Plastics storage/organization

[Obi_Wan]

Having just picked up my 1st boat, I would love to see some photos of how you store/organize your plastics in your boat.  Thanks in advance.

[Fishes in trees]

I don't know how bit of a boat you've got - me I have an 18 foot Lowe WF 180.  Storage is limited.  The limited storage areas are filled with other stuff, so I made the decision that stuff that was the easiest to move was the stuff that didn't go into the bins and the soft plastics fit the bill.

 

So, soft plastic storage in my boat goes like this:  Bags of bait that I like go together with other like baits in gallon zip lock bags and zip lock bags go into one of 3 soft side medium sized duffle bags.  I have issues deciding which soft plastic to use, so I bring quite a bit. Gallon bags of 10" worms, 7" worms , Paddle Tail worms, Brush Hogs, Larew Ring worms, Tubes, Chompers, Flukes & fluke imitators, Senkos, Stick baits, Trick worms, Lizards, Brush Hogs and I know I'm forgetting some all fit into one of 3 soft side duffle bags.  I could stuff all the baits into 2, but then stuff would be really STUFFED and more difficult to dig around and find stuff when I need to.  Just takes one trip to move plastics from truck to boat or visa versa.  While in the boat, you can store them anywhere - floor seat - on the deck it don't matter.

The duffles are heavy enough that they won't blow out should I be running down the lake, but I generally remember to throw them on the floor.

Exceptions to this rule are a few kits, that I don't always take out, that are full of stuff for a specialized form of fishing.

I currently carry a finesse drop shot kit and Biffle bug kit and a Ned rig kit.

 

I'm aware that this seems like a bunch of stuff, but I fish by myself most of the time.  One those rare occasions when I have a co-angler I cut back some.  Hope this helps.

[Obi_Wan]

I have a 99 BassCat Pantera.  Storage up front is not bad.  I'm looking at putting some plastics in tupperware type containers and storing in a milk crate in one of the storage compartments.  

[JLBBass]

sterile lite containers. i have PLENTY of bow storage, and keep plastics in original bags, and store most of them in itemized containers.

[A-Jay]

Past few seasons I've been using label gallon zip lock freezer bags to hold the baits in their original package.

I'd put the bags into a milk crate. 

 

 

This winter I bailed on that deal and went this route.

Plano Speed Bags - size large. 

Ditched the milk crate and just place 1/2 in each rear compartment - port & starboard respectively.

I expect it to be just as good if not better than what I'd been doing.

A-Jay

[NHBull]

@A-Jay

What size bags?

Seams I need to better balance out my boat ?

[A-Jay]

5 minutes ago, NHBull said:

@A-Jay

What size bags?

Seams I need to better balance out my boat ?

 

I'm using the Plano KVD Speed Bags size large - 

Cabelas has them in stock and at the best price - just saved you a few bucks right there . . .

A-Jay

 

https://www.cabelas.com/product/fishing/tackle-storage/tackle-binders-utility-boxes/pc/104793480/c/104777280/sc/104620680/plano-synergy-kvd-speedbag-worm/2590622.uts?slotId=7

[NorthernBasser]

I love these. I have two, and they take up less space in the boat compared to some other containers. I can easily fit 50 bags of plastics in one binder (the double binder). It is $35 though, so more expensive than getting a Rubbermaid-type bin at Dollar Tree, etc. 

 

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/Bass-Pro-Shops-Extreme-LargeDouble-Worm-Binder-or-Replacement-Pages

 

 

Another option.

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Flambeau_4510_Double_Deep_Half_Tuff_Tainer_with_Zerust/descpage-FL4510.html

[ratherbfishin1]

On 3/25/2019 at 11:38 AM, A-Jay said:

Past few seasons I've been using label gallon zip lock freezer bags to hold the baits in their original package.

I'd put the bags into a milk crate. 

This winter I bailed on that deal and went this route.

Plano Speed Bags - size large. 

Ditched the milk crate and just place 1/2 in each rear compartment - port & starboard respectively.

I expect it to be just as good if not better than what I'd been doing.

A-Jay

I see there’s no more smiley faces on the new ones... if you see your success rate go down don’t say I didn’t warn you...

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, ratherbfishin1 said:

I see there’s no more smiley faces on the new ones... if you see your success rate go down don’t say I didn’t warn you...

LOL ~ 

 That may be because these we made up a little closer to open water, so I may have been a little less suicidal . . .

Good point though and I know better than to attribute my success to anything remotely related to skill.

If it comes to it, you might end up seeing a few  added.

A-Jay

 

[heavyduty]

A-Jay, the bags look promising. A few questions if you don't mind:

1. Can you unzip a bag just to show how you have the bait packages aligned? Or if this makes sense; do you have several short rows across the bag or a long row the length of the bag? If length of the bag, will a standard size bag fit easily, say the size of a zoom pack of super flukes?

2. If stacked on top of each other 2-3 tall, are they sturdy enough to hold their form and not "squish" the bait bags inside?

3. Roughly how many bags will the large size hold?

 

I currently use the plastic sterile lite containers and they do fine but if these bags are sturdy, I think they will pack/store a little better than the plastic containers. Thanks for your time!

[Munkin]

Soft plastics are kept in their original bags and all similar baits go into a 1 gallon freezer bag e.g. finesse works, creature baits, flukes, etc. Only deviation is for paddle tail baits as those clam shells take up a lot of room so they are in a 2 gallon bag.

 

Allen

[MN Fisher]

Soft plastics are de-bagged and put in snack-size Ziplocs with the cut-out label of what they are. Those bags are put into Plano 3606s - 1 to 2 bags per slot

[Munkin]

4 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Soft plastics are de-bagged and put in snack-size Ziplocs with the cut-out label of what they are. Those bags are put into Plano 3606s - 1 to 2 bags per slot

Be careful as Zman baits tend to melt other plastics. I had them melt into a Plano box before.

