Beginner's Tacklebox

Beginner’s Tacklebox with Bill Lowen

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Indiana Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bill Lowen will fill this empty flat box with what he believes are essential lures for beginning bass anglers.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Indiana Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bill Lowen will fill this empty flat box with what he believes are essential lures for beginning bass anglers.
Lowen digs into his boat locker to find the first lure for his beginner’s tacklebox.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Lowen digs into his boat locker to find the first lure for his beginner’s tacklebox.
Lure number one is a 1/4-ounce Bill Lowen Signature spinnerbait from lurepartsonline.com. “This compact spinnerbait works all over the country,” Lowen said. “It’s easy to fish and is the perfect profile to get a beginner a lot of bites.”
Photo: Mark Hicks - Lure number one is a 1/4-ounce Bill Lowen Signature spinnerbait from lurepartsonline.com. “This compact spinnerbait works all over the country,” Lowen said. “It’s easy to fish and is the perfect profile to get a beginner a lot of bites.”
The spinnerbait earns the first spot in the beginner’s tacklebox.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The spinnerbait earns the first spot in the beginner’s tacklebox.
Lure number two is a 1/4-ounce buzzbait from lurepartsonline.com. As with the compact spinnerbait, this small profile buzzbait gets bites in everything from ponds to huge impoundments.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Lure number two is a 1/4-ounce buzzbait from lurepartsonline.com. As with the compact spinnerbait, this small profile buzzbait gets bites in everything from ponds to huge impoundments.
The buzzbait joins the spinnerbait in the beginner’s box.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The buzzbait joins the spinnerbait in the beginner’s box.
Lowen’s third choice for the beginner’s box is Ima’s 3/8-ounce Finesse Popper. “It is an easy topwater bait to fish, and it gets exciting visual strikes,” Lowen said.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Lowen’s third choice for the beginner’s box is Ima’s 3/8-ounce Finesse Popper. “It is an easy topwater bait to fish, and it gets exciting visual strikes,” Lowen said.
The popper looks spiffy in the beginner’s tacklebox.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The popper looks spiffy in the beginner’s tacklebox.
This Ima HeliPs Propbait works especially well right after the spawn when bass are guarding fry, Lowen claimed.
Photo: Mark Hicks - This Ima HeliPs Propbait works especially well right after the spawn when bass are guarding fry, Lowen claimed.
Into the beginner’s tacklebox goes the Ima HeliPs.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Into the beginner’s tacklebox goes the Ima HeliPs.
This Ima Bill Lowen Squarebill Crankbait picks off bass lurking around shallow cover. “It’s very good about coming through wood cover,” Lowen said.
Photo: Mark Hicks - This Ima Bill Lowen Squarebill Crankbait picks off bass lurking around shallow cover. “It’s very good about coming through wood cover,” Lowen said.
The Ima squarebill joins the other lures in Lowen’s beginner’s tacklebox.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The Ima squarebill joins the other lures in Lowen’s beginner’s tacklebox.
The Dollar Bill flat crankbait from PH Custom Lures is a big hitter in early spring and late fall when the water is cool, Lowen pointed out. It has a tight wiggle, he added.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The Dollar Bill flat crankbait from PH Custom Lures is a big hitter in early spring and late fall when the water is cool, Lowen pointed out. It has a tight wiggle, he added.
The PH Custom Lures’ Dollar Bill sits behind the Ima square bill in the beginner’s box.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The PH Custom Lures’ Dollar Bill sits behind the Ima square bill in the beginner’s box.
Lowen recommends Ima’s Flit Jerkbait, which dives 6- to 8-feet deep. “It’s got a very erratic action, and it’s easy to fish,” Lowen said.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Lowen recommends Ima’s Flit Jerkbait, which dives 6- to 8-feet deep. “It’s got a very erratic action, and it’s easy to fish,” Lowen said.
A long slot in the beginner’s tacklebox is needed for the Flit Jerkbait.
Photo: Mark Hicks - A long slot in the beginner’s tacklebox is needed for the Flit Jerkbait.
One of Lowen’s flat boxes is reserved for a softbait that’s a big player for him, the Strike King Rage Craw.
Photo: Mark Hicks - One of Lowen’s flat boxes is reserved for a softbait that’s a big player for him, the Strike King Rage Craw.
He dresses one of his most productive lures with the Rage Craw, a Bill Lowen Swim Jig from lurepartsonline.com.
Photo: Mark Hicks - He dresses one of his most productive lures with the Rage Craw, a Bill Lowen Swim Jig from lurepartsonline.com.
The swim jig is ready to do battle. “Anybody can fish a swim jig,” Lowen said. “Just wind it in over grass and other cover and you show bass a very natural looking bait.”
