Chris Dollar on the outdoors: Ranking the lures in the tackle box

Squirreled away in the glove box of an aging SUV were dozens of maps of states and cities across the United States, from Boston to New Mexico.

These yellowing relics hadn’t seen daylight since Clinton was in office, and it was doubtful the owner of these tri-folding dinosaurs visited even a handful of the places outlined on thirty-two maps. Yup, I had the same reaction: Who needs thirty-two maps!?

Nonetheless, this individual defended their occupation of prime real estate as vigorously as a PHD candidate would his or her dissertation. Ignore the fact that these parchment remnants are wildly out of date.

Disregard the sheer folly of forgoing accurate, modern GPS found ON YOUR PHONE for a poster-sized version that you’ll never re-fold properly if you had one hundred lifetimes.

And if someone should, for some inexplicable reason, have necessity to use those maps, say to guide them Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, it is highly likely they’d end up in Lake Huron. Literally.

Like any sane person, I quickly grew bored of the conversation. It did, however, strike a chord with me since like many Chesapeake anglers I’m guilty of something similar. In my tackle bags (yes I have several) you’ll find a wide assortment of lures and flies — many of which go unused and a few are even downright useless.

Despite having tackle bags that are spacious enough to fit a toddler inside, the fact I, like most, anglers typically end up using same lures while the other seventy percent simply take up space.

I do not challenge the veracity of one of angling’s oldest cliches — lures first catch anglers, and fish second. As a fishing outfitter and part-time guide, I am a tried-and-true devotee of this mantra, however cliché. I cheer on lure makers who are constantly developing new baits and re-skinning old lures with lifelike, computer-generated holographics.

Having a diverse and abundant supply of lures and flies is an essential part of fishing, an aspect that most certainly adds to the fun. In fact, the most common question anglers are asked, after did you catch any fish, is ‘what’d it hit?’ I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Here’s how I rank the lures and flies in my fishing cache:

1. Franchise Players: These are my perennial all-stars, proven lures or flies that they hardly ever let me down.

2. Role Players: An essential part of any team, these lures do the yeoman’s work, dig the puck out of the corners, never complain, show up every day, and sometimes step up to get the job done.

3. Pretty Boys: All show and no go. If you played high school or college sports, you know exactly what I mean.

4. Oddballs: Every tackle box, and team, has at least one. These are the lures (or players) that keep things interesting, add character. (I’ve coach and been on teams will such players.)

5. What in the?! Finally, there is a lure or two that you completely forgot about you, have no clue where it came from or recollection of buying it. Yet for reasons best left to the cosmos, somehow, someway it still claims a spot in your tacklebox.

Chris Morgan caught 12 different fish species ranging from black sea bass and lizardfish to Northern puffer and toadfish to claim the top spot in one of the Chesapeake Bay’s most unique fishing tournaments — the Rod and Reef Slam.

The week-long event was sponsored by the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance, Coastal Conservation Association-Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Drawing dozens of anglers who fished over restored oyster reefs, 19 different species were caught overall.

“Each year this tournament continues to grow, and with that comes a brighter spotlight on the importance of oyster reefs for fish habitat,” said David Sikorski, Maryland executive director for the Coastal Conservation Association.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation fishery scientist Allison Colden added: “CBF is proud to partner with CCA to continue to organize and host this tournament that’s about far more than just catching fish.”

Following is a complete list of various category winners:

• Powerboat: Herb Floyd, Trappe. Eleven different species, including a pumpkinseed and spotted seatrout.
• Kayak: Ronnie Kirin, Crownsville. Caught striped bass, white perch, and spot, totaling 39.5 inches in length.
• Youth: Parker Barniea, Annapolis. Edged out other young anglers by catching three different species—bluegill, white perch, and spot.
• Invasive Species: Matthew Shoultz, Forest Hill. Landed a 38-inch blue catfish, the longest fish caught in the tournament.

Oct. 27: Celebration of Conservation, hosted by the Annapolis Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association. Event is from 6-9:30 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at ccamd.org.

Nov. 1 through Feb. 28: CCA Maryland Pickerel Championship, a catch-photo-release tournament using the iAngler Tournament smartphone app. Register at ccamd.org.

Nov. 2: Free State Fly Fishers. Jim Delle Bovi’s “Inshore Kayak Fishing the Delmarva Peninsula.” 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Davidsonville Family Recreation Center. Contact Ryan Harvey at rybeer@gmail.com.

Nov. 5: Free State Fly Fishers. Monthly fly-tying instruction. 10 a.m.-Noon. Davidsonville Family Recreation Center. Contact Ryan Harvey at rybeer@gmail.com.

Nov. 19: Free State Fly Fishers. 10 a.m.-Noon. Duber Winters and Joe Bruce will teach club members how to tie a handful of ‘you really need to know’ fly fishing knots. Davidsonville Family Recreation Center. Contact Ryan Harvey at rybeer@gmail.com.

Jan. 14: “Fishing Expo” at the North Beach Volunteer Fire Department, 8536 Bayside Road, North Beach. 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Jan. 20-22: Second Chesapeake Bay Boat Show, State Fairgrounds in Timonium. Details and tickets at thechesapeakebayboatshow.com.

Send calendar listings, news and photos to cdollarchesapeake@gmail.com.