 

Allen

[MN Fisher]

Just now, Munkin said:

Be careful as Zman baits tend to melt other plastics. I had them melt into a Plano box before.

 

Allen

That's why the Ziplocs - they haven't affected those at all.

[Obi_Wan]

Thanks all.  I'm working on some tupperware style containers now.  I like the bags AJay.

 

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, heavyduty said:

A-Jay, the bags look promising. A few questions if you don't mind:

1. Can you unzip a bag just to show how you have the bait packages aligned? Or if this makes sense; do you have several short rows across the bag or a long row the length of the bag? If length of the bag, will a standard size bag fit easily, say the size of a zoom pack of super flukes?

2. If stacked on top of each other 2-3 tall, are they sturdy enough to hold their form and not "squish" the bait bags inside?

3. Roughly how many bags will the large size hold?

 

I currently use the plastic sterile lite containers and they do fine but if these bags are sturdy, I think they will pack/store a little better than the plastic containers. Thanks for your time!

@heavyduty

I left the plastics in the original bags and they are positioned side by side with two rows end to end in each speedbag.

I'll post a pic tomorrow. 

Most all the bags are 'full' more or less.  So that helps make them 'sturdy' enough to facilitate stacking; otherwise, they would not be at all.

In my particular case; with 10 bags - I have 5 each stored in two different compartments - 4 on the bottom with 1 only on top of the 4.  Works fine and nothing is being 'crushed' as to misshape the baits in the bags on the bottom.

 The capacity of the large size speed bag is somewhat dependant on the type of baits and the size (especially the width) of the original soft plastic bait bag.  Plano lists the capacity as 40 bags.  I'll say that unless they are 3-inch stick baits - that might be pushing it a little.  However, 20-30 'average' soft plastic bag is very do-able (excluding larger swimbaits /paddletails).

Check back for that picture tomorrow . . 

A-Jay

[heavyduty]

4 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

@heavyduty

I left the plastics in the original bags and they are positioned side by side with two rows end to end in each speedbag.

I'll post a pic tomorrow. 

Most all the bags are 'full' more or less.  So that helps make them 'sturdy' enough to facilitate stacking; otherwise, they would not be at all.

In my particular case; with 10 bags - I have 5 each stored in two different compartments - 4 on the bottom with 1 only on top of the 4.  Works fine and nothing is being 'crushed' as to misshape the baits in the bags on the bottom.

 The capacity of the large size speed bag is somewhat dependant on the type of baits and the size (especially the width) of the original soft plastic bait bag.  Plano lists the capacity as 40 bags.  I'll say that unless they are 3-inch stick baits - that might be pushing it a little.  However, 20-30 'average' soft plastic bag is very do-able (excluding larger swimbaits /paddletails).

Check back for that picture tomorrow . . 

A-Jay

Thanks for the reply. I follow your explanation so no need for pic unless you want to. Thanks again!

[A-Jay]

14 minutes ago, heavyduty said:

Thanks for the reply. I follow your explanation so no need for pic unless you want to. Thanks again!

Good Enough and you're welcome.

A-Jay

 

[brimster]

On 3/25/2019 at 11:38 AM, A-Jay said:

Past few seasons I've been using label gallon zip lock freezer bags to hold the baits in their original package.

I'd put the bags into a milk crate. 

 

 

This winter I bailed on that deal and went this route.

Plano Speed Bags - size large. 

Ditched the milk crate and just place 1/2 in each rear compartment - port & starboard respectively.

I expect it to be just as good if not better than what I'd been doing.

A-Jay

How has the paint pen held up on the bags?

[A-Jay]

6 hours ago, brimster said:

How has the paint pen held up on the bags?

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ 

These pics were taken right after I did it.

Tried assorted colors but white & yellow stand out the best.

(the red & orange do not)

I am finding out over time that the durability of the paint on the bag itself

is not the greatest as the paint has started to fade or perhaps even flake of a little

making it harder to read. 

 

 

May need to come up with a different plan for mine or at the very least 

re-do them over the winter.

I've got that kind of time though

Stay Safe

A-Jay

[detroit1]

My16' boat is lacking in storage ability, so i don't carry a ton of baits. I use wraps:1 for senko/flukes, 1 for worms, 1 for d/s baits, 1 for tubes / craws/ creatures, and 1 for spinnerbaits. Hard baits go into an old Plano magnum double sided box: surface and cranks to 6' on one side, deeper cranks, jigs, and trailers on the other.  Still carries way more than i could use in a single day, but if i had more room i would bring more.

[Michigander]

I've got the bulk plastics in the totes like a lot of guys. I have two of the double sided boxes for plastics and hardware. I'm actually expanding on those this coming year. I'll have my hooks/weights for each type of bait and my go to colors in the tray with extras and less used colors in the totes stashed in the bow. It's nice grabbing one tray that has everything. Otherwise I have to get a bait out of the tote, get a weight from my weight box, and then get a hook from my hook box. It's just not efficient for me.

[OnthePotomac]

Every thing I have is in either a 3600 Plano if plastic, or a 3700 plano if anything else and just take what I will need for the day/season.  Usually eight 3600's of plastics in an old gym bag, which tucks under a deck step I added to the main deck, however many 3700's I need for the day either in a BPS bag, or held together with a luggage strap and dropped in a big starboard hatch.  This where it all stays otherwise.

[Fishnski48]

Very nice nook you have there OnthePotomac.. also I see you have the correct team displayed on the right side of the photo.  Of course if they could only play football these days it would be nice ( I had season tickets at RFK during the '80s and it was fun to be there).  

Need to rethink my office now that I am retired.. this looks like a good start