Locking Up Your Goodies...

[Frogfather]

I am stumped with a pressing issue and I am hoping someone has a suggestion.

 

I have a amassed a healthy amount of fishing gear. This gear is kept at a family cabin. I am looking for a way to lock my stuff up in our shed while I am not there. I am most concerned with my dozen or so rods. After weeks and weeks of searching, I have found nothing to lock-up and store rods and reels. Tackle will be stored in rubbermaid type box with a lock.  

 

Any and all suggestions are welcomed. 

 

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

FF

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

Take it with you. Unless you can store it in an unmovable container with an unbreakable lock, if someone wants to steal it, they will. Trust me, I know from getting to go through the gut-wrenching experience of having all my gear stolen once and a boat stolen another time. My gear was in a shed with a stout padlock, didn't matter since the hinges were only attached with screws. Probably took the thief a minute or two to back all those screws out then make away with my rods and tackle. The boat was just a 2 man but being that I was 15 at the time it was my only way off the bank. It was padlocked to the dock with a heavy chain. A blowtorch did the chain in and the boat disappeared into the night. 

 

It seems like a pain to have to pack it with you each time I know, but it's a lot better than the alternative. 

[Lund Explorer]

If you aren't taking the good stuff home with you, find a hiding spot for the good stuff and leave a few cheapo outfits in plain view.  A padlock is nothing more than a spotlight to your valuables and as Blue stated, if they can't break the lock, they just haul off the whole container if it isn't bolted into something that won't move.

[RAMBLER]

You can't stop anyone from taking anything they want.  I had an outboard stolen off my boat, in my yard, while I was home asleep.

A friend came in off the water and his car wouldn't start (at a landing).  Some one had dug under his car to make room so they could take his starter.

At a small lake, where some friends live, there is no public access.  Someone came in one night and stole everything there was in the boats at the docks in front of the houses.  Outboards, trolling motors, tackle, etc.

A friend that had a cabin in northern Wis. had snowmobilers come through the woods to his cabin, broke into a shed and stole the wheels off of his riding mower.

It happens all the time everywhere. 

[blongfishing]

I have a lake house and a house I live in all the time. I have a screened in porch under the lake house. I sometimes take people out on a guided trip for striper. I keep all my gear under there no problem. I take my bass gear home and keep it in the house. I would keep my gear either with me at home or in the lake house under the bed or in a corner.

[porkleaker]

What's the point of putting locks on Rubbermaid containers? lol you can lift them, you can cut them open etc. If anything that'd be the first thing someone would steal. Find a way to hide it, maybe rip up some floor boards or just take it with you. 

[Master Bait'r]

gun cabinet.  

 

closet with lock

 

lockable rod cases

 

etc. etc. 

[porkleaker]

Off topic, but that avatar is hilarious, Reminds me of this one I made, 

[Bankbeater]

I would keep it somewhere out of plain sight, that did not draw attention. 

[Traveler2586]

gun cabinet.  

 

closet with lock

 

lockable rod cases

 

etc. etc. 

 

X2, this is your best bet for tackle and lures.

 

I met a gentleman who invited me to his lake front home for a weekend of fishing.  He had built a large free-standing cabinet, much like a gun safe, out of heavy plywood, 2X4's, and 1X3's; it had heavy hinges and two padlock hasps all with no screws showing.  Inside, he had built shelves down one side to hold tubs of small items; the other half of the cabinet was open top to bottom for rods.

 

This cabinet was built impressively heavy; I commented it was like a safe and he replied "that's the idea"

 

He later told me he had lost "everything that could walk", rods, lures, electronics, etc.   He had another similar cabinet he said held his yard tools and supplies.

 

In the front corner of his shed he had an dusty old cranking battery hooked up to a car alarm; the key-switch was implanted in the side of the shed next to the door.  The shed has AC power for lights and the battery charger.  His home also has an alarm system for protection.

 

Hopefully, the above will give you some food for thought. 

[RoLo]

A late co-angler and fellow toolmaker used to own a little piece of heaven on the shore of the Delaware River 

near the Delaware Gap, NJ. Les and his family visited their chalet every weekend.

Unfortunately, Les would leave his gear in the cabin under lock-&-key and became complacent doing so.

One day Les came to work, and it was obvious that something was very wrong. His cabin had been

thoroughly ransacked and he lost everything of value. What bothered Les most was losing his lifelong collection

of vintage lures which included lures from his father and grandfather. This took place in the early 70s

so you can image the retro jewels involved. This experience cut his heart out, and Les sold the land and cabin as-is,

and never wanted another cabin.  

 

Do yourself a big favor, go the extra mile and pack out your valuables every time you leave your shangri-la.

With a little forethought you can transport your shuttle gear with just a few grabs (e.g. dry box, wet box, tackle box ~).

You've been living on a wing and a prayer, but when your luck ultimately runs out, it's going to be extremely painful!

 

Roger

[Ratherbfishing]

Even IF you placed your gear on a hornet infested island surrounded by sufuric acid and guarded by a family of ill-tempered honey badgers, some jack-arse will find a way of pinching it.  I wouldn't leave anything you couldn't stand to lose. 

[Hyrule Bass]

if its not feasible to take the rods and reels with you everytime you come and go, maybe you can take just the reels when you leave. atleast then you dont risk losing both. some people might even ignore the rods once they see no reels on them.

[K_Mac]

I am with most everyone else. Even if you're there most of the time you probably can't guarantee your stuff is safe, and not being there often the odds are very good some $!#@&/!* will eventually take it-no matter how hard you try to secure it. Take it home with you, or make sure it is well insured and don't get too fond of it.

[Frogfather]

Thank you for all of your suggestions! 

 

For the most part, your suggestions are very practical. I am taking several under consideration. 

 

I have looked at the gun locker type of contraption since we have several on the property. No one has touched these lockers let alone tried to get a gun out. I have several plans that include building a shed within a shed as a rod-locker. Ultimately, building such a unit  is time wasted on the lakes fishing so I have passed. I have come to grips that no one can be trusted with, what I deem, valuables. Family included. As much as it could be seen as a shame; it's an opportunity for me to increase the longevity of my stuff. 

Over the past 2 years I have been transporting my goodies, several hours, in a car in addition to a lot of home stuff my bride wants to drag up there. 5 rods plus all this other junk/treasure, depending on who you ask, is starting to make an already full car very tight.

 

Hawg, you're right. It's Shangri-La! 

 

Thanks again!!

 

FF

[Traveler2586]

Time for a big a** SUV 

[RAMBLER]

Time for a big a** SUV 

Or a small, streamlined trailer.