Soft plastics in bags or tackle box?

[0119]

On 3/29/2016 at 2:06 AM, flyingmonkie said:

I've started using an ice chest as my "tackle box".  I toss in the 6 or 7 most relevant plano boxes, and then dump a drawer full of plastics on top.

Same here. I use a Engel drybox. Toss in 3 or 4 plano's. All my soft plastics's are in BPS or old Tackle Logic binders with ziploc pages to keep them laying straight.

[Bankbeater]

I keep them in the original bags, in the tackle bag.  If the label comes off I write on the package with a sharpie.

[CarolinaBoy4Life]

I'm different than most. I keep ALL my baits in the original package. I have 4 small to medium size tackle bags that are sorted and organized. One holds all my terminal tackle & line. The other holds all my crankbaits & spinnerbaits. Another holds all my jigs (swim jig, flipping jig, football jig etc.) And the last holds all my soft plastics ( Ragetail, Gambler, Culprit, Berkley, D&M baits, Reaction Innovations) The soft plastic bag is the one where all the baits will be in the original bag or package. I'll have them sorted by company then within that sorted by type (worm,beaver,creature etc.) then sorted by color. I'm kind of OCD about my gear 

[the reel ess]

I bought a Cabela's tackle bag that holds several Plano 3000 series boxes, has a zippered pouch in the top flap and a pouch on each side and a zippered pocket on each end. That'll carry maybe 12-15 bags with no problem. I take it whenever I go. I usually fish from the kayak, so I grab the 3 or so bags I think I'll need and drop them behind the seat. I have the ability to carry 6 rods, so I can usually cover all my bases that way.

[Nitrofreak]

14 hours ago, Incheon Basser said:

See prime example. 

That does not mean that that's the only time they will have a negative reaction, I have had baits that will negatively react to heat or direct sunlight while tied onto the rod after being fished as well, even after being stored in the rod locker overnight also, so IMO it's about personal preference how one keeps their tackle, any bait can have a negative reaction to something, admittedly, helping the sun cook these baits back to their somewhat original form via a plastic box doesn't help LOL !!

[Incheon Basser]

8 hours ago, Nitrofreak said:

That does not mean that that's the only time they will have a negative reaction, I have had baits that will negatively react to heat or direct sunlight while tied onto the rod after being fished as well, even after being stored in the rod locker overnight also, so IMO it's about personal preference how one keeps their tackle, any bait can have a negative reaction to something, admittedly, helping the sun cook these baits back to their somewhat original form via a plastic box doesn't help LOL !!

It's just Chemistry my friend. I didn't make it up. Store your tackle as you please. 

[the reel ess]

Before I had the kayak, I kept them in a hatch in the boat. I had to throw a bunch out once because the cover leaked and they ruined, even in the bag. I keep all the reserves in a Tupperware container in the house now.

[MDbassin]

I use to take my plastics out of the bags and put them in Plano's but I noticed when the next season rolled around the lids got a little warped. Now I leave them in the bags I bought them in and put them in a back pack or in a Plano still in the bags and the lids don't warp anymore.

Plus when I start running low on a particular bait I have the package to know what brand, type, size, and color to buy.... I have horrible memory

[Tim Smith]

On 3/28/2016 at 5:37 PM, mayerryan said:

All different kinds. High end plastics too. It casues the lid to warp and will even melt the bottom of the box if left in there long enough. Ive had numerous boxes have this happen to. Go and watch Glennn's video on bag or box where he goes into taking about this very problem with storing soft plastics in plano boxes. Also google storing soft plastics in plano boxes causing warping, as numerous others have experienced the same problem. 

I have had this happen to me as well.  I bought the Plano edge series tackle boxes which are not cheap.   I have had two of them warp after only a couple of months with soft plastics in them.  I had no idea why and now this makes sense.  

[MN Fisher]

11 minutes ago, Tim Smith said:

I have had this happen to me as well.  I bought the Plano edge series tackle boxes which are not cheap.   I have had two of them warp after only a couple of months with soft plastics in them.  I had no idea why and now this makes sense.  

 

This comes up regularly. Keep plastics in their original bags and store those in something else. Many here use 'Speed Bags', I put them in Plano single compartment boxes, sorted by type.

[Cgolf]

I have done both and really like the plano 4700 boxes. I have way too many filled with plastics. The best case I can make for a box, is you can set plastics in them just so, so that they don't take a funky set and be unusable. I have seen this more than a few times and is why I use a lot of boxes. That said I do have a fair amount of plastics in bags, either because I ran out of boxes or baits like the rage menace and structure bug are packaged so they don't get bent out of shape. I would say I am 75% box and 25% bag.

 

I have never seen plastics dry out and some are 20+ years old.

[MN Fisher]

Just now, cgolf said:

I have never seen plastics dry out and some are 20+ years old

Ya - I got some old Berkley Power Worms that are like 20-25 years old that are still good.

[J Francho]

Interesting that Powerbait was brought up.  I had some original lizards from '89 or '90 that had chartreuse tails, and after a year in a Plano box, the tails came apart.  I chalk this up to the newness of the baits and maybe they had an issue with the pours that was resolved.  It wasn't a big deal, just a few baits.  There was another slightly later advanced Powerbait formula.  I can't remember the exact name, but it was pre '95.  I had some pretty realistic crawfish baits that hardened somewhat.  They might have been the precursor to Gulp!, and they probably needed to stay in their bags.  At any rate, I've never seen anything really bad happen to any of the normal plastisol style baits, though I do notice if I put a few in a Plano box and they sit for a season or better, the box yellows a bit.  I have no doubt it's from the plastics and UV exposure.  It could also be from whatever is used to lube up the baits to keep them from sticking to each other.  For the past two decades I have left them in the original bags, and put them in speed bags or taller Plano boxes without any issue.  Seems like the safest bet. 

[WRB]

Having sold all my soft plastics this year some dating back into the 70’s all in perfect condition. Some were stored in 17 Plano 3700 boxes and most in original bags or zip lock bags.

Thousands of worms, craws, creatures of several brands...well over 100 lbs.

I believe keeping the plastics out of sunlight and above freezing temps or under 100 degrees seems to be key.

I left some worms and creatures with my in-laws in Canada, they were destroyed in pieces after 1 winter in -40 degree temps.

Tom

[KDW96]

Ive took the same route as A-Jay. Storing them in Plano tacklewarehouse speed bags. Work especially well for kieteck packaging.