How do you organize your crankbaits?

[Paul Roberts]

I have a lot of crankbaits -way more than I can carry. I have a main box (the store), (and an overflow box :-[), then smaller boxes that I take to the water.

My main box is sorted by depth, style (stick, shad, fat), size, color is last. I then choose from the store what I need. The choices tend to be seasonal, but certain waters, or conditions, can require somewhat different things.

As to running depth, I use a designated CB rod that I've standardized with only two lines: .012 (winter/spring) and .014 (summer/fall). I don't mark my plugs by depth off the box -too much variability as to line diam, and cast distance. To hit a bush I find on sonar, I pick an appropriate plug and cast the proper distance that should get me there. If I come up short, I cast further. If I want less speed when I get there, I pick a deeper plug. It's a lot of brail-work for me. I guess I'm no David Fritz at this point lol.

I introduce new plugs thoughtfully, testing them in the bathtub (shallow plugs), and on the water. First I tune them; untuned plugs not only don't run to depth, but also have stifled action. Then I look at the wiggle (aggressive, moderate, or weak), buoyancy, stability: Will they hunt? Do they require a certain retrieve speed? Do they need modification? All my suspending plugs I test in a small tub of cold water and I don't mark them; I fix them: changing hooks, split-rings, adding lead tape, or putting them under the drill.

Here lies a major difference between a Lucky Craft and a knock off. The latter can be much more work to get it to operate well, and you may end up pitching it in disgust. I'm not averse to cheapo plugs, but they need a good testing, as some only work well at certain speeds, or with modifications. A few I simply discard. All this certainly cools the bait monkey's jets some, bc it can be work. But I do get a kick out of those $1.99 specials I can do good things with.

[kikstand454]

i have an appalling amount of cranks in all flavors.  i have a hard time organizing them as well. currently i have them seperated roughly by depth (guessing)... but what id like to do is also seperate them by color/conditions. the two main lakes i fish are different in water clarity and id like to just grab this box for lake talquin or this box for lake seminole... etc.  i think im going to get some of the crank boxes mentioned above... but i had also noticed them missing from the 2010 catalog. theyre probably still online though if you use 2009s number.

[Paul Roberts]

i have an appalling amount of cranks in all flavors. i have a hard time organizing them as well. currently i have them seperated roughly by depth (guessing)... but what id like to do is also seperate them by color/conditions. the two main lakes i fish are different in water clarity and id like to just grab this box for lake talquin or this box for lake seminole... etc. i think im going to get some of the crank boxes mentioned above... but i had also noticed them missing from the 2010 catalog. theyre probably still online though if you use 2009s number.

Wow. Those are BIG lakes. Probably end up sorting by season, and habitat -upper, middle, lower creek arms/lake. Just a guess; my big lakes are 50acres.

I can add to my first post, in saying I organize my trip box compartments by habitat: depth, cover, and clarity. Depth is handled by lip and design, cover by body and lip shape, clarity by size, style, color and finish.

Different styles have diff places where they shine. I recognize four basic body styles: Sticks (minnow plugs), Potato Chips (shad style), Fats (Alphabets), Ping Pong Balls (super fats). In terms of triggering by shape the Stick end of the spectrum gets the nod. In terms of snaglessness, the Ping Pong balls are the GoTo's. I see lipless as a category by themselves.

Soa spring CB box tends to have sticks (suspenders and floating Rap), some low buoyancy plugs (usually sticks and potato chips), lipless, and shad style divers. A summer box has weedless styles (fat plugs and ping pong balls), deep runners (fats and chips), and lipless.

[TommyBass]

I organize mine by depth mostly, then by color (for instance a normal Plano style box will be organized by depth in rows and colors in columns). I agree, I have been writing the depths on the belly of my cranks with permanent marker for some time now and it works great. I didn't like it on the bill because running it through rip rap or dragging the bottom wears it off quicker (may be able to write it on the back side of the bill, not sure). I found writing it on the belly 2/3rds the way back to the back treble hook last a long time. I may touch them up once a season if that.

edit:  looking the baits up on the internet is a good start for run depth.  If not, just cast it out in a known depth of water until you can't feel it hit any more then note that depth.

[kikstand454]

i have an appalling amount of cranks in all flavors. i have a hard time organizing them as well. currently i have them seperated roughly by depth (guessing)... but what id like to do is also seperate them by color/conditions. the two main lakes i fish are different in water clarity and id like to just grab this box for lake talquin or this box for lake seminole... etc. i think im going to get some of the crank boxes mentioned above... but i had also noticed them missing from the 2010 catalog. theyre probably still online though if you use 2009s number.

