Beginner's Tacklebox

Beginner’s Tacklebox: David Fritts

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Bassmaster Elite Series pro David Fritts holds the empty flat box he will fill with an assortment of killer lures for beginning bass anglers. His goal is to fill it with lures that will catch bass throughout the seasons.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Bassmaster Elite Series pro David Fritts holds the empty flat box he will fill with an assortment of killer lures for beginning bass anglers. His goal is to fill it with lures that will catch bass throughout the seasons.
Fritts reaches into the middle locker of his bass boat and fetches a box filled with crankbaits. This is no surprise, as Fritts is a certified crankbait guru.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Fritts reaches into the middle locker of his bass boat and fetches a box filled with crankbaits. This is no surprise, as Fritts is a certified crankbait guru.
The first lure Fritts plucks from the box is a No. 5 Berkley Bad Shad, which dives 5-7 feet deep. “This is a great bait for early spring,” Fritts said. “It’s an elongated bait that you can fish in places where you’d fish a jerkbait. I pull it with my rod and wind in the slack while it sits there. Bass will come a long way to get it.”
Photo: Mark Hicks - The first lure Fritts plucks from the box is a No. 5 Berkley Bad Shad, which dives 5-7 feet deep. “This is a great bait for early spring,” Fritts said. “It’s an elongated bait that you can fish in places where you’d fish a jerkbait. I pull it with my rod and wind in the slack while it sits there. Bass will come a long way to get it.”
Into the box goes the Bad Shad.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Into the box goes the Bad Shad.
The next bait Fritts fetches is the Berkley War Pig, a lipless rattler that comes in 1/4- and 1/2-ounce sizes. “The War Pig is another bait I like in early spring,” Fritts said. “I’ll cast it to any shallow cover. My favorite way to fish it is to bump it into stumps.”
Photo: Mark Hicks - The next bait Fritts fetches is the Berkley War Pig, a lipless rattler that comes in 1/4- and 1/2-ounce sizes. “The War Pig is another bait I like in early spring,” Fritts said. “I’ll cast it to any shallow cover. My favorite way to fish it is to bump it into stumps.”
The War Pig joins the Bad Shad in the box.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The War Pig joins the Bad Shad in the box.
The Berkley Juke Jerkbait is the next lure Fritts chooses for the box. “It’s a herring bait,” Fritts said. “This is a versatile bait. You can twitch it like a jerkbait or wind it slow and fish it like a wakebait.”
Photo: Mark Hicks - The Berkley Juke Jerkbait is the next lure Fritts chooses for the box. “It’s a herring bait,” Fritts said. “This is a versatile bait. You can twitch it like a jerkbait or wind it slow and fish it like a wakebait.”
The Berkley Juke earns a long slot in the tacklebox.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The Berkley Juke earns a long slot in the tacklebox.
A No. 7 Berkley Bad Shad in the black gold color is Fritts’ next choice for the box. He does especially well with this crankbait when bass gang up in staging areas prior to moving shallow to spawn. “It dives 6-8 feet and will catch them all through spring,” Fitts said.
Photo: Mark Hicks - A No. 7 Berkley Bad Shad in the black gold color is Fritts’ next choice for the box. He does especially well with this crankbait when bass gang up in staging areas prior to moving shallow to spawn. “It dives 6-8 feet and will catch them all through spring,” Fitts said.
The No. 7 Bad Shad joins the other lures in the box.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The No. 7 Bad Shad joins the other lures in the box.
Fritts digs out another tacklebox, which holds, surprise, more of his beloved crankbaits.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Fritts digs out another tacklebox, which holds, surprise, more of his beloved crankbaits.
This time the crankbait is a Berkley Dredger 10.5, which dives 10-12 feet deep. “I like to fish this bait immediately after the bass spawn before they go deep,” Fritts said.
Photo: Mark Hicks - This time the crankbait is a Berkley Dredger 10.5, which dives 10-12 feet deep. “I like to fish this bait immediately after the bass spawn before they go deep,” Fritts said.
Into the box goes the Dredger 10.5.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Into the box goes the Dredger 10.5.
