How do you keep your tackle organized?

[jbmaine]

hi all,

Some baits are easy to recognize, others not so much. I keep most soft plastics in the bag's they come in, so I know exactly what they are. Most spinner, chatter, buzz baits are hung in slots in my tackle box. If you asked me today I couldn't tell you what brand, weight, style most of them are. I have most hard baits in slots in plastic boxes. I try to write info in the slots to tell me what they are, but it's not perfect. Same with hooks. 

 I read over and over stories where people say " I was using a XXXXX with a XXXXX from XXXXXX brand. It worked so much better than when I XXXXXX with XXXXX". You get the Idea.

  I would very much like to be organized to that extent, so I was wondering, What is your organizational method? With all of the variety of hooks, baits,lures,tackle, out there, how do you keep it all straight .

                                              Thanks,

                                                        Jim

[Tucson]

My organizational methods are always in a state of evolving but basically lots of Plano or similar 3700 series boxes, some deep ones for bagged plastics, one with lots of small compartments for terminal tackle, hooks, sinkers etc.  Onboard I keep them all in an upright milk crate or at least the ones I'm using at the time.

 

Ask me again in a year and I'll have reorganized again.  Guess tuning up your storage is an ongoing thing.

[RPreeb]

I'm in a similar place as the OP.  Once it's out of the box and stashed in one of my boxes, I have trouble keeping track of how deep a crank is supposed to run, or what the actual weight is of a particular lure.  So far, I don't have enough for the confusion to take total control, but I have been known to pull out a crankbait or jerkbait at the little pond a couple of blocks down the road and crash a 10 foot diver into the 5 foot bottom, then have to change it out for the right one after detaching the bundle of weeds it picked up while being dragged back to shore.  I'm starting to keep the lures in the boxes they came in now, but that isn't much help for the boxes I've already thrown out.

 

As a relatively recent joiner of the bass addiction, I'm still learning the jargon - some terms still have to be Googled just to know what's being discussed. 

[npl_texas]

10 minutes ago, RPreeb said:

I'm in a similar place as the OP.  Once it's out of the box and stashed in one of my boxes, I have trouble keeping track of how deep a crank is supposed to run, or what the actual weight is of a particular lure.  So far, I don't have enough for the confusion to take total control, but I have been known to pull out a crankbait or jerkbait at the little pond a couple of blocks down the road and crash a 10 foot diver into the 5 foot bottom, then have to change it out for the right one after detaching the bundle of weeds it picked up while being dragged back to shore.  I'm starting to keep the lures in the boxes they came in now, but that isn't much help for the boxes I've already thrown out.

 

As a relatively recent joiner of the bass addiction, I'm still learning the jargon - some terms still have to be Googled just to know what's being discussed. 

Use a sharpie and write the diving depth on the bill 

[Jaderose]

Poorly

[jbmaine]

Using a sharpie to write the depth on the bill is a good idea. I've tried keeping hard baits ( stick baits etc.) in their original boxes, but it takes up more room. I'm sure most of us have times when you try something you bought at one point, and the fish love it. When that happens to me my first thought is, I better pick up more of these, Only problem is, more often than not, I can't remember exactly what this is. Especially if I only have one of something, and I lose it. I'd like to know exactly what it is I lost, so I can restock. 

 My boat is not the largest and storage is limited, so any tricks, tips anyone has for better organization, I'd love to hear. Any thing to keep me from towing a "tackle barge" behind me. LOL

                                       Thanks,

                                                 Jim

[Team9nine]

The best way to organize is to eliminate  

 

The less tackle you have, the easier it is to remember what everything is and does. 

[The Bassman]

11 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

The best way to organize is to eliminate  

 

The less tackle you have, the easier it is to remember what everything is and does. 

 

Very true.  I catch more fish with fewer baits on hand.  That said, what's the fun in not having more toys?

[MickD]

I fish mostly from my boat.  The biggest organizational issue is with softbaits.  I keep them in my pole barn in plastic boxes that hold probably 20 sacks.  I use a sharpie to keep track of what's in them.  When I go fishing in my boat I select the ones I most likely will use depending on where I'm going.

 

Regarding cranks and other hard baits I keep them in appropriately labeled "plano" boxes, with lips marked for diving depth (although it's pretty easy to tell from the size of the bill).  Lipless in their own boxes. Hard jerks in theirs, etc.  When fishing in my boat I take the ones I most likely will use.   Probably all since I have plenty of room.

 

I have a good sized Cabelas bag that takes about 6 plano boxes and it goes every time, whether fishing from my boat or another.  It also has all my terminal tackle in it, spare leader material, that kind of stuff.  + my fishing licenses.  It has the stuff I will need no matter where I fish and no matter whose boat.

