Beginner's Tacklebox

Beginner’s Tacklebox: Brandon Lester

Posted on
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brandon Lester is about to fill this Mustad utility box with his favorite lures for a beginner’s tacklebox. “It’s simple and the choices cover the entire water column, there is a year-round selection, and the baits are proven to catch fish.” The lures come from Lester’s tournament tackleboxes that are rigged and at the ready aboard his boat.
Photo: Craig Lamb - Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brandon Lester is about to fill this Mustad utility box with his favorite lures for a beginner’s tacklebox. “It’s simple and the choices cover the entire water column, there is a year-round selection, and the baits are proven to catch fish.” The lures come from Lester’s tournament tackleboxes that are rigged and at the ready aboard his boat.
The first lure that Lester chooses is a shaky head. “This is the most versatile bait in the box. You can fish it around brush, docks, and just cast it out and let it go to the bottom.” Lester said that maintaining bottom contact is key. “Fish it slowly on the bottom for the best action.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - The first lure that Lester chooses is a shaky head. “This is the most versatile bait in the box. You can fish it around brush, docks, and just cast it out and let it go to the bottom.” Lester said that maintaining bottom contact is key. “Fish it slowly on the bottom for the best action.”
His choice is a 3/16-ounce shaky head featuring a 4/0 Mustad Hook. A 6-inch X Zone Lures Deception Worm, green pumpkin/blue flake, completes the rig.
Photo: Craig Lamb - His choice is a 3/16-ounce shaky head featuring a 4/0 Mustad Hook. A 6-inch X Zone Lures Deception Worm, green pumpkin/blue flake, completes the rig.
Next up in the lineup is a jig. “You can’t have a beginner’s box without a jig. You can flip and pitch it in heavy cover, and swim it in open water at any depth.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - Next up in the lineup is a jig. “You can’t have a beginner’s box without a jig. You can flip and pitch it in heavy cover, and swim it in open water at any depth.”
Lester’s choice is a 1/2-ounce Spot Sticker Baits Hand-Tied Living Rubber Jig, featuring a 5/0 Mustad Ultra Point Hook. For a trailer he adds a 4-inch X Zone Lures Muscle Back Craw, green pumpkin.
Photo: Craig Lamb - Lester’s choice is a 1/2-ounce Spot Sticker Baits Hand-Tied Living Rubber Jig, featuring a 5/0 Mustad Ultra Point Hook. For a trailer he adds a 4-inch X Zone Lures Muscle Back Craw, green pumpkin.
“A square bill crankbait is ideal for covering water in the 4- to 5-foot range.” Lester brings it out of a crankbait box stored in the center storage of his Phoenix, and he adds it to the beginner’s box.
Photo: Craig Lamb - “A square bill crankbait is ideal for covering water in the 4- to 5-foot range.” Lester brings it out of a crankbait box stored in the center storage of his Phoenix, and he adds it to the beginner’s box.
Lester’s choice is a 1.5 model, and he switches out the hooks with No. 4 Mustad Treble Hooks. The gizzard shad pattern is an all-around pattern. “It’s good in clear or dirty water and imitates the pattern of the baitfish.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - Lester’s choice is a 1.5 model, and he switches out the hooks with No. 4 Mustad Treble Hooks. The gizzard shad pattern is an all-around pattern. “It’s good in clear or dirty water and imitates the pattern of the baitfish.”
“Every rigged and ready tacklebox needs a topwater.” This walking bait makes the cut for making long casts to reach spooky bass. The lure is a proven fish catcher in low light, early in the morning or evening, and in shady areas.
Photo: Craig Lamb - “Every rigged and ready tacklebox needs a topwater.” This walking bait makes the cut for making long casts to reach spooky bass. The lure is a proven fish catcher in low light, early in the morning or evening, and in shady areas.
Going into the beginner’s box is a Heddon Super Spook Jr. This bone pattern model features No. 4 Mustad Round Bend Trebles and a feathered treble hook at the rear. “It’s a confidence thing for me.” Lester believes a feathered treble adds strike appeal for short-striking bass.
Photo: Craig Lamb - Going into the beginner’s box is a Heddon Super Spook Jr. This bone pattern model features No. 4 Mustad Round Bend Trebles and a feathered treble hook at the rear. “It’s a confidence thing for me.” Lester believes a feathered treble adds strike appeal for short-striking bass.
“A bladed jig is great for covering water, from very shallow to about the 10-foot depth range.” It’s easy to use, too. “Cast it out and retrieve slowly back to imitate a shad.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - “A bladed jig is great for covering water, from very shallow to about the 10-foot depth range.” It’s easy to use, too. “Cast it out and retrieve slowly back to imitate a shad.”
Going into the box is a 3/8-ounce bladed jig with a 3.5-inch X Zone Lures Mini Swammer. “The rig is all white to match it up to a shad.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - Going into the box is a 3/8-ounce bladed jig with a 3.5-inch X Zone Lures Mini Swammer. “The rig is all white to match it up to a shad.”
“A Ned rig is a good, all-around lure. The fish don’t see the Ned rig as much, and that makes it a good choice for pressured waters.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - “A Ned rig is a good, all-around lure. The fish don’t see the Ned rig as much, and that makes it a good choice for pressured waters.”
Lester’s choice is a 3/16-ounce Mustad Grip Pin Ned Head with No. 1 hook. To that he adds a 3-inch X Zone Lures Ned Zone Worm, green pumpkin/purple flake. “It’s a good size for creek- and river-channel ledges.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - Lester’s choice is a 3/16-ounce Mustad Grip Pin Ned Head with No. 1 hook. To that he adds a 3-inch X Zone Lures Ned Zone Worm, green pumpkin/purple flake. “It’s a good size for creek- and river-channel ledges.”
