Justin Lucas moved from California to Lake Guntersville three years ago to pursue his dream as a Bassmaster Elite Series pro. Lucas has a lot of friends in Guntersville, Ala. The famous town is home to Elite Series pros Chris Lane, Randy Howell, Matt Lee, Jordan Lee and Boyd Duckett.
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Lucas and wife BreeAnna designed and custom built this 2,200-square-foot home with a purpose. The his-and-her floor plan divides the square footage in half. On Lucas’ side of the house is the Man Cave. His is the envy of any bass angler.
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On one side is the garage door with an 8-foot clearance for the Toyota Tundra. Inside the opposite door with a 9-foot clearance is his Phoenix bass boat. Dimensions for the doors, and all the space inside, were part of the house plans.
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The parking spaces for the Tundra and Phoenix are aligned so Lucas can make the best use of space when packing and unloading the boat and truck. The space is functional, practical and provides just enough room to work.
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Living in harmony is important even in a Man Cave. Parked beside the Tundra is BreeAnna’s ride that takes her to work each day as a nurse in nearby Huntsville. The Tundra sports Dick Cepek Matrix Wheels with 35-inch DC Extreme Country Tires. On top are A.R.E. Rod Pods.
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During this visit, Lucas was busy preparing for the season ahead. (The photos were taken prior to the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.) The boat just got rigged, wrapped and is in need of organizing. That’s not a problem for Lucas.
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Lucas confesses that he is undeniably the most organized pro on the tour when it comes to a Man Cave environment. What you are about to see will make a believer out of anyone.
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Total organization lines one wall of the Man Cave. A portable heater to warm the chill is the only item on the floor. This level of organization brings new meaning to the cliché “you can eat off the floor” of the garage.
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Being organized pays off. So does preparation. Lucas recently got his new boat rigged. Like anything else, fine-tuning the rigging job is part of the time spent getting everything just right, from bow to stern.
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Berkley PowerBait and Havoc soft plastics come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Lucas favors this setup so he can keep track of his inventory and see the choices from anywhere in the cave.
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For endless organization ideas Lucas favors Slatwall. The unique panels can be cut to size and mounted to any existing stable wall surface. He says the product is easier to use, looks good and lasts longer than common pegboard.
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The shiny, clean surface indeed looks good and makes items lining the wall stand out. What is inside these Bass Pro Shops soft-sided storage bags is the serious eye candy to any serious Man Cave dweller.
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Lucas stores his Abu Garcia reels inside the partitioned compartments. The reels stay organized, clean and ready for easy identification. He likes this bag style because the cover completely opens for better viewing and access.
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Everything in the Man Cave has its place. That includes gear for recreational fun, like golf clubs and a football. Lucas stays prepared for anything and that includes a game of pickup basketball.
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Here’s where organization meets preparedness. On this shelf are Bass Mafia Bait Caskets. Each box is color coded and labeled with a different bait category for easy reference.
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Swimbaits and related terminal tackle is stored in boxes with the yellow labels. Nearby are bottles of Loctite glue for permanently securing soft plastics to the jig heads.
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Leadhead jigs and other hard baits find a home on this shelf with the orange-coded boxes.
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Baits are more specialized on this shelf that is reserved for boxes containing a variety of lures and terminal tackle. Everything from structure spoons to finesse casting jigs is easily found here.
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Another assortment of lures is on this shelf also reserved for specialty needs. Elite Series events call for it since the level of competition is so keen on using any technique or lure for the winning edge.
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Call this organization within organization. Lucas stores swimbait heads inside plastic bags according to weight. Those can easily look identical and searching randomly inside a box of leadheads for the right size is too time consuming on the water.
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A look inside the Hawgs box reveals baits are even organized by size, too. Soft plastic lures of the same shape and color are easy to misidentify. Labeling the box with lure length eliminates the confusion.
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Before the first cast is made of the 2016 Elite Series season this box of crankbaits will be filled with baits. Everything has a place and so it goes for lipped lures.
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Topwaters have their place, too. Walkers, chuggers and other topwater lures find a home here.
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Swim jigs of all kinds fill this box with others like them. The swim jig is yet another example of how specialized lures can fill an important niche in staying competitive in the Elite Series.
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Inside these soft bags are more soft plastics. Chigger craws and other bulk soft plastics are easy to find and kept organized. The small size also makes the bags easy to pack for travel in truck and boat.
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The storage container aisle at home improvement stores is a favorite for Elite Series pros. Lucas is no exception. He just returned with these boxes as part of his organization routine.
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Color-coded bait boxes get loaded into the storage containers and then the Tundra. Here is how organization goes full circle for Lucas. He can retrieve lure boxes by category depending on his needs for a tournament.
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The boxes are easy to switch out between events, and it's easier to see through the clear container. From the container these bait boxes will end up aboard his boat.
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Nearby the bait and tackle shelf is a storage panel with assorted tackle. It’s all there and easy to find. Nothing is stored in a dark corner for the sake of not knowing where it goes.
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This replica check has special meaning. Lucas won the 2015 Elite Series event held in his hometown of Sacramento. Lucas also was the highest placing angler using A.R.E. accessories on his Tundra.
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Everything has a place and that includes this collection of necessary items stored in clear drawers for easy identification.
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The top shelf has an open container with odds and ends. That includes this bottle of Caffeine pills. Those are rarely taken but when he needs a pick up Lucas prefers the pills instead of sugary energy drinks.
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Pinpoint accurate GPS technology has all but replaced old school marker buoys. Even so the pros still rely on them to help easily identify offshore casting targets.
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Another old school fishing aid is the topographic lake map. Studying maps is a practice still followed by the pros. Maps help them get acclimated to unfamiliar water.
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This collection represents past destinations on the Elite Series and stops on the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens.
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What looks like a gym bag filled with running shoes and other workout gear looks out of place. Lucas favors this size and shape of bag for a good reason, of course.
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He keeps the bag filled with large swimbaits that are better stored in this size bag than in storage boxes. The long, slender baits can be transferred to hard plastic boxes when needed.
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On the top shelf is a special box of treasures and the handwritten label tells why. It’s time for a step back in time.
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The box filled with trophies traces Lucas’ tournament success back to his native California.
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This trophy is one of his first. Lucas was runner-up in the semi-pro division at a New Bass event held on Folsom Lake. The date was Feb. 8, 2003.
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This wall of the cave features a vintage look with an old B.A.S.S. member logo shield. When B.A.S.S. was organized Ray Scott added the periods between the letters. Those stand for Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. Lucas found this sign at a flea market in Collinsville, Ala.
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Organization comes down to the smallest items. The small pouch holds fishing licenses from around the country. The box contains boat insurance and state registration papers.
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Lucas is back aboard the boat to prepare his tackle for the Classic. Preparing never ends but it’s easier when you are so organized like him.
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