First Tackle Box

 

While working on some way-past-due fishing basement sorting this evening, I came across an old brown tackle box that I hadn’t given thought to since my son took on my basement mess more than a decade ago. It was my original tackle box that I probably got when I was about 10 years old, which means it has been around a half a century or so.

It’s empty now, and while both trays are still in it, the brackets that attached them are broken. I’ll clean it up soon, and when things are more how I want them in the basement, it’ll serve a decorative role.

I believe the old, brown tackle box held every hook, weight, bobber and lure I owned for three or four years before I got a fancier 6-tray Plano box that had trays on both sides. Initially everything moved to the new box because I didn’t own enough stuff to fill it.

A few years later, the old brown box got a new life. The new box contained mostn of my lures and some hooks, weights and bobbers. The old brown one became my “saltwater box” and was filled with stuff like leaders, egg weights, nickel hooks, foam popping corks, pliers and a bait knife. Plus, a few MirrOlures and packets of Loves Lures, I’m sure.

I don’t recall when the box went out of service. I’ve used stowable trays in various tackle bags and backpacks for decades. I’m still glad I have both it and the green one, though, and glad the green one still contains some of the lures I enjoyed using in my teens.

I look forward to getting them both cleaned up and finding the best places for them.