My good friend Rob Fondren from Texas recently built a new outboard powered 38-foot walk around fishing boat and needed to outfit her not only with cleaning and maintenance materials, but docking lines, fenders, ground tackle, tools and of course fishing tackle. So, like a good friend should, I immediately helped him spend some of his hard earned dollars with the tackle industry. It's very easy to walk into a tackle shop or page through a catalog and outfit your 23 footer like she's a 60 footer, but that's really unnecessary and unrealistic.

In order to rig out right, you should start by covering the basics. I've broken the process down into three categories. The first is terminal tackle, which includes line, swivels, weights, hooks and the like. Next is equipment such as rods, reels, pliers, crimpers, hook files and tackle storage systems and components. Lastly, we look at the artificial items that we can use to catch fish, such as trolling and casting plugs, trolling lures and feathers, jigs and metal lures as well as bait catching rigs and equipment.

To be sure to get what you really need, and not buy a bunch of stuff that you'll never use, you have got to be honest with yourself about the amount of fishing you will do. Be sure that your list is based on what you will actually fish for and how much time you can devote to it. If you don't have a clear picture, but you know where you are going to fish and what you are fishing for, hire a guide. Use that time to learn some of the elements as to where, how, when and what you need to catch your quarry. If you get a good guide, it will be the best money you ever spend on fishing.

Having a quality, yet basic rod and reel outfit will help you catch your target species. However, a selection of outfits will help you take advantage of opportunity situations that may arise and can make your day. You should have access to spinning and conventional outfits for everything that you may encounter. To get started, consult your guide and local tackle shop and ask about the tackle being used for your target species.

Buying combination products from the catalogs is also a good way to go because a lot of the guess work has been done to marry rod and reel for balance, lure weight and action as well as line class. I carry at least two Penn spinning reel combos, typically one in the 8-12 lb. class and one in the 15-20 lb. class. Depending on what we are targeting, who is fishing and their skill level, I'll carry several conventional outfits so we can troll, bottom fish or deep jig. For my less experienced anglers, I prefer Penn Levelwind reels so they can wind and get used to feeling the fish without worrying about the line going on the reel evenly.

A quality line is probably the most important thing you can buy, and changing it after a season or a good day of catching will prevent lost fish due to marginal line. Most nationally advertised brands will do. We use Ande Monofilament for our reels and Mo- Moi for our leader material as most tournaments we fish specify what line you can use and they are readily available at tackle shops up and down the coast.

A good set of Manly pliers, Hi-Seas and Jinkai crimpers, a good small blade bait knife, filet knife and a millbastard smooth file to sharpen hooks are also essential items for your rigging kit.

Buy a good selection of Eagle Claw pre-made hook and leader packages for basic inshore fishing. These will make things easy for you, especially for the kids, when fishing over a chum bag. Once you determine the proper hook for your target, you'll want to have a mixed selection of different sizes ready to go for the class size fish you?Ĵre catching, scaling down for smaller fish.

When it comes to swivels, again, a varied selection of styles and sizes are necessary. I keep my swivels organized in 3700 Plano trays that are divided in sections. I can carry them on or off the boat and in my travel tackle bag so I always have what I need.