![Bassmaster Elite Series pro David Mullins with the empty Bass Mafia tacklebox he is about to fill with lures for beginning bass anglers.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/101.jpg)
![Mullins sorts through the clear plastic zip-seal bags he keeps his soft plastic baits in for his first selection.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/102.jpg)
![He locates the bait heâs looking for and plucks one from its package.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/103.jpg)
![Bait number one for the beginnerâs box is Doomsday Tackleâs Roku, a 5.4-inch soft stickbait.
âThis bait is thinner than other sinking stickbaits but has more fine salt in it so it weighs the same,â Mullins said. âI fish it weightless or on a shaky head.â](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/104.jpg)
âThis bait is thinner than other sinking stickbaits but has more fine salt in it so it weighs the same,â Mullins said. âI fish it weightless or on a shaky head.â
![The Roku proudly earns the first slot in the tacklebox.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/105.jpg)
![Mullins fetches another large zip bag to find lure choice number two.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/106.jpg)
![He reaches into the bag for one of his heavy hitters.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/107.jpg)
![That bait is the Fat Man Creature Bait from Doomsday Tackle.
âThis my flippinâ bait,â Mullins said. âI rig it with a 4/0 Owner Jungle Flippinâ Hook and a 1/8- to 1/2-ounce bullet weight. Itâs a little bigger than a Beaver and has a thumping tail.â](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/108.jpg)
âThis my flippinâ bait,â Mullins said. âI rig it with a 4/0 Owner Jungle Flippinâ Hook and a 1/8- to 1/2-ounce bullet weight. Itâs a little bigger than a Beaver and has a thumping tail.â
![The Fat Man nestles up to the Roku in the tacklebox.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/109.jpg)
![A Z-Man Chatterbait is the next lure Mullins chooses for the tacklebox.
âI throw this bait anytime thereâs grass,â Mullins said. âItâs also good in dirty water. I fish it with a variety of trailers.â](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/110.jpg)
âI throw this bait anytime thereâs grass,â Mullins said. âItâs also good in dirty water. I fish it with a variety of trailers.â
![Into the box goes the Chatterbait.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/111.jpg)
![âI fish this 6-inch Scottsboro Swimbait anytime Iâm fishing in clear water that has a good shad population,â Mullins said. âI rig it on 1/2- to 1 1/4-ounce swimbait jig heads to cover endless depth ranges.â](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/112.jpg)
![The Scottsboro Swimbait is added to the tacklebox.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/113.jpg)
![Mullins threads a 3-inch Scottsboro Swimbait onto a ball head jig that features a screw lock. His jigs for this bait weigh from 1/8- to 3/8-ounce.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/114.jpg)
![âI use this bait to catch deep smallies in cold water and for schooling fish in the summer,â Mullins said. âItâs also good on an A-Rig.â](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/115.jpg)
![The little Scottsboro swimbait looks like the offspring of the larger Scottsboro swimbait in the tacklebox.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/116.jpg)
![This 5/8-ounce Strike King Sexy Dawg is Mullinsâ go-to walking bait.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/117.jpg)
![The Sexy Dawg is well worth the room it takes up in the tacklebox.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/118.jpg)
![Doomsday Tackleâs D-Hop Frog features a solid, soft foam body and two skirts. Mullins removed the front skirt prior to rigging the lure with a hook.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/119.jpg)
![âThe D-Hope walks better without the front skirt,â Mullins said.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/120.jpg)
![The D-Hope finds a place in the tacklebox.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/121.jpg)
![Mullins fetches a flat box filled with crankbaits from his boat locker.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/122.jpg)
![He finds the crankbait he is looking for, Strike Kingâs 6XD.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/123.jpg)
![âThis is my favorite crankbait anytime Iâm fishing 12 to 20 feet deep,â Mullins said. âI carry it with me wherever I go.â](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/124.jpg)
![The Strike King 6XD requires a large slot in the tacklebox.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/125.jpg)
![Mullins always ties an Owner 1.5 size Hyper Snap to his line when fishing crankbaits.
âIâm big on using a snap with crankbaits,â Mullins said. âI can change crankbaits or crankbait colors quickly without having to retie.â](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/126.jpg)
âIâm big on using a snap with crankbaits,â Mullins said. âI can change crankbaits or crankbait colors quickly without having to retie.â
![A small pouch of Hyper Snaps takes up little room in the tacklebox.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/127.jpg)
![Drop shotting Doomsday Tackleâs Lagginâ Dragon Soft Jerkbait produces for Mullins when the bite is tough.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/128.jpg)
![Into the box goes the Doomsday Lagginâ Dragon.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/129.jpg)
![Mullins always has a supply of 4/0 Owner Jungle Flippinâ Hooks in his boat and recommends them for the beginnerâs tacklebox.
âI use this hook 90 percent of the time when Iâm flippinâ, fishing a Carolina rig, Texas rigging a big worm and more. Itâs strong and has a slick coating for easy penetration.â](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/130.jpg)
âI use this hook 90 percent of the time when Iâm flippinâ, fishing a Carolina rig, Texas rigging a big worm and more. Itâs strong and has a slick coating for easy penetration.â
![This Bass Mafia hook container is made to fit into a Bass Mafia flat box.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/131.jpg)
![The only difference between these two worms is that the worm on the right has the cut-tail pinched off.
âEvery bass fisherman has got to have a big worm,â Mullins said. âThis 8 1/2-inch Roku K Cut Tail Worm covers a lot of bases. If you leave the tail on, you can swim the worm, which works especially well in Florida. For fishing ledges and other offshore structure, pinch the tail off.â](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/132.jpg)
âEvery bass fisherman has got to have a big worm,â Mullins said. âThis 8 1/2-inch Roku K Cut Tail Worm covers a lot of bases. If you leave the tail on, you can swim the worm, which works especially well in Florida. For fishing ledges and other offshore structure, pinch the tail off.â
![The big Roku K worm, with and without the cut-tail, dwarfs the Lagginâ Drago in the tacklebox.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/133.jpg)
![âI always have a Benchmade folding knife with me,â Mullins said. âItâs a great braid cutter and you always run into situations where a knife is handy.â](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/134.jpg)
![The Benchmade knife completes Mullinsâ beginnerâs tacklebox.](http://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/135.jpg)