What's in YOUR tackle box?

In a previous post about data collected by Southwick the scorecard was given as to the favorite kinds of equipment used by sportsmen. Now it's the anglers' turn at the popularity poll. Bet 'ya that yiou've got at least one of these items in your tackle bow, your fishing machine or on your rod rack.

Actually, I may be something of an odd duck when it comes to equipment. While I possess a lot of the mentioned items the buck of my equipment doesn't necessarily jive with these popular items.

That's true for my fly rod and reels (various sources), spinnerbaits (generic "cheap"), hook (Mustad),Flyline (Scientific Angler), takle box (soft-sided generic). Top reel is spot on, though, as are fishing line producer, hard bait, soft bait (tied with Berkley Gulp and maker's other products), and top fillet knife.

In 2010, the top brands:

Top rod brand: Shakespeare (12% of all purchases)
Top reel brand: Shimano (19.4% of all purchases)
Top rod and reel combo brand: Shakespeare (23.6% of all purchases)
Top fishing line producer: Berkley (12.8% of all purchases)
Top hard bait brand: Rapala (25.7% of all purchases)
Top soft bait brand: Zoom (13.3% of all purchases)
Top spinner bait brand: Strike King (16.7% of all purchases)
Top hook brand: Eagle Claw/Lazer Sharp (28% of all purchases)
Top sinker brand: generic (29.7%), Water Gremlin (12% of all purchases)
Top fly rod brand: LL Bean (25.6% of all purchases)
Top fly reels brand: Orvis (17.5% of all purchases)
Top fly combo brand: Pfleuger (6.5% of all purchases)
Top fly line brand: Rio (32.1% of all purchases)
Top fly leader brand: Rio (31.2% of all purchases)
Top fly tying material brand: Wapsi (14% of all purchases)
Top fish finder or sonar brand: Humminbird (34.7% of all purchases)
Top tackle box brand: Plano (45.5% of all purchases)
Top landing net brand: Frabill (33.4% of all purchases)
Top fishing knife brand: Rapala (22.4% of all purchases)

Largemouth bass remain the number one targeted species of freshwater fish, with 48% of fishing activity targeting largemouth bass.

Saltwater anglers were more varied, with 24% of trips targeting any fish that bites, followed by striped bass (23%), redfish/red drum/channel bass (23%), spotted seatrout or weakfish (20%) and flounder (19%). Please note these refer to species targeted on trips and not the number of fish actually caught.


- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com