Co Angler Tackle Storage

[BigSkyBasser]

I've fished 1-2 tournaments a year for quite a while now, but this year I've decided to go all-in now that I have the time and money, and fish every one I can afford to get to.

 

After my first tourney of the year, my bag that holds my terminal tackle and soft plastic finally broke irreversibly, and I'm looking for how other co anglers effectively carry all of their tackle. I currently have two separate bags. One for hard baits and wire baits, and the second for soft plastics and terminal tackle like I mentioned above.

 

I'm curious what systems/combinations of bags, backpacks, binders etc. that people have found efficient carrying enough tackle for avidly fishing as a co-angler?

 

 

[jbsoonerfan]

I use a the Bass Mafia bag. It will hold a TON of stuff. I will take some pics when I get home. I also had to carry 2 bags before and everything fit into this one nicely.

 

I have 6 Bass Mafia 3700 bait coffins, 1 Bass Mafia 3700 deep bait coffin, and 2 small Bass Mafia briefcases in the main compartment. I have a set of scales, 2 line conditioners, needle nose, braid cutters, gloves, face mask, small bolt cutters, side cutters, 2 lighters, 5 spools of line, a knife and a can of bang in the outer pockets.

[BigSkyBasser]

6 minutes ago, jbsoonerfan said:

I use a the Bass Mafia bag. It will hold a TON of stuff. I will take some pics when I get home. I also had to carry 2 bags before and everything fit into this one nicely.

 

Is it one of these two?

[jbsoonerfan]

5 minutes ago, BigSkyBasser said:

 

Is it one of these two?

 

It is the Tackle Bag

 

I edited my first post to include what I carried in it.

 

I compared the Bass Mafia and the Cabelas Advanced Anglers Super Magnum Bag side by side and the Cabelas was a touch bigger. It seemed like it would be a great bag. If I wouldn't have already had the bait coffins, I might have went that route.

[RichF]

That's a lot of bag.  As a boater, I would't love my Co bringing that sucker along.  It's usually better to bring 2 small bags since most boaters will usually clear out a back compartment for you to put some stuff in.  As a Co, I would hate to have to sit with that hulk at my feet all day. 

[jbsoonerfan]

36 minutes ago, RichF said:

That's a lot of bag.  As a boater, I would't love my Co bringing that sucker along.  It's usually better to bring 2 small bags since most boaters will usually clear out a back compartment for you to put some stuff in.  As a Co, I would hate to have to sit with that hulk at my feet all day. 

It's a good thing I fish with my buddy, he didn't get a choice lol. But, we spend most of the day on the decks fishing and not riding around as we don't fish huge lakes. It doesn't get in the way unless you are going back and forth from the front deck to the back deck.

[BigSkyBasser]

45 minutes ago, RichF said:

That's a lot of bag.  As a boater, I would't love my Co bringing that sucker along.  It's usually better to bring 2 small bags since most boaters will usually clear out a back compartment for you to put some stuff in.  As a Co, I would hate to have to sit with that hulk at my feet all day. 

 

I figured a lot of boaters would feel that way, that's why I've always tried to stick to a less cumbersome set up as I fish a fair amount of draw tournaments.

 

 

[RichF]

Just remember, fewer bait choices = more time fishing!

[Oregon Native]

When I have to go as a "Co" my bag is really small.  Figure I can only use so much in one day so stick to basic's and spend more time fishing then changing....I can also get most of my water and snacks in there too.

BUT....it is more fun to get tackle ready and sort and think and sort and think...

[TOXIC]

I spend a LOT of time on the back deck of my buddies 2016 Ranger 520c.  It's no different than being a co angler.  He clears the bin behind the drivers seat for my bag.  I have a bag that fits in that compartment just fine.  If I have some oddball bags of plastics, they go in my pockets because I can guarantee you the bag is full to the brim.  I have some of at least a dozen different techniques in that bag.  Packing it is an art form.  

 

 

[EWREX]

I Have the Tackle Warehouse Tournament Tackle Bag which is awesome. Inside I fit one Flambeau 4510 Deep Half Tuff Tainer for all of my soft plastics along with three Flambeau 5007 Tuff 'Tainer boxes. One for my terminal tackle, one for jigs chatterbaits spinnerbaits etc., and one for my hard baits. Awesome setup and the best decision I've made since I became a tournament co-angler

[Armtx77]

I Co'd in two last year and I took 2 rods. I run pretty thin on gear, because I only throw a handful of lures in the classic muddy/stained water colors.

 

My tackle box is about the size of a loaf of bread. I just dont own a bunch of gear, but what I got, I feel confident in and the boat owner was happy I brought so little gear. My GoreTex rain suit and soft side lunch box take up more space.

[Chance_Taker4]

I have a Plano bag that holds 4 3700 boxes. I take one full of hard baits, one full of skirt baits, a slim with terminal tackle and a deep for soft plastics. I bring 4-5 rods and a small backpack that has my lifejacket, cull tags, weigh bag, drinks and food that normally I empty when I get to the ramp; wear the jacket, culls go in the livewell, drinks and food into the cooler, weigh bag lays in the floor under my tackle bag.

[Rpratt]

Believe it or not, the guy that fishes out the back of my boat brings a small card board box to every tourney with basic solid proven fish lures in a couple of colors. His point is alot of times people way overthink instead of just going to work and fish. 

[BigSkyBasser]

On 5/24/2019 at 2:09 PM, Chance_Taker4 said:

I have a Plano bag that holds 4 3700 boxes. I take one full of hard baits, one full of skirt baits, a slim with terminal tackle and a deep for soft plastics. I bring 4-5 rods and a small backpack that has my lifejacket, cull tags, weigh bag, drinks and food that normally I empty when I get to the ramp; wear the jacket, culls go in the livewell, drinks and food into the cooler, weigh bag lays in the floor under my tackle bag.

 

I actually ended up with a similar or perhaps identical Plano bag! Did you get the weekender series?

 

I love it so far, I have the 4 3700 size boxes, then a smaller one for a terminal tackle in the front pouch. Left side pouch holds all of my line, right size pound holds scale, cull tags, plyers, etc.

 

Super happy with it!

[Chance_Taker4]

2 hours ago, BigSkyBasser said:

 

I actually ended up with a similar or perhaps identical Plano bag! Did you get the weekender series?

 

I love it so far, I have the 4 3700 size boxes, then a smaller one for a terminal tackle in the front pouch. Left side pouch holds all of my line, right size pound holds scale, cull tags, plyers, etc.

 

Super happy with it!

That is the exact bag I use.

[tander]

I use a small Plano tackle box that I won by catching a tag fish in my local lake. I use it when I go with one of my fishing buddies. It carries all I need for a day fishing including plastics. I don't think I ever had to ask to borrow something.

 

[J Francho]

I'm replacing my old bag with one of these:

https://www.planomolding.com/fishing/tackle-bags/guide-series-hydro-flo-tackle-bag

 

[Fishes in trees]

When I was fishing BFL as a co-angler, I went through so many different tackle storage approaches it was kind of funny. I'd change something up every tournament, or at least every other tournament - with mixed results.  There is a fine line between carrying too much and not enough stuff.

 

The one toy that I purchased that I never got away from was a rod caddy.

  This made transporting 6 or 8 rigged rods from the fishing truck to the boat so simple, I was surprised I didn't see more guys using them.

See page 181 of the 2019 BPS master catalog, the rod sack I used was similar to the one pictured.