackerel in the Bay.

Large Topwater Plugs

Docs. Yup. And a few Guppys Plugs and some Polaris Poppers when we wanna throw a little water and change it up a bit.

Swimmers

Gotta have the old standby, the SP Minnow in the box. I like bone, but all colors work. I like to use a front treble or inline and a hookless flag in the rear. Mag Darters and Sebile Magic Swimmers round of the swimmer box number 1.

Swimmer Box 2, Misc stuff

The second swimmer box has a few Jointed Bombers, Creek Chub Surfsters, Sebile Bull Minnows, and some other assorted swimming lures. This is the box we pull out if we’re sick of catching fish on SP Minnows.

Swimmers and Divers

I love these Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows down South of the Cape in late summer trolling for bones. They make a great searching lure for stripers holding deep too. Got a few more bombers in here, as well as some Sebile Stick Shadds, which we’ll definitely be throwing when the big bass start throwing pogies into the air.

Assorted topwater poppers and plugs

Got some oldies and goodies in here. Yo-Zuri Surface Cruiser, Ocean Born Flying Pencil, and some old Creek Chub Striper Swipers. Classics.

Metals and Epoxy Jigs

Metals and Epoxy Jigs: Not just for Albies! Got an assortment of Hogy Epoxy Jigs here, mostly 5/8oz – 1oz. But also have some Joe Baggs Resin jigs, Hogy Heavy Minnows, and the classic metals (Deadly Dicks, Swedish Pimples). When bass get finicky on tiny bait, this is what we’re throwing to them.

Bucktails

Bucktailing. We’ll mostly use this box when the Black Seabass come inshore in May, but you may catch us bucktailing for stripers with a good old Uncle Josh pork rind hanging off the back. These are mostly Tinman custom jigs, Spro, and a lone Baymen Jig.

Jigheads and Hooks

Now we get to the fun stuff. Jigheads for soft plastics–Bill Hurley Sand Eels, Al Gags, Joe Baggs, and some other assorted from 1/4oz up to 1.5oz. Not to be outdone by the Owner Twistlock Swimbait hooks unweighted in 3/0 to 6/0.

Small Soft Plastics and Swim Shads

This box gets a lot of use. Mostly because of the SNAXXXXXX. But some other winners are in here, including Ron Z (the smallest size) in white and pink, Save Sand Eels (small) and of course, the Hogy Pro Tail 1oz. If I had to choose one box to fish with this season, it would be this one.

Big Jigs and Softbaits

When the bass are big and holding deep, you gotta give ’em something in this box. Big Ron Zs, Al Gags paddle tails, Joe Baggs Paddle Tails, and some Hogy Pro Tails in the larger sizes. Mackerel and Squid colored Joe Baggs Patriot fish have been money the past few years.

Medium Softbaits

I was recently told about these Storm GT360 swimbaits and now I’m hooked. Also included in this box is some Hogy Originals, Hogy Jigs, and the old Fin-S Fish stand by.

Assorted Swimbait and Jig bodies

The Bill Hurley and Sluggo box. Lots and lots of Bill Hurley Sand Eel bodies, Bill Hurley Squids, and Lunker City Sluggos.

Big Softbait Roll

The biggins’. Got some Hogy Originals, big Bill Hurley Squids, Ron Z jigs bodies, and some GameOn Big Occhis.