Building A Pool 2 (Specific) Tackle Box From The Ground Up?

[Shack]

Ok guys and gals, if you just bought a new tackle box and want to fill it with items for the sole purpose of river fishing (mainly Pool 2) for walleyes, white bass and regular bass, crappies and other species, what would you put in it? If price was not a concern, where would you start and where would you end? I am talking from the little junk to the major go to stuff. Total package

Anything new this year you would like to purchase or you have purchased?

Some great advice in the other threads has been given and I will say I took note and made some purchases bases on them recently. I am building a Pool 2 "only" box and I would love to hear what you FM’ers have to say about filling it . This box will stay on the shelf in my garage, unless I am going to Pool 2 for anything other than cats . My main target species would be walleyes and white bass, but would love to hear all ideas. Feel free to make a list if you would like.

Thanks for your help!

[Jari Razskazoff]

I would love to hear from more people to help me with this too. I first started fishing pool 2 last year from shore.

The only suggestion I could give would be with what I was successfull with last year, and that were the soft plastic swim baits... not too big, not too small... heavy enough to get down thru the current, but I never caught anything with the larger size swim baits. Thats about all I know, besides bobber fishing it from a boat with live minnows, or worms.

[nofishfisherman]

Plastic swim baits are my go to bait while shore fishing.

Almost always on a chartreuse jig in either 3/8th or 1/4 oz sizes depending on current. Just cast it out and retrieve is by bouncing along the bottom.

I've had the most luck on the 3" size.

As for color white seems to work best for walleye and especially for the white bass. Gold seems to work better for the smallies.

Many times all I bring with me is a small box of jigs and a package or 2 of the Mr. Twister sassy shad. I can fit everything in my coat pocket. That along with a pliers in my back pocket and I'm ready to go.

I've tried Gulp Shad and they did produce a few fish but the action on them is not where near as good and I think they are a little too big for what the fish seem to prefer.

[markkstanley]

Paddletails and ringworms will catch everything. Add some 2 and 3" inch Power or Gulp minnows. Throw in some Kgrubs (4" size). #5 and #7 shad raps, #9 floating minnows, Bomber As (6A), Bandit crankbaits, Salmo Hornets and some small spinnerbaits for them pesky bass. I like the Booyah spinners that have bucktail skirts. Add a few #3 and #4 Mepps spinners. Get a mess of bucktail jigs as well as regular jigs in sizes from 1/16 to 1/2oz. Don't forget some Senko type plastics and jerkshads. That's my all season river tackle box. If none of the above work break out the nightcrawlers. One final comment - you need at least 4 colors preferably eight of all of the above.

[Tim_Anderson]

For the jig and minnow: 1/4 and 3/8 ounce Northland Fireball Jig with stinger hook. I like using chartreuse, orange, pink, and a nice 3 inch plus rainbow...though you probably don't want to keep THOSE in your tackle box for too long.

For plastics, I like the 4" ringworm and jig combo from B-FISH-N Tackle in Blue, Oyster or Chartreuse. I use the jig/minnow when the fish are neutral to negative, and the plastics when the bite is "on".

I generally only fish Pool 2 in March for the walleyes, and that's all I use/bring.

[Cedarcreek]

Mark said most of it but I also use lots of blades"sonars" white black gold are my fav but firetiger or bright colors good to. also twistertails are killer on white bass. bright colors.

[River Dan]

during the summer months, hard to beat a glowing blue and white floating jig head and a half crawler with a split shot

[jigginjim]

Having fished pool 2 for over 20 yrs. Jigs are my go-to bait. sizes from 1/16 to 1/2oz. jigs, plastics of all sizes and shapes have worked at different times. The jig/minnow is still hard to beat, fished slow or quick hopping, can get you most anything that swims in the pool. Crankbaits, I have found deep diving baits are better. You need to get your baits need the bottom. Slip bobber rigs can also work. A box just for pool2 you will find is the same things you fish in most lakaes as well. The time of year is the only change.

[youngie22]

Jigs and Raps, and plain hook and splitshot; seems they can get most things done out there

[waleyhuntr]

first off i would start off getting a variety of jigs from 1/8 oz to 3/4 oz.i would also get some walley divers,shad raps and some reef runners...get sum snaps and 1 oz to 3 oz bell sinkers to 3 way rig and some 3 way snaps. a variety of lindy rig sinkers and a variety of colored hooks. 6 lb flourocarbon. i would also get some paddletails and ringworms to pitch up into the wood... i would also get some split shots for jus a hook n sinker. also some mister twisters.... i have never fished pool 2 before but have fished 3 and 4 many times and all of these lures have caughteen fish on these pools with the most sucessful being jig and minnow and trolling walley divers and shad raps around 2 mph with 1 on a planer board and 1 on either leadcore or a flatline. have also got them fishing with hair jigs

[j sippi]

What about a can of corn. for when the eyes are slowwwww.

[Shack]

Thanks guys for the great info so far! I will be adding some info as the season goes on as to what I add and subtract from my Pool 2 walley and white bass tackle box.

Thanks!

[tommyk]

Berkley Flicker Shads and Bomber Fat Free Shads for crankbait casting. Flicker Shads for trolling also. Firetiger is hard to beat.

Original floating Rapalas or other floating stick baits for three-way rigging. Silver/Blue and again the obvious firetiger work well for me.

Plastics...where to begin! The walleye's preference can literally change every week. 4" Berkley Gulp! minnows one week, then it could be 3" Gulp! Shaky Shads, then 5" K-Grubs (my new favorite), and of course a mix of ringworms from BfishN and Lindy. Colors? anything from Chartruse to natural minow colors. The only thing you can do is spend a little extra cash and pick 2 or 3 more colors than you would normally buy. I have my best luck with more natural colors with a little sparkle in them.

Not considered a lure, but it makes a difference is having a pony spool of Berkley 8# Vanish. I use bright green Fireline for my own visibilty and for the most part on the river I can get away with tying it directly to the jig/lure. There were some times that were slow and by just adding a 3 to 4ft piece of that flourocarbon made a world of differenc in bites. Also acts as a nice shock absorber when casting cranks on Fireline. The little bit of stretch may be just enough to keep a lightly hook fish on.

I am sure there will be more "need to have" items added this year. More colors of 5" K-Grubs and I want to try paddletails more this year.

If anyone wants to be in river tackle heaven check out Dean's selection at Evert's.