Fritts selects another Dredger for the box, the deep diving 20.5 model. “This one is for summertime ledge and point fishing,” Fritts said.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Fritts selects another Dredger for the box, the deep diving 20.5 model. “This one is for summertime ledge and point fishing,” Fritts said.
Another long slot in the tacklebox is needed to make space for the long-billed Dredger 20.5.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Another long slot in the tacklebox is needed to make space for the long-billed Dredger 20.5.
Out of the rod locker comes Fritts’ topwater box.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Out of the rod locker comes Fritts’ topwater box.
When bass school offshore, Fritts picks them off with a noisy, surface-thrashing, long-casting Berkley Cane Walker. This pencil popper does especially well in autumn.
Photo: Mark Hicks - When bass school offshore, Fritts picks them off with a noisy, surface-thrashing, long-casting Berkley Cane Walker. This pencil popper does especially well in autumn.
Fritts pulls another tacklebox out of his boat locker that is stuffed with hard baits.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Fritts pulls another tacklebox out of his boat locker that is stuffed with hard baits.
From this box he pulls out a Berkley Pitbull square bill crankbait. It excels for cranking cover shallow cover.
Photo: Mark Hicks - From this box he pulls out a Berkley Pitbull square bill crankbait. It excels for cranking cover shallow cover.
The Pitbull earns a spot next to the Cane Walker in the tacklebox.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The Pitbull earns a spot next to the Cane Walker in the tacklebox.
For late fall and winter fishing, Fritts recommends a Berkley Digger crankbait, which comes in six sizes that cover depths from 3 to 15 feet. “The Diggers are good all year and especially in the fall,” Fritts said. “They have a wide action that pushes a lot of water. They’re fantastic on aggressive fish.”
Photo: Mark Hicks - For late fall and winter fishing, Fritts recommends a Berkley Digger crankbait, which comes in six sizes that cover depths from 3 to 15 feet. “The Diggers are good all year and especially in the fall,” Fritts said. “They have a wide action that pushes a lot of water. They’re fantastic on aggressive fish.”
The Digger joins the other lures in the box.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The Digger joins the other lures in the box.
A 1 1/2-ounce Hopkins Shorty jigging spoon is Fritts’ next choice for the box. “It crushes big fish in the winter and the summer,” Fritts said. “I fish it vertical and I’ll also throw it out and jig it back over the bottom 20 to 30 feet deep.”
Photo: Mark Hicks - A 1 1/2-ounce Hopkins Shorty jigging spoon is Fritts’ next choice for the box. “It crushes big fish in the winter and the summer,” Fritts said. “I fish it vertical and I’ll also throw it out and jig it back over the bottom 20 to 30 feet deep.”
The Hopkins Shorty claims a corner slot in the box.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The Hopkins Shorty claims a corner slot in the box.
Berkley’s Dredger 14.5 in the brown craw color comes next. He claimed that it runs at a good depth for fishing in the winter when bass move up on bluff walls to feed.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Berkley’s Dredger 14.5 in the brown craw color comes next. He claimed that it runs at a good depth for fishing in the winter when bass move up on bluff walls to feed.
This Dredger is a tight fit in one of the slots in the box.
Photo: Mark Hicks - This Dredger is a tight fit in one of the slots in the box.
Another bait Fritts recommends for winter fishing is the Digger 14.5. It dives to about the same depth as the Dredger 14.5 but has a wider wobble.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Another bait Fritts recommends for winter fishing is the Digger 14.5. It dives to about the same depth as the Dredger 14.5 but has a wider wobble.
The Digger 14.5 is added to the box.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The Digger 14.5 is added to the box.
Berkley’s Powerbait General stick worm is the only soft plastic bait that Fritts chooses for the beginner’s tacklebox. “You can catch fish with this bait anytime,” Fritts said. “I fish it weightless wacky style, as a Neko rig and lots of other ways.”
Photo: Mark Hicks - Berkley’s Powerbait General stick worm is the only soft plastic bait that Fritts chooses for the beginner’s tacklebox. “You can catch fish with this bait anytime,” Fritts said. “I fish it weightless wacky style, as a Neko rig and lots of other ways.”
The Berkley Powerbait General completes Fitts’ beginner’s tacklebox.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The Berkley Powerbait General completes Fitts’ beginner’s tacklebox.