It may not feel like fishing season outside depending upon what part of the country you call home, but according to Yamaha Outboards pro Justin Lucas, late winter is exactly when you should start thinking about bass fishing. If you live in the southern U.S. open water has likely already been calling your name, but even for folks iced out in the north and Midwest, now is the time to get your equipment primed and organized.
Preparation is key whether you’re a full-time professional fisherman like Lucas or you simply like to catch a few fish on the weekend. Lucas believes taking the time to get organized in your garage leads to confidence and efficiency when you get on the water. He’s a firm believer that time spent with pre-season tackle prep helps him catch more fish while competing on Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour.
Lucas has a unique perspective on tackle organization, as he competed as an FLW Tour co-angler the first several years of his career. The California native turned Alabama resident has now been fishing at the highest level for nearly 20-years, accumulating a mantel full of trophies, over $2 million in winnings, and boatload of insight in the process.
Start with a blank slate
Lucas credits his wife with first showing him the benefits of being organized during the early years of their marriage, but what he refers to as ‘OCD-like’ attention to detail is now part of his identity as an angler. Just like a neatly organized kitchen makes cooking dinner a smoother process for his family, knowing where each item in his boat is located makes Lucas a more efficient angler.
“The first thing I do to get ready for the new season is a full blown clean out of my boat and garage,” Lucas said. “I throw away spent lures and tackle, clean up any items that spilled or became jumbled. I get everything as clean as possible. I’ll pull every last piece of gear out of my boat if I have to. Getting back to a blank slate makes it a lot easier to see what you have and to start getting dialed in.”
Lucas sets aside any discolored or damaged baits, he removes any terminal tackle showing signs of rust, and then he simply starts putting this bass-fishing jigsaw puzzle back together. He groups lures based on technique and color, and then clearly labels each tackle tray.
In the process he checks to ensure hooks are sharp, soft plastics are straight, and moisture isn’t a concern with any of his Plano tackle trays. Lucas spools new Berkley fishing line onto each reel to begin the season and ensures each rod and reel combo is maintained.
It’s an intricate process that takes time, but it’s the perfect activity when weather has you cooped up inside or before the hustle and bustle of tournament season begins. When it comes time to load his freshly organized gear into the boat, Lucas always follows one rule when packing at the start of the season.
“I’ve found keeping the heaviest items towards the back of the boat maximizes performance for my boat and motor,” Lucas explained. “I want things like extra props, tools, and batteries in the very back of the boat, but this logic applies even in the front compartments of my Phoenix. I’ll keep the heaviest tackle trays closer to my console. Terminal tackle, weights, or bulk soft plastics get stored as far back as possible. It makes a difference in speed and how your boat handles.”
Before he is tournament ready, properly breaking in his Yamaha 250-horsepower V MAX SHO® is the final step of Lucas’ pre-season preparation. He allows for a full ten when breaking in his boat, never cutting corners or trying to rush the process.
“I believe I am running my 12th Yamaha this season and after following the procedure to a ‘t’, I have never had one leave me stranded,” Lucas said. “Yamaha’s reliability is second to none.”
Keep it simple
Unlike Lucas, most people’s livelihood doesn’t depend on catching bass. Your pre-season prep may not be as rigorous as his, which is perfectly fine. Lucas started out as a full-time co-angler and during those days he learned that keeping things simple in terms of tackle selection helped him stay organized and focused.
“My main tip for someone trying to dial in their pre-season prep and organization is to keep things really simple,” Lucas offered. “You really don’t need too many baits to catch bass. 80 percent of the time myself and other pros keep bait selection simple.
“When I fished as a co-angler, I would have one Plano tackle bag with 4-to-5 trays. I caught fish from coast to coast with that system. Sometimes organizing and simplifying are essentially the same thing.”
Pre-season preparation through maintenance and organization is paramount for pros like Justin Lucas, and his insights will help anglers of all levels catch more fish through being prepared and confident. As Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote says,
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
Back to Blue Life
Preparation is key whether you’re a full-time professional fisherman like Lucas or you simply like to catch a few fish on the weekend. Lucas believes taking the time to get organized in your garage leads to confidence and efficiency when you get on the water. He’s a firm believer that time spent with pre-season tackle prep helps him catch more fish while competing on Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour.
Lucas has a unique perspective on tackle organization, as he competed as an FLW Tour co-angler the first several years of his career. The California native turned Alabama resident has now been fishing at the highest level for nearly 20-years, accumulating a mantel full of trophies, over $2 million in winnings, and boatload of insight in the process.
Start with a blank slate
Lucas credits his wife with first showing him the benefits of being organized during the early years of their marriage, but what he refers to as ‘OCD-like’ attention to detail is now part of his identity as an angler. Just like a neatly organized kitchen makes cooking dinner a smoother process for his family, knowing where each item in his boat is located makes Lucas a more efficient angler.
“The first thing I do to get ready for the new season is a full blown clean out of my boat and garage,” Lucas said. “I throw away spent lures and tackle, clean up any items that spilled or became jumbled. I get everything as clean as possible. I’ll pull every last piece of gear out of my boat if I have to. Getting back to a blank slate makes it a lot easier to see what you have and to start getting dialed in.”
Lucas sets aside any discolored or damaged baits, he removes any terminal tackle showing signs of rust, and then he simply starts putting this bass-fishing jigsaw puzzle back together. He groups lures based on technique and color, and then clearly labels each tackle tray.
In the process he checks to ensure hooks are sharp, soft plastics are straight, and moisture isn’t a concern with any of his Plano tackle trays. Lucas spools new Berkley fishing line onto each reel to begin the season and ensures each rod and reel combo is maintained.
It’s an intricate process that takes time, but it’s the perfect activity when weather has you cooped up inside or before the hustle and bustle of tournament season begins. When it comes time to load his freshly organized gear into the boat, Lucas always follows one rule when packing at the start of the season.
“I’ve found keeping the heaviest items towards the back of the boat maximizes performance for my boat and motor,” Lucas explained. “I want things like extra props, tools, and batteries in the very back of the boat, but this logic applies even in the front compartments of my Phoenix. I’ll keep the heaviest tackle trays closer to my console. Terminal tackle, weights, or bulk soft plastics get stored as far back as possible. It makes a difference in speed and how your boat handles.”
Before he is tournament ready, properly breaking in his Yamaha 250-horsepower V MAX SHO® is the final step of Lucas’ pre-season preparation. He allows for a full ten when breaking in his boat, never cutting corners or trying to rush the process.
“I believe I am running my 12th Yamaha this season and after following the procedure to a ‘t’, I have never had one leave me stranded,” Lucas said. “Yamaha’s reliability is second to none.”
Keep it simple
Unlike Lucas, most people’s livelihood doesn’t depend on catching bass. Your pre-season prep may not be as rigorous as his, which is perfectly fine. Lucas started out as a full-time co-angler and during those days he learned that keeping things simple in terms of tackle selection helped him stay organized and focused.
“My main tip for someone trying to dial in their pre-season prep and organization is to keep things really simple,” Lucas offered. “You really don’t need too many baits to catch bass. 80 percent of the time myself and other pros keep bait selection simple.
“When I fished as a co-angler, I would have one Plano tackle bag with 4-to-5 trays. I caught fish from coast to coast with that system. Sometimes organizing and simplifying are essentially the same thing.”
Pre-season preparation through maintenance and organization is paramount for pros like Justin Lucas, and his insights will help anglers of all levels catch more fish through being prepared and confident. As Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote says,
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
Back to Blue Life