 

When I fish from another's boat I cull all the soft bait stuff I have that I most likely will want for that day's fishing and put it into freezer bags (tougher than the normal baggie) and into the Cabelas bag.  I'll have one bag for drop shot, one for Ned, one for tubes, one for swim jigs, etc.  And I'll have probably just two plano boxes with hard lures, chatters, etc.  I use CD/DVD folders for spinnerbaits, so they pack easily.

 

It's not perfect, but it allows me to go on my boat or with another pretty easily.  It's the best I've been able to come up with.

[Raul]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

The best way to organize is to eliminate  

 

The less tackle you have, the easier it is to remember what everything is and does. 

Absolutely !

 

1 hour ago, The Bassman said:

 

Very true.  I catch more fish with fewer baits on hand.  That said, what's the fun in not having more toys?

True, I carry as much stuff as my 12 ft tub allows me, however, to avoid complications I pretty much fish with the same lures I've been fishing for the past 4+ decades. 

[BigAngus752]

I keep everything (except soft baits) in 3700s.  Each is it's own category (spinners/willow, spinners/colorado, topwater, deep cranking, etc.).  I use a sharpie to write the size on the bottom of each bin so I can look for my 3/8 spinner with the lid open (everything to this point is true).  Each bin is filled in order of the color spectrum (not really) and cross-referenced alphabetically by brand (yeah right).  My most successful lures (I don't have any) earn a prestigious place in a special, gold-colored 3700 which I have dubbed "The Oscars" (that would be funny if it was true).  Lures from "The Oscars" are only used on weekend evenings during a high probability lunar period.  I have a hard and fast rule that all lures are to remain in this highly organized system and cannot ever be moved out of place.  This system remains in effect until I've been in my boat for 10 minutes.  Then they suddenly become a tangled pile of lures stuffed into a five gallon bucket.  I would advise you to find a different system altogether.  

[bigbill]

I was a disorganized slob with my tackle boxes before I started night fishing. My tackle boxes now are kept neat with everything in its place. I can find and change baits in the dark lightening fast with a one cell light.

 

I was carrying five tackle boxes and five rod setups fishing from shore.

 

a 9606 tackle box full of topwater

a 9606 tackle box full of crankbaits

tackle box full of weedless baits

tackle box full of plastics

tackle box full of misc baits.(smaller sized baits)

 

i do not put used plastics back with the new ones. I put them in a seperate zip loc bag.

i don't put salted plastics in with my other hard baits they cause rust.

 

i like to fish where I'm near the car. I leave some stuff in the car.

[jbmaine]

2 hours ago, BigAngus752 said:

I keep everything (except soft baits) in 3700s.  Each is it's own category (spinners/willow, spinners/colorado, topwater, deep cranking, etc.).  I use a sharpie to write the size on the bottom of each bin so I can look for my 3/8 spinner with the lid open (everything to this point is true).  Each bin is filled in order of the color spectrum (not really) and cross-referenced alphabetically by brand (yeah right).  My most successful lures (I don't have any) earn a prestigious place in a special, gold-colored 3700 which I have dubbed "The Oscars" (that would be funny if it was true).  Lures from "The Oscars" are only used on weekend evenings during a high probability lunar period.  I have a hard and fast rule that all lures are to remain in this highly organized system and cannot ever be moved out of place.  This system remains in effect until I've been in my boat for 10 minutes.  Then they suddenly become a tangled pile of lures stuffed into a five gallon bucket.  I would advise you to find a different system altogether.  

That's a classic, I love it.

As far as only using a few baits , most of the time I do, but on those days when "old faithful " doesn't work I will start throwing a bunch of stuff, and sometimes a lure I bought years ago will produce, and that's when I scratch my head trying to figure out exactly what it is. 

                                                           Jim

[IndianaOutdoors]

2 hours ago, BigAngus752 said:

I keep everything (except soft baits) in 3700s.  Each is it's own category (spinners/willow, spinners/colorado, topwater, deep cranking, etc.).  I use a sharpie to write the size on the bottom of each bin so I can look for my 3/8 spinner with the lid open (everything to this point is true).  Each bin is filled in order of the color spectrum (not really) and cross-referenced alphabetically by brand (yeah right).  My most successful lures (I don't have any) earn a prestigious place in a special, gold-colored 3700 which I have dubbed "The Oscars" (that would be funny if it was true).  Lures from "The Oscars" are only used on weekend evenings during a high probability lunar period.  I have a hard and fast rule that all lures are to remain in this highly organized system and cannot ever be moved out of place.  This system remains in effect until I've been in my boat for 10 minutes.  Then they suddenly become a tangled pile of lures stuffed into a five gallon bucket.  I would advise you to find a different system altogether.  