Photo: Mark Hicks - The swim jig is ready to do battle. “Anybody can fish a swim jig,” Lowen said. “Just wind it in over grass and other cover and you show bass a very natural looking bait.”
The swim jig earns its place in the beginner’s box.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The swim jig earns its place in the beginner’s box.
This 5/16-ounce Bill Lowen Finesse Jig from lurepartsonline.com is dressed with a Strike King Perfect Plastic Chunk. Lowen relies heavily on this jig for bottom-hopping retrieves. “The compact size gets a lot of bites,” Lowen said. “That’s important when you’re learning how to fish a jig on the bottom. It also catches big fish.”
Photo: Mark Hicks - This 5/16-ounce Bill Lowen Finesse Jig from lurepartsonline.com is dressed with a Strike King Perfect Plastic Chunk. Lowen relies heavily on this jig for bottom-hopping retrieves. “The compact size gets a lot of bites,” Lowen said. “That’s important when you’re learning how to fish a jig on the bottom. It also catches big fish.”
Into the box goes the Finesse Jig. This one has already seen battle.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Into the box goes the Finesse Jig. This one has already seen battle.
Srike King’s durable, stretchy, 3X ElazTech 5-inch Zero/Z-Too will serve many functions for beginning bass anglers, Lowen asserted. In this instance Lowen has it wacky rigged. Fishing this bait wacky style is an easy technique for beginning anglers to master. “You can catch a lot of bass on each bait because the plastic doesn’t tear up easily,” Lowen said.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Srike King’s durable, stretchy, 3X ElazTech 5-inch Zero/Z-Too will serve many functions for beginning bass anglers, Lowen asserted. In this instance Lowen has it wacky rigged. Fishing this bait wacky style is an easy technique for beginning anglers to master. “You can catch a lot of bass on each bait because the plastic doesn’t tear up easily,” Lowen said.
A wacky rigged Zero/Z-Too and a bag of these baits goes into the beginner’s tacklebox.
Photo: Mark Hicks - A wacky rigged Zero/Z-Too and a bag of these baits goes into the beginner’s tacklebox.
Lowen searches for a hook in one of his flat boxes reserved specifically for hooks.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Lowen searches for a hook in one of his flat boxes reserved specifically for hooks.
He selects a straight shank 3/0 worm hook and uses it to Texas rig a 4-inch Strike King Rage Hawg with a 1/4-ounce Reins tungsten bullet weight. “This snag-free bait is a bite getter all season long,” Lowen said. “I drag and hop it over the bottom.”
Photo: Mark Hicks - He selects a straight shank 3/0 worm hook and uses it to Texas rig a 4-inch Strike King Rage Hawg with a 1/4-ounce Reins tungsten bullet weight. “This snag-free bait is a bite getter all season long,” Lowen said. “I drag and hop it over the bottom.”
The Rage Hawg goes into the beginner’s tacklebox.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The Rage Hawg goes into the beginner’s tacklebox.
Strike King’s 6-inch Perfect Plastic Finesse Worm works anywhere in the country and catches bass throughout the year, Lowen claimed. He uses it for multiple applications, including Texas rigging, wacky rigging, with a shaky head jig, for drop shot fishing and more. “The rigging options are endless,” Lowen said.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Strike King’s 6-inch Perfect Plastic Finesse Worm works anywhere in the country and catches bass throughout the year, Lowen claimed. He uses it for multiple applications, including Texas rigging, wacky rigging, with a shaky head jig, for drop shot fishing and more. “The rigging options are endless,” Lowen said.
The Strike King Finesse Worm joins the other lures in the beginner’s tacklebox.
Photo: Mark Hicks - The Strike King Finesse Worm joins the other lures in the beginner’s tacklebox.
Lowen cuts a Strike King Zero/Z-Too in half to make two baits.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Lowen cuts a Strike King Zero/Z-Too in half to make two baits.
He rigs one of the baits onto a 5/32-ounce Stick Worm Head from lurepartsonline.com. This is his version of the Ned Rig. “The 5/32-ounce size is on the heavy side for this type of bait,” Lowen said. “But the extra weight is easier for a beginner to fish because you can feel the bottom better with it.
Photo: Mark Hicks - He rigs one of the baits onto a 5/32-ounce Stick Worm Head from lurepartsonline.com. This is his version of the Ned Rig. “The 5/32-ounce size is on the heavy side for this type of bait,” Lowen said. “But the extra weight is easier for a beginner to fish because you can feel the bottom better with it.
Into the tacklebox goes this finesse combination.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Into the tacklebox goes this finesse combination.
Lowen’s completed tacklebox contains a wide assortment of lures that will get any beginning bass angler off to a strong start.
Photo: Mark Hicks - Lowen’s completed tacklebox contains a wide assortment of lures that will get any beginning bass angler off to a strong start.