Soft Plastic Storage

[Jmann17]

For a long time, I've been keeping most of soft plastic bags in my Plano tackle bag, which has a clear compartment underneath the main flap. It holds about 20 bags of plastics. However, I'm getting more soft plastics than the bag can hold. I'm looking into get the lews boat bag and putting my bags in a couple of big Plano utility boxs and storing the boxs in the boat bag. Just curious on what size utility box you all use or how you store your plastics. Thanks guys!

[Choporoz]

This has come up a lot and it was only recently that I paid attention....a few weeks ago, I copied someone's method and couldn't be happier.  I got about 6 or 7 one-gallon ziplocs and put similar bags of plastics into each (sticks, trailers, flukes/swimmers, etc.)  And then just tossed the gallon bags in a backpack.  Best tackle organization thing I've done in years.

[Jmann17]

Thanks! I may go with that method.

[Senko lover]

This has come up a lot and it was only recently that I paid attention....a few weeks ago, I copied someone's method and couldn't be happier.  I got about 6 or 7 one-gallon ziplocs and put similar bags of plastics into each (sticks, trailers, flukes/swimmers, etc.)  And then just tossed the gallon bags in a backpack.  Best tackle organization thing I've done in years.

 

Not as many bags, but that's what I do.

[21farms]

fwiw, the lew's boat bag is big and heavy...i'd hate to be pulling that out when i want to change baits. anyway, i like keeping my plastics in their original bags. what i do is buy the open compartment utility boxes like the plano 3607 or 3707 and just throwing the bags in there.

[blckshirt98]

Ziploc Freezer Gallon bags are the best way to store plastics, hands down.  Just be sure to put them in the freezer bags so the narrow sides of the fishing plastics are facing the bottom/top of the freezer bag.

[Choporoz]

Why?

[Philo Beddoe]

This has come up a lot and it was only recently that I paid attention....a few weeks ago, I copied someone's method and couldn't be happier. I got about 6 or 7 one-gallon ziplocs and put similar bags of plastics into each (sticks, trailers, flukes/swimmers, etc.) And then just tossed the gallon bags in a backpack. Best tackle organization thing I've done in years.

^This

[BassThumb]

As said before, keeping them in the original bags is the best way, in my opinion. Then organize them using gallon Ziplocks with the slider seal. 

 

I used to use Plano boxes, but it was a PITA.

[tomustang]

I keep them in their original packages, then organize the plastics into 1 gallon freezer bags and label the top.

[*Hootie]

I don't have a problem here. They are all in a bin at home. Before I go fishing, I just determine

what plastics I am "REALLY" going to use that day. That way the load is kept to a minimum.

I see no point in dragging everything I own to the lake, only to find myself fishing from the one

bag I started with. I know, "what happens if you are unable to catch them on what you brought"?

I'll let you know, when and if that happens.

 

Hootie

[Fishes in trees]

Since I've got room in the boat, I'm going to take a large selection of soft plastics.   Plastics, in original bag, sorted into similar groups, in gallon zip lock bags, the various gallon bags stored in 2 medium size soft sided tackle bags.  In a separate soft side bag - all the ned rigs stuff, plastics & jig heads.  In a different soft side bag - all the Biffle bug components, i.e. heads & appropriate plastics.

[dam0007]

I bought a bunch of the new 3600 size slim boxes from Plano. One for each bait. Shakey worms, senkos, tubes, keiteks, trailers, etc etc if I'm jig fishing that day just bring the trailer box, if I'm finesse fishing Shakey worms. Etc etc really helped me a lot in keeping organized and they don't take up much space at all. With the bottom row compartments being split into 3s you have 3 top rows you can split in middle so basically 6 bags of senkos separated by color in top 3 rows then bottom row wacky hooks, o rings and nail weights. Shakey head box you have space for as many Shakey jigs you can fit in the bottom row. Awesome way to store and stay organized.

[rippin-lips]

I'm a Plano box guy. I'll label the box with a sharpie and when I open a storage locker they're all in a row and easy to grab what I need. I use the normal size and the thin boxes. For yak or bank fishing I'll stick an assortment of plastics in 2 - 3700 size boxes and make up 2 more with hardbaits. It's always more than enough for a days worth of fishing.