Not sure if you are serious or if this is all tongue in cheek but that is pretty much exactly how my system works

[r83srock]

I have gone through your struggle before, and have had several organizing systems. When I got serious into tournaments, I started with a very large 3700 size bag and a small duffel bag for plastics. About 80lbs of gear, I used this for years and finally realized that I was just confusing myself with an endless array of tackle to choose from, way too much to think about. Then I slowly started to eliminate tackle. I am planning on doing co angler BFLs next year and I figured better manage my tackle even better yet. So, this year I have been using a 3700 sized Plano guide series bag, meant to hold 4 3700 size boxes. I have 4 Plano 3771s (thin) and 1 3750. I fish a lot of plastics and jigs, so I have one box for terminal tackle and one box for jigs. One box for hard baits, and two boxes for plastics. I carry a big full tote when I pre fish, but when I fun fish or tournament fish, I have my tackle tailored to fit in that bag. About 18lbs right now including a couple basic tools, first aid kit, sun screen, a small spinner bait box, etc. perfect for my boat and everyone else’s. I just know what’s in my bag, it’s not much really, but I’m efficient with it.

[Quarry Man]

I use a bass mafia 3700 for terminal tackle. it is the best way to organize your hooks and weights. I then use various 3700 b0xes for all my tackle. My soft plastics go in plano 3700 double deep open cores. I am going to get some plano slim open to hold boxes when i am pond fishing.

[Catt]

How do you keep your tackle organized?

 

Keep my grandson out of it ?

[BigAngus752]

11 hours ago, IndianaOutdoors said:

Not sure if you are serious or if this is all tongue in cheek but that is pretty much exactly how my system works

Man, I wish I could be that organized!  I get mine organized by size and lure but by the time I'm back to the dock it's a total mess.  

[Koz]

I bought a Spiderwire shoulder bag this year that came with four large boxes but I only keep three in the bag. In one of those boxes I keep my favorite lures / primary lures that I use that day. I bank fish and usually set the tackle bag down and bring that one box with me as I move around.

 

The other two large boxes contain my secondary lures. I also have a small box for the terminal tackle I am bringing that day. Lastly, I have a large Ziploc bag that has the smaller bags of soft baits that I may use that day.

 

But I will admit that every trip I need to reorganize things because when I fish I don't always put things back in the same place. Once I'm fishing every second wasted organizing things is one less cast I make that day

[bigbill]

At home I have many of the 3700 boxes filled with hooks, filled with Carolina weights,  Carolina rig accessories and sieverts jigs. This is my stash. I just gave my magnum boat bag to my son filled with 3700 boxes with new lures. I use those large spinnerbait boxes for storage at home too. For spinnerbaits, Bizzbaits, worms assorted by length, creature baits, etc. I have 17 of these boxes filled with baits. 

 

When i I changed over to lures only I used my livebait money to buy more lures. I was spending $50 a week on livebait. Don't ask me what my tackle room looks like, I haven been in it in a longtime.

 

my problem is I just don't use one bait. If I had a boat I'd need another boat for my tackle. Lol

[Jim Sutter]

My tackle boxes are made by Iris. They are to be used for storing 4" x 6" pictures. I purchase them at Michael's and Jo Ann's. The boxes comes with (16) individual containers. In these containers, I will put clear plastic boxes made by Clearbags. The three sizes of clear boxes I use are 1 x 1 x 3, 1 1/2 x 1 x 4 and 1 1/2 x 1 x 3.   

Edited October 10, 2017 by Jim Sutter
wrong word

[Boomstick]

4 Plano 3650 boxes, one 3600 sized Plano Crankbait box, and one Plano 3600 spinnerbait box. The 3650 boxes allow me to maximize my storage space pretty nicely, for example one box has swim jigs and soft plastics I would use for trailers, another has hooks, weights, and more soft plastics, etc.

[Gundog]

I'll be honest and tell ya that organization is not my strong suit. I started out taking the soft plastics out of the bags and putting them in plano containers but then some of the stuff either stuck to the inside, melted badly or got bent. Back in the days, every bait company used massive amounts of salt on their baits and let me tell you that salt gets everywhere. Now I use larger containers and keep the plastics in the original bags (this also allows me to know what color bait I'm using instead of just guessing). I wish I could go back in time and tell bait companies that the salt on the outside of there baits gets washed off quickly and they don't need to dump so much in the pack. It would also save the carpets in my first apartment. 

[thinkingredneck]

My organization is evolving.  I am at the Neanderthal stage, currently.

[68camaro]

It's a struggle but I use 3700 boxes and on inside cover run a piece of masking take across the lid and write what size or weight, or depth the lure is. This way when I open lid, inside lid cover tells me what each lure is.

 

In the spirit of keeping it simple, last night I downsized hard Jerkbaits to one 3700 Plano box, each section has 1 - 3 different colored baits based on depth and floating or suspending from 0 to 20'.  We'll see how this lasts.