Beginner's Tacklebox Beginner’s Tacklebox with David Mullins Posted on March 7, 2019 Photo: Mark Hicks - Bassmaster Elite Series pro David Mullins with the empty Bass Mafia tacklebox he is about to fill with lures for beginning bass anglers. Photo: Mark Hicks - Mullins sorts through the clear plastic zip-seal bags he keeps his soft plastic baits in for his first selection. Photo: Mark Hicks - He locates the bait heâs looking for and plucks one from its package. Photo: Mark Hicks - Bait number one for the beginnerâs box is Doomsday Tackleâs Roku, a 5.4-inch soft stickbait. âThis bait is thinner than other sinking stickbaits but has more fine salt in it so it weighs the same,â Mullins said. âI fish it weightless or on a shaky head.â Photo: Mark Hicks - The Roku proudly earns the first slot in the tacklebox. Photo: Mark Hicks - Mullins fetches another large zip bag to find lure choice number two. Photo: Mark Hicks - He reaches into the bag for one of his heavy hitters. Photo: Mark Hicks - That bait is the Fat Man Creature Bait from Doomsday Tackle. âThis my flippinâ bait,â Mullins said. âI rig it with a 4/0 Owner Jungle Flippinâ Hook and a 1/8- to 1/2-ounce bullet weight. Itâs a little bigger than a Beaver and has a thumping tail.â Photo: Mark Hicks - The Fat Man nestles up to the Roku in the tacklebox. Photo: Mark Hicks - A Z-Man Chatterbait is the next lure Mullins chooses for the tacklebox. âI throw this bait anytime thereâs grass,â Mullins said. âItâs also good in dirty water. I fish it with a variety of trailers.â Photo: Mark Hicks - Into the box goes the Chatterbait. Photo: Mark Hicks - âI fish this 6-inch Scottsboro Swimbait anytime Iâm fishing in clear water that has a good shad population,â Mullins said. âI rig it on 1/2- to 1 1/4-ounce swimbait jig heads to cover endless depth ranges.â Photo: Mark Hicks - The Scottsboro Swimbait is added to the tacklebox. Photo: Mark Hicks - Mullins threads a 3-inch Scottsboro Swimbait onto a ball head jig that features a screw lock. His jigs for this bait weigh from 1/8- to 3/8-ounce. Photo: Mark Hicks - âI use this bait to catch deep smallies in cold water and for schooling fish in the summer,â Mullins said. âItâs also good on an A-Rig.â Photo: Mark Hicks - The little Scottsboro swimbait looks like the offspring of the larger Scottsboro swimbait in the tacklebox. Photo: Mark Hicks - This 5/8-ounce Strike King Sexy Dawg is Mullinsâ go-to walking bait. Photo: Mark Hicks - The Sexy Dawg is well worth the room it takes up in the tacklebox. Photo: Mark Hicks - Doomsday Tackleâs D-Hop Frog features a solid, soft foam body and two skirts. Mullins removed the front skirt prior to rigging the lure with a hook. Photo: Mark Hicks - âThe D-Hope walks better without the front skirt,â Mullins said. Photo: Mark Hicks - The D-Hope finds a place in the tacklebox. Photo: Mark Hicks - Mullins fetches a flat box filled with crankbaits from his boat locker. Photo: Mark Hicks - He finds the crankbait he is looking for, Strike Kingâs 6XD. Photo: Mark Hicks - âThis is my favorite crankbait anytime Iâm fishing 12 to 20 feet deep,â Mullins said. âI carry it with me wherever I go.â Photo: Mark Hicks - The Strike King 6XD requires a large slot in the tacklebox. Photo: Mark Hicks - Mullins always ties an Owner 1.5 size Hyper Snap to his line when fishing crankbaits. âIâm big on using a snap with crankbaits,â Mullins said. âI can change crankbaits or crankbait colors quickly without having to retie.â Photo: Mark Hicks - A small pouch of Hyper Snaps takes up little room in the tacklebox. Photo: Mark Hicks - Drop shotting Doomsday Tackleâs Lagginâ Dragon Soft Jerkbait produces for Mullins when the bite is tough. Photo: Mark Hicks - Into the box goes the Doomsday Lagginâ Dragon. Photo: Mark Hicks - Mullins always has a supply of 4/0 Owner Jungle Flippinâ Hooks in his boat and recommends them for the beginnerâs tacklebox. âI use this hook 90 percent of the time when Iâm flippinâ, fishing a Carolina rig, Texas rigging a big worm and more. Itâs strong and has a slick coating for easy penetration.â Photo: Mark Hicks - This Bass Mafia hook container is made to fit into a Bass Mafia flat box. Photo: Mark Hicks - The only difference between these two worms is that the worm on the right has the cut-tail pinched off. âEvery bass fisherman has got to have a big worm,â Mullins said. âThis 8 1/2-inch Roku K Cut Tail Worm covers a lot of bases. If you leave the tail on, you can swim the worm, which works especially well in Florida. For fishing ledges and other offshore structure, pinch the tail off.â Photo: Mark Hicks - The big Roku K worm, with and without the cut-tail, dwarfs the Lagginâ Drago in the tacklebox. Photo: Mark Hicks - âI always have a Benchmade folding knife with me,â Mullins said. âItâs a great braid cutter and you always run into situations where a knife is handy.â Photo: Mark Hicks - The Benchmade knife completes Mullinsâ beginnerâs tacklebox.