The opening of a tackle box time capsule!

A story about lakes, rivers, and bays, sort of. This story is from a few years ago, but I think it's a good one and close to my heart. Enjoy!

Every tackle box has a story, some can only be told by their owners and others can only be told by their contents. The year was 1986, Top Gun was the top movie, Ronald Reagan was President, gas was .89 cents/gal, and this tackle box was being used to catch fish. Since then it has been kept in the garage, on a shelf, behind the Christmas wreaths where it has been collecting dust for a number of years. It came into my possession many years ago after my father passed, at too early an age. It’s been a few years since I have opened the box and I don’t really remember what it holds.

I do remember fishing with this tackle box as a kid. Back then it was like opening a fresh box of the best chocolates with all the swirls and shapes tempting me and urging me to try every one. Will it be the same? As I unlatched the golden buckle on the aluminum box, I began to smell a musty odor apparently from being sealed for many years. I lifted the tri-fold, black bins out and peered at the contents. The multi-color lures, hooks, floats, and spit-shots, are beginning to show their age, less colorful, less shiny.

At this moment, I remember the lures that caught the big fish. I even remember some of the fish that we caught, the wonderful meals that we ate, the warmth from the camp fires we built, and that smell of water proofing from our tent. But most of all, I remember the feeling, the feeling of being with family and friends in the great outdoors. It’s true; every tackle box has a story. What’s in your tackle box?

I think I will move this tackle box back into the house. Hope you enjoyed! Hey, Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream! Do you need a unique and great gift for the lake lover? Check-out my decor maps of your favorite lake, river or bay. I paint river, lake, and bay decor maps and hide things in the waters. I don't hide snapping turtles, but I do hide a tiny mermaid/fish in the waters of all my lake map paintings that folks love to search for. I call my maps treasured maps because most folks have that special body of water that they treasure. These maps make great gifts for the lake house owner, lake lover, or fisherman. I have over two hundred on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes lake, river or bay maps, too. If you would like to see more and read about my treasured maps go to LeoMaps.com.