As we get closer to the season opener and the trip planning conversations grow more and more detailed, I find myself answering one question more than any other when chatting with anxious Wilderness North anglers. That question is “What’s in your tackle box, Joe?”
The answer to this question always depends on a few things. First, did I find another excuse to drive 45 miles out of the way and “accidentally” (wink wink) drive by the nearest Bass Pro Shop and load up on the latest and greatest “can’t miss” pike lures? Or, did I get bored over the weekend and make a new batch of homemade crawler harnesses that make even my best (and most color blind) friend point and chuckle because of the miss-matched color schemes. Either way, I guess it comes down to one simple thing. What I have in my tackle box and what I use each season are two totally different animals. We always ask guests “What is your favorite lure?” While we get new baits every once and awhile, the old standbys always win out after a full season.
So, I have comprised a list of guest favorites from seasons past. These are also what I tend to favor when hunting for trophies.
PIKE Tackle Box:
- Williams Whitefish (5.25 inch in silver)
- Mepps Syclops (1 oz in blue, gold or silver) -A Great Walleye and Brook Trout lure.
- Johnson Silver Minnow (1, 1/8oz in silver and gold)
- Dardevil spoon (1oz in red/whites and 5 of diamonds)
WALLEYE Tackle Box:
- 3/8 and 1/4 oz jig heads in assorted colors (About 25 or so per person.)
- 3 and 4 inch jig tails in assorted colors. (White, chartreuse, pink, orange.)
- Jointed Rapalas. J-11 and J-13 in assorted colors. These will work for walleye and pike.
- Any bright colored Hot-N-Tot. -Great trolling lure.
Don’t forget to bring swivels and leaders as well.
If you were to show up with just these lures at any of our Ontario fishing destinations, I am sure you would do well. As always, if you have a recommendation that I left off, please call (1-888-465-3474) or e-mail me here. I always love to chat about fishing.
Joe Pichey -Outdoor Specialist
