Bait colors somewhat simplified.....

There are sooooo many darn bait colors out there, but if you keep it fairly
simple, you can really limit what you need IMHO:

Crankbaits- three basic color patterns:
shad, chartreuse, and craw (I only buy the craw patterns in Spring time baits-
Shad Raps, Bandits, etc. On my Summer deep cranks it's either shad or chart,
depending on water color).

Spinnerbaits / Chatterbaits- white and white / chart

Topwater hard baits- pretty much shad colors here, and same basic colors on
buzzbait as with spinnerbaits above.

Jerkbaits: basic shad or gold back seem to work in most cases.

Jigs: I could really limit it to two colors- green pumpkin / brown and black /
blue, although I really like green pumkin with some blue in it, if I can't
decide.

Plastics: if forced to limit it to two basic colors, I would choose on dark and
one green; probably black/ blue flake and green pumpkin. With either green
pumpkin or watermelon, you can die the tail / pinchers to add a splash of color
if needed. Jig trailers follow the same rule; one green and one dark (black /
blue).

The only two exceptions to the platics rule would be shad imitating lures
(flukes, trick worms, swimbaits, etc.)and big worms. The one color I would
choose for the shad imitators would be pearl white. On the 10" worms, I really
like plum or blue fleck.

The bait companies are smart. They know that the more variations of colors they
release, the more baits we'll buy.

But, if you're on a limited budget or just want to cut thru the confusion, stick
with white, white / chart, green pumpkin, and black n blue. you can fish in
pretty much any conditions and catch fish.

My essential tackle box...

If I had to start over with a tackle box, here's what I'd have to have to get the through the year:

Topwater:
- XCalibur Zell Pop in Foxy Shad
- Lucky Craft 100 Sammy in Shad
- Stanley Bull Ribbit in White and Catapilla
- Stanley Ribbit in same colors
- Cavitron Buzzbait 1/4 oz white with gold blade

Jerkbaits:
- 4 1/2 " Smithwick Suspending Rogue in Gold Shad pattern
- Lucky Craft 100 Pointer in Shad

Cranks:
- 100 Bandit (shad and craw)
- 200 Bandit (")
- 300 bandit (")
- SK Series 5 (sexy shad and chart sexy)
- Norman DD 22 (Sexy Shad and Chart / Blue back)
- Bomber Fat Free Shad #7 (Foxy Shad and Citrus)
- SK Red Eye Shad 1/2 oz.(chrome sexy, sexy shad, and red)

Jigs:
- 1/4 oz Bitsy Flip (Watermelon)
- 3/8 oz Arkie Style Flippin Jig (brown / green and black / blue)
- 3/8 oz Dirty Jigs Swim Jig (bream, black / blue, shad)
- 1/2 oz PJ's Football Jig (brown / green and black / blue)
- 3/4 oz PJ's Football jig (")
- 5/16 Eakins Finesse Jig (Wat / purple and Green pumpkin / orange)

Spinnerbaits:
-3/8 oz. War Eagle Spinnerbait (White and Wh / Chart)

Chatter type baits:
-Phoenix Vibrating Swim Jig (white and green pumpkin)

Plastics:
- 7" Culprit Worm (purple and red shad)
- 10" Zoom Ole Monster Worm (Plum, Blue Fleck, and Wat / Red)
- Zoom Super Chunk, Jr. (Wat Green)
- Davis Paca Chunk (Gr pumpkin, black / blue)
- SK Rage Chunk (Gr pumpkin, black / blue)
- Yum Craw Papi (4" Gr pumpkin)
- Baby Paca Craw (Green pumpkin)
- Roboworm 4"(Aaron's Magic)
- Zoom Finesse Worm (Watermelon)
- Zoom trick worm (Sherbet)
- Gambler Sweebo worm (peppergrass)
- GYBC 5" Senko (watermelon and blue pearl / silver flake)
- GYBC Creature (Black / red flk)
- Lake Fork Lure Craw tube (")
- Zoom 6" Lizard (gr pumpkin)
- Zoom 8" " (")
- Zoom Super Fluke (pearl)
- Prowler 3" Stubby Tube (Gr Pumpkin)
- 4" prowler flippin Tube (gr pumkin and black / blue)
- 5" Kalin Grub (watermelon)

Swimbait:
-Storm Wildeye Shad (pearl shad)

Spoons:
- 5" Spaits flutter spoon
- War Eagle 1/2 oz jiggin spoon (silver)

Terminal tackle:
too much to list, but weights, hooks, swivels, beads, shaky heads, tube heads, grub heads, etc.