Storing Z Man plastics

[bassguytom]

Can I store Z Man baits in a Plano box if I only store Z Man stuff in the same box? Started using these this year and they are working very well. I used the Hula Stix on a finess Mega strike shakey head and did very well. Wanted to see if there was a better way to store them instead of in the bags they came in. 

[DubyaDee]

I'd recommend storing them the way they say to, in the bags. I've left them in a separate 3700 box and they melted together. That was an expensive lesson.

[Cgolf]

As I posted in another thread today, I have been using the Plano 3449 and 3450 boxes for the last 8 months without an issues. 

[S. Sass]

I pulled a zman plastic off and out of habbit tossed it in a Plano box. Luckly I went through my tackle the next day and it was already embedding itself into the plastic box and some other used worms of different brands. 

[Airman4754]

They are annoying as they have to be treated like nuclear waste around all other fishing gear. 

The couple things of theirs I have I lined my Plano boxes with the bag it came in. It seems to work. 

[Bluebasser86]

I leave them in their packages but I know several guys that put them in Planos without issues. 

[rangerjockey]

I leave them in the package, even the ones I pre-rig for the day.. I've had them melt if kept in a plano too long.

[Cgolf]

So are Zman baits just a touch reaction? The reason I ask is I have a Plano box I use that I vent to keep the hooks from rusting. I also want to keep the Zman baits in the same compartment of the bag as my cranks. I just would rather be safe than sorry. This is the only thing that frustrates me about Zman stuff, I am still learning the does and donts with it.

Would be nice to see a Zman handling thread linked into the Ned rig pinned thread to help out newbies with elaztech baits. 

[Oklahoma Mike]

I keep them in the bags in which they came. A little trick I've found that works pretty well for me... Whatever plastics I'm taking out for the day - typically average around 20-30 bags - I will run a shoestring through the holes in the bag and then connect the ends with a loop knot. Compact and easy to transport (just throw this down in my tackle bag) and I don't even need to untie this to open the packages and take out the baits. 

[avidone1]

I keep them in the original bag and carry them in one of my many pockets

[Cgolf]

Guys here is my setup, and dilemma, I fish 4-6 days a week with mixed baits and don't want to put a Zman on a jig head back in the sealed ziplock bag wet. Since I have been using a homemade hydro flow box, I haven't had any serious rusting issues or worry about what or how I set the used baits in my truck to dry. The Zman in the Plano box and the others on a paper towel on the floor. I did get lucky this time and found an old flambeau bag, where the Zman go in the top zippered compartment and the cranks and normal baits in the larger compartment. My initial comcerns were the double sided box would be too tall for the top compartment and have to be packed with the cranks. 

[ChrisD46]

On Saturday, March 12, 2016 at 9:58 PM, DubyaDee said:

I'd recommend storing them the way they say to, in the bags. I've left them in a separate 3700 box and they melted together. That was an expensive lesson.

^^This^^ -  is THE definitive answer - always store ZMan soft plastics in their original bags !! Do this and you will have no worries ...

[fishwizzard]

I also keep my zman finesse plastics in a small double sided Plano.  It has been about 3-4 months now with no issues that I can detect. 

The reactivity of zman to normal plastics is odd though.  I have accidently thrown a used zman lure into a pouch with other used plastics and they "burned" into each other pretty quickly.  But then I have on my fishing bench a small ziplock with a cut end of a Ragetail worm and a ripped zman worm and there was been no reaction for weeks even though they are in direct contact. 

[etrout72]

They should be kept in the bags. They WILL melt in your plano. Elaztech has a strange reaction to plastic. Theres a YouTube video about storing Zman plastics.

[desmobob]

I have a large and strange "burn" mark in the carpet of my boat.  I'm convinced it is where a Z-Man TRD was left laying on the deck, but I'm not positive.  I love Z-Man baits and have no problem keeping them in the original packaging and separated from other plastics.  Has anyone ever had one dissolve their carpet, for sure?

Tight lines,

Bob

[Bluebasser86]

9 hours ago, desmobob said:

I have a large and strange "burn" mark in the carpet of my boat.  I'm convinced it is where a Z-Man TRD was left laying on the deck, but I'm not positive.  I love Z-Man baits and have no problem keeping them in the original packaging and separated from other plastics.  Has anyone ever had one dissolve their carpet, for sure?

Tight lines,

Bob

I've left them laying on the boat carpet before and never had any issues with it. 

[desmobob]

3 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I've left them laying on the boat carpet before and never had any issues with it. 

The Z-Man bait seem most dangerous when left next to a conventional soft bait.  I think I might have left the TRD sitting next to a jig with a normal vinyl plastisol trailer and I think the TRD may have self-destructed, taking a part of my carpet pile with it.  The jig tailer was still intact though, and there was no color staining in the melted area.  But I can't imagine what else could have caused this area of my carpet to melt...

Tight lines,

Bob

[Bluebasser86]

3 minutes ago, desmobob said:

The Z-Man bait seem most dangerous when left next to a conventional soft bait.  I think I might have left the TRD sitting next to a jig with a normal vinyl plastisol trailer and I think the TRD may have self-destructed, taking a part of my carpet pile with it.  The jig tailer was still intact though, and there was no color staining in the melted area.  But I can't imagine what else could have caused this area of my carpet to melt...

Tight lines,

Bob

Ahhh, yes I have no idea what might happen in that situation. Regular plastics seems to suffer almost zero effects when it comes in contact with the Elastech baits, but it's a pretty rapid and probably pretty violent chemical reaction that the Zman baits undergo, might just be capable of doing some damage if they were in contact with the wrong material during that time. 

[Last_Cast]

I like keeping em in the original bags and carry them in 1 gallon hefty bags. Works fine for me, I don't think I'd want an extra plano box anyway lol

[*Hootie]

For these reasons I do not buy Zman plastics. Way too much aggravation. 

Hootie

[desmobob]

Just now, *Hootie said:

For these reasons I do not buy Zman plastics. Way too much aggravation. 

I avoided them for a while, but I think their buoyancy and extreme durability make them worth the little bit of extra trouble of keeping them carefully stored.

Tight lines,

Bob