“Got to have a wacky-rigged worm, because of its erratic action and versatility.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - “Got to have a wacky-rigged worm, because of its erratic action and versatility.”
Into the box goes a weightless wacky rig. He makes it with a No. 2 Titan X Wacky/Neko Hook, a Mustad Wacky O Ring and a 5-inch X Zone Lures True Center Stick, green pumpkin/purple flake. “Bluegill are common in shallow water, and that color imitates them really well.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - Into the box goes a weightless wacky rig. He makes it with a No. 2 Titan X Wacky/Neko Hook, a Mustad Wacky O Ring and a 5-inch X Zone Lures True Center Stick, green pumpkin/purple flake. “Bluegill are common in shallow water, and that color imitates them really well.”
“A spinnerbait is a must for a beginner box, because it’s so versatile.” And weedless. Heavy cover like laydowns and vegetation can’t stop a spinnerbait. The blade flash resembles a fleeing baitfish, and spinnerbaits are productive in shallow and midrange depths.
Photo: Craig Lamb - “A spinnerbait is a must for a beginner box, because it’s so versatile.” And weedless. Heavy cover like laydowns and vegetation can’t stop a spinnerbait. The blade flash resembles a fleeing baitfish, and spinnerbaits are productive in shallow and midrange depths.
Lester chooses a 1/2-ounce War Eagle Spinnerbait with double willowleaf blades. For a trailer he uses a 4-inch X Zone Lures Grub. “Double willowleaf blades are all around the most versatile of the blade choices.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - Lester chooses a 1/2-ounce War Eagle Spinnerbait with double willowleaf blades. For a trailer he uses a 4-inch X Zone Lures Grub. “Double willowleaf blades are all around the most versatile of the blade choices.”
“Lipless crankbaits are easy for a beginner, because they can be fished at varying retrieves, and just about anywhere except for heavy cover.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - “Lipless crankbaits are easy for a beginner, because they can be fished at varying retrieves, and just about anywhere except for heavy cover.”
Into the box goes a 1/4-ounce Strike King Red Eye Shad, which he changes the hooks to No. 3 Mustad Round Bend Trebles. “With this size you can fish it slowly, so you don’t have to retrieve it as fast to keep it off the bottom.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - Into the box goes a 1/4-ounce Strike King Red Eye Shad, which he changes the hooks to No. 3 Mustad Round Bend Trebles. “With this size you can fish it slowly, so you don’t have to retrieve it as fast to keep it off the bottom.”
“If you are looking for an alternative to a shaky head this is it.” Lester calls it a wacky Ned Rig. “The fish don’t see it much, and that’s why it goes into the box.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - “If you are looking for an alternative to a shaky head this is it.” Lester calls it a wacky Ned Rig. “The fish don’t see it much, and that’s why it goes into the box.”
The crazy concoction is made with a 6-inch X Zone Lures Muscle Back Fat Finesse Worm, with 1/16-ounce Mustad Nail Weight impaled at one end. He fishes the worm on a No. 2 Mustad Titan X Wacky/Neko Hook.
Photo: Craig Lamb - The crazy concoction is made with a 6-inch X Zone Lures Muscle Back Fat Finesse Worm, with 1/16-ounce Mustad Nail Weight impaled at one end. He fishes the worm on a No. 2 Mustad Titan X Wacky/Neko Hook.
“The swimbait is a really versatile minnow imitator that can be worked a number of ways, depending on the mood of the fish.” Those ways include dragging it on the bottom, and swimming it through various depths of the water column, from shallow to deep.
Photo: Craig Lamb - “The swimbait is a really versatile minnow imitator that can be worked a number of ways, depending on the mood of the fish.” Those ways include dragging it on the bottom, and swimming it through various depths of the water column, from shallow to deep.
Lester adds a 3.5-inch X Zone Lures Mini Swammer, rigged on 1/4-ounce jighead with Mustad 1/0 hook. “It has a lazy action and looks like an unsuspecting minnow that makes it an easy ambush target for a bass.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - Lester adds a 3.5-inch X Zone Lures Mini Swammer, rigged on 1/4-ounce jighead with Mustad 1/0 hook. “It has a lazy action and looks like an unsuspecting minnow that makes it an easy ambush target for a bass.”
Last in the lineup is a deep diving crankbait. “This depth range of crankbait is really productive in the prespawn and postspawn, when the bass are actively feeding.” Fish it on points, gravel banks and for schooling or individual fish.
Photo: Craig Lamb - Last in the lineup is a deep diving crankbait. “This depth range of crankbait is really productive in the prespawn and postspawn, when the bass are actively feeding.” Fish it on points, gravel banks and for schooling or individual fish.
Lester’s choice is a Rapala DT10 that is capable of running up to 10 feet deep.
Photo: Craig Lamb - Lester’s choice is a Rapala DT10 that is capable of running up to 10 feet deep.
And there you have it. A beginner’s tacklebox filled with tournament-proven fish catchers.
Photo: Craig Lamb - And there you have it. A beginner’s tacklebox filled with tournament-proven fish catchers.
“I might just actually keep the box as is and store it in my boat. This could be a great go-to lineup of baits for me to use anytime, anywhere, when nothing else is working.”
Photo: Craig Lamb - “I might just actually keep the box as is and store it in my boat. This could be a great go-to lineup of baits for me to use anytime, anywhere, when nothing else is working.”