You can tell a lot about a fisherman from his tackle box. My original tackle box was actually a plastic make-up case with little paw-print decals on the front. My wife was getting ready to trash it, but I recognized its raw potential as a fishing tool. Hey, it had all the features I needed, including a flip-up top, handy drawers and a compact size. As a bonus, it even had a little mirror so I could check my mascara. Of course, I only wear mascara for very special fishing trips.

In any case, despite its basic functionality, this substitute tackle box had one small problem: It was pink. After a few sideways glances from fellow fishermen, I decided to get a real man’s tackle box.