Wow. Those are BIG lakes. Probably end up sorting by season, and habitat -upper, middle, lower creek arms/lake. Just a guess; my big lakes are 50acres.

yeah... thts kinda my problem. theres so many things i could sort them by.. and its just a massive pain. whats funny is i normally just throw a 17'+ crank in sexy shad color. hahahah

its the mid to shallow cranks that are killing me. ive got like 7 boxes. : (baitmonkey!!!)

[roadwarrior]

For all tackle:

(1) Stored in Plano boxes or displayed

on shelving in my fishing room.

(2) Lures and baits that I "might" fish

on an outing organized in my BPS

tackle bag (40-50 lbs). This rarely

   leaves my SUV.

(3) Everything that I actually "need" taken

on the boat in a G. Loomis worm case.

This includes all classes of lures, it's

really neat!

(4) The only stuff I actually fish tied on the

   night before.

:

[Paul Roberts]

i have an appalling amount of cranks in all flavors. i have a hard time organizing them as well. currently i have them seperated roughly by depth (guessing)... but what id like to do is also seperate them by color/conditions. the two main lakes i fish are different in water clarity and id like to just grab this box for lake talquin or this box for lake seminole... etc. i think im going to get some of the crank boxes mentioned above... but i had also noticed them missing from the 2010 catalog. theyre probably still online though if you use 2009s number.

Wow. Those are BIG lakes. Probably end up sorting by season, and habitat -upper, middle, lower creek arms/lake. Just a guess; my big lakes are 50acres.

yeah... thts kinda my problem. theres so many things i could sort them by.. and its just a massive pain. whats funny is i normally just throw a 17'+ crank in sexy shad color. hahahah

its the mid to shallow cranks that are killing me. ive got like 7 boxes. : (baitmonkey!!!)

I hear you. I'm not in that league, water wise.

I edited my last post, adding some stuff on styles that might help with the diff habitats.

[kikstand454]

yeah... thats the way i want to lean... but i need many more boxes to pull it off. come on income tax!!!!

[Grey Wolf]

I store mine by the depth they run.

Top water.

Sub surface.

0'-4'.

2'-5'.

6'-8'.

10' and over go into one box because I don't have any deep water much over 12 '.

[trevor]

You dont wanna see it! Its one ugly mess.

[bigbass49]

I organize my crankbaits by depth and keep them in clear plano boxes.

[kbkindle]

any more i seperate cranks  by brand  the two home lakes i fish are all the same depth and the deepest is 20 ' i have fished the lakes for years and i know the depth and most of the time we fish  0-8 ft other ealy spring or late fall. seems like one day they will hit on a bandit the next day a cotton cordell. if they dont hit eather then i go buy depth or top-spinner-buzz-jig  -worm --tube   -etc

[fooman]

All my tackle except plastics are kept in a Plano 3700 and labeled

-terminal tackle

-top-water

-jerkbaits

-floaters

-jigs

-crank baits

   -shallow

   -mid depth

   -deep

and the depth is written on the baits

My family thinks its weird and think I have an OCD problem but after coming to this site and seeing others do the same I feel a little normal now..

Seperating baits and labeling the boxes makes fishing so much easier on the water..When I need a bait I grab the right box and dont waste time digging through all the others looking for lures

[A-Rob]

I also sharpie my cranks.

I like putting a pattern, like a series of dots that kinda look like gills or something natural under the chin of the lure. I'm sure it doesn't matter, but it makes me think I'm behaving like a professional (insane person).

ie for strike king series 4 I will put 4 dots as gills.

[Bankbeater]

By depth also. 

A lot of the ponds and lakes I fish are different depths. 

[.ghoti.]

After reading all the replies so far, I'll have to say I organize mine poorly.

[stalking coyote]

Over the years I have tried every way imaginable... depth, color, style, lip size, pattern, habitat... but in the end... the crank bait I really end up wanting will be in the box I don't have with me...

[bryand82487]

depth then color in Falcon boxes

[BigFish2009]

all in box

[hitchhiker]

By depth as well.

If you do use the 3700 size boxes, do you use the hook covers? I can imagine pulling out a long string of tangled cranks.

I like the Falcon boxes for that reason, but the capacity is a little low compared to the 3700 boxes.

[cowiemi]

Depth and model!