[dcmclassic]

Stored them in boxes for a while, the the H2O Express bait bags, now ziplocs in a big container. The ziploc method is by far my favorite.

[S Hovanec]

I store them in the original bags in Cabela's electronics storage bags.

 

 

I have a few of them.  one for tubes, one for dropshot baits, one for sticks & creatures, one for my electronics!

[Preytorien]

I may have to convert to the ziploc or original bag method.....right now I use Shimano brand size 3600 boxes and I just have too much trouble with it.

[ww2farmer]

I have 5 3700 boxes in my boat holding enough Havoc and Yum plastics for what I do. Until it's time to refill the boxes, I keep them in their original bags at home. Powebait plastics stay in their original bag and are placed in a deep,1 compartment 3700.

[Klebs01]

I have one big plastic box (15 qt) that holds my soft baits in thier original packages. I put some cardboard in there to separate them by type.

[Mike L]

I'm a Plano box guy. I'll label the box with a sharpie and when I open a storage locker they're all in a row and easy to grab what I need. I use the normal size and the thin boxes. For yak or bank fishing I'll stick an assortment of plastics in 2 - 3700 size boxes and make up 2 more with hardbaits. It's always more than enough for a days worth of fishing.

Ditto

As I don't have a boat the gallon bags would be more of a PITA.

Too time consuming to dig around a bigger bag, looking for a smaller bag, take what I want, then put everything back the way it was.

Let alone having to take something else in someone else's boat, then find a place for it that I can acces quickly without taking up too much space, which is at a premium as it is.

But that's me.

Mike

[Sheepdog]

It's definitely personal preference for the most part, but I would highly recommend keeping what you can in original bags. I've stored plastics out of bags in plano boxes, and I've done the big ziploc bag thing. Some plastics will stain your plano boxes, and/or other plastics. I've had senko's bleed and change the color of all the other senko's in the same ziploc. You also have the obvious elaztech issue. I've had elaztech melt to other plastics and warp my boxes. These are a few of the reasons I ALWAYS keep my plastics in the bags they come in. My new favorite plano box is the 3731. It's the perfect size to put two(most sizes) packages side by side and fill the box. I've found I have fewer issues with permanently bent tails on flukes, kinked worms, etc. I don't want to have to boil a bag of baits and massage them each back to normal because they were squished in a bag for to long. Again, to each his own, but I definitely go with the long term storage in 3-4 3731 plano boxes. If I can, I'll add a picture later.

[Bass newb]

I buy a $2 box of eazy Hefty zipper bags and store all like colors together. I hate the cheap "ziplock" bags that most stuff comes in.

[iabass8]

I'm a Plano box guy. I'll label the box with a sharpie and when I open a storage locker they're all in a row and easy to grab what I need. I use the normal size and the thin boxes. For yak or bank fishing I'll stick an assortment of plastics in 2 - 3700 size boxes and make up 2 more with hardbaits. It's always more than enough for a days worth of fishing.

I do the same thing. works perfect. I know exactly where everything is and how much I have of what.

[John M.]

Since I'm a coangler I put what plastics I'll need for a day of fishing in plano boxes and then take them along with me. I keep all my extras and partials stored in their original bags inside 1 gallon plastic bags in Rubbermaid totes that I keep in the truck. So if Im fishing a multi day tournament or I run out of a certain plastic I just go to the truck and find the bag a load it into the plano and keep fishing.

This Ive found takes care of the unnecessary bringing of every single plastic bait I own out for a day of fishing.

[WormWasher]

...Plastics, in original bag, sorted into similar groups, in gallon zip lock bags, the various gallon bags stored in 2 medium size soft sided tackle bags.  

I do this but store the gallon zipplocks in medium tote crates..

 

and then...

 

I don't have a problem here. They are all in a bin at home. Before I go fishing, I just determine

what plastics I am "REALLY" going to use that day. That way the load is kept to a minimum.

I see no point in dragging everything I own to the lake, only to find myself fishing from the one

bag I started with. 

 

+1, this has been my method and i am pleased.