How I Organize My Tackle/My Advice

[Quarry Man]

      I recently underwent a change in the way I store my tackle. I used to store ALL my lures in 5 Plano 3600 size boxes. One of the boxes was not a Plano (Hi Seas I think) and was a little bit smaller. It came in a lure kit  that I got as a gift. That box works great for jerk baits. I like it because it is very thin and the latches work well. The compartments are ideal, allowing me to store my jerkbaits in a very neat fashion. I stored all my soft plastics in Ziploc bags. That method was very organized, but  I had to go through 6 bags just to get a single bait out. That system was not time efficient. Generally, I like to use the best equipment I can afford. With the expensive cost of buying tackle, I knew that I wanted a really effective way to not only organize my tackle, but to protect it as well. For terminal tackle, I chose the 3700 size Bass Mafia Coffin. The box retails for 30$, and is completely waterproof and crushproof. It also has 48 sections and comes with 48 dividers previously installed. That is why i chose this box. It firs all my hooks and weights perfectly. For Spinnerbaits, I chose the Plano Hydroflo Hanging Bait box. The holes allow air flow, making it harder for baits to rust. I usually keep this box out because it is bulky. The air flow is a must because it will be expose to moisture. It allows me to store ally spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. For the rest of my tackle, I chose Flambeau WP5005 boxes. That is a waterproof, rustproof 3700 size box. I has a unique divider layout, but can also be made into 12 equal compartments as well. I use one for jigs, shallow cranks, random hardbaits/deep cranks, and one for my day box when pond fishing. As for soft plastics, I use a double-deep open-core Plan0 3731 or 3771 (not sure). it is a 3700 size box. I have 4 of those. one is for worm baits, craw baits, baitfish, and creature baits. I may add a few3700 plano slim in open cores in the future to store specific baits. Like finesse worms for example. 

 

Tips:

 

Use desiccants (water absorbers) in your box to prevent rust

 

use air-flow type boxes when fishing in the rain or in humid conditions.

 

Use waterproof boxes with hardbaits and jigs. 

 

let your baits dry before putting them back in the box

 

use shelf carpet to prevent hooks from changing compartments

 

don't keep soft plastics on hooks

 

I hope this helps you in your search for a better tackle system. Most of this advice came from others along the way. I thought it would be a good idea to consolidate all the advice and share them with you guys. After all, this is what Bassreasource is all about! While I only have a small amount of tackle, this system can be applied to anglers with a lot more or a lot less tackle. If you only have a few baits, maybe one soft plastic box and one tackle tray would work for you. If you have a lot more, consider having a box for each lure (swim jigs). and storing your plastics in one of the boxes listed. Hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions.