Winter Tackle Organization

[Vilas15]

Just reorganized my tackle into a single larger bag since i got some new baits that didn't fit in the smaller bag. Does anyone else organize their tackle and find things they forgot they had? Or even realize you've got more than you thought and maybe buying those new baits wasnt such a good idea? I thought i had a backup tackle bag and when i broke it out it was already full!

[Bigassbass]

I have two small soft sided tackle bags one for bass and one for crappie & brim.  Easy to carry, filled with necessary lures not so much one of every kind.  I've had many kind of tackle boxes, bags over the years found thats just over kill, most of the time it's like collectables instead of lures you use.  I fish ponds and you have to walk a lot so no need to lug a bunch of stuff.  I've got the super nice bags with compartments and that keeps everything located were I want it and lightens up the load also.  No plastic boxes inside the bag.  

[Dens228]

I reorganize a couple of times per winter..........I usually find things I forgot I had. 

[Vilas15]

12 minutes ago, Dens228 said:

I reorganize a couple of times per winter..........I usually find things I forgot I had. 

No point in me doing it multiple times per winter since it just sits on the shelf the whole time anyways!

[Craig P]

I am similar. I often buy duplicates thinking I need them and then stash them in a bin to only find I have plenty or the reverse and forget to pick up a bait or color I actually wanted.

 

To help with this and on the water confusion, I finally broke down and bought some peg board today. I am convinced that everything I have on my boat and my bins in my garage are worthless because I do not know my inventory. 

 

As I’ve become more experienced, I know what lures / baits work at different times of the year and what colors I should be using depending on water conditions so I am setting up my shop in my basement to be my tackle store. Before every trip, I’ll walk into that room, select the lures and baits I intend to use for the trip and conditions ahead and that is it.

 

I’m sure I’ll kick myself in the butt, wishing I had brought along “X” on some trips but I’d rather continue learning that way instead of having too many choices that make me abandon ship too quickly.

[Bluebasser86]

I'll try to go through and pull out baits I don't need and consolidate as much as I can. I've found that the more simplified I can keep my bait selection, the more productive my time of the water tends to be.

[Columbia Craw]

Even with my dementia I can tell you every lure, weight, jig, bag of plastics, etc.  I own.  Now where the heck it is will be another thing. Being a back seater and having to pack a travel bag is where things get screwy.

[Shimano_1]

7 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I'll try to go through and pull out baits I don't need and consolidate as much as I can. I've found that the more simplified I can keep my bait selection, the more productive my time of the water tends to be.

I agree with this morr every year. I've settled on most things I fish and have finally figured out that having 4 of everything I ever throw is over kill. I find I'm much more efficient when things are slimmed down and my options are a little more limited.  

[MN Fisher]

7 minutes ago, Columbia Craw said:

Even with my dementia I can tell you every lure, weight, jig, bag of plastics, etc.  I own.  Now where the heck it is will be another thing. Being a back seater and having to pack a travel bag is where things get screwy.

I label the boxes, then label the compartments.

 

[Fishes in trees]

In my experiences labeling the boxes and then labeling the bins within each box doesn't help much.   It is a good exercise for finding/figuring out how much stuff you've actually got,  a way to pass some time while pounding a few IPA's.   I find that when  I'm out fishing and I have to swap out some bait, for any reason, I'll throw the terminal tackle into a catch all bin, mostly just to save time while I'm out.  Tackle tends to accumulate in that bin and the chances that it will make it back into the carefully labeled slot that it came from is less than 50% - probably much less.

 

Still no reason not to do it, - got to do something while you're waiting for better weather & spring to arrive.

[Bankbeater]

I have 2 smaller tackle bags that I keep extra plastics in.  Each year around New Year's I go through and take a count of what's inside my main tackle bag, and make a shopping list of what I need to replace.  I usually find about 1/4 of my shopping list in those other 2 bags.

[Spankey]

6 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

I label the boxes, then label the compartments.

 

I label stuff also. Not quite like that by in a way that makes thing easy to find and go right after. 
 

My soft plastics I store in RubberMaid types of containers. By style. Some I keep the associated terminal with it but for the most part I don’t need to do that. 
 

My crankbaits and topwater I store in Plano boxes and label them by style and manufacturers. 

[Dens228]

11 hours ago, Vilas15 said:

No point in me doing it multiple times per winter since it just sits on the shelf the whole time anyways!

I usually do it when I come up with new ways to divide things up in my head....lol

I fish from a kayak so space and organization are always on my mind. 

[MrPeanut]

I'll go through it usually when I get cabin fever pretty strong towards the end of winter.  I say every year I need to reduce the amount of baits (specifically plastics)...yet here we are.  touche monkey.

 

[Dens228]

32 minutes ago, MrPeanut said:

I'll go through it usually when I get cabin fever pretty strong towards the end of winter.  I say every year I need to reduce the amount of baits (specifically plastics)...yet here we are.  touche monkey.

 

I reduce a bit in the winter, but somehow it gets back to where I started plus some by the end of summer. 

 

[OnthePotomac]

Been there and done that so why do I keep doing it?

[Smells like fish]

Tackle organization and storage is a lifelong fight. The battles are many but I fear the war in the long run is lost!! ?

[Chance_Taker4]

I reorganize my tackle a handful of times throughout the year especially if I'm cooped up in my house for a long period of time. But this fall I was cleaning out my garage and found a box from TW that had a brand new reel and about $100 in baits I completely forgot I had bought in the spring. It was like Christmas for me lol.

[looking45]

I just started reorganizing this morning. I took all the baits and boxes out of the boat. The stuff I forgot was in there or I haven't used in a couple of years, is going into a box and I'm going to give it to my neighbor. No sense keeping them as they will just take up space somewhere else. I'm going to get several Plano boxes and try to stay organized from now on. But, everyone knows how that goes. LOL

[Mbirdsley]

20 hours ago, Craig P said:

I am similar. I often buy duplicates thinking I need them and then stash them in a bin to only find I have plenty or the reverse and forget to pick up a bait or color I actually wanted.

 

To help with this and on the water confusion, I finally broke down and bought some peg board today. I am convinced that everything I have on my boat and my bins in my garage are worthless because I do not know my inventory. 

 

As I’ve become more experienced, I know what lures / baits work at different times of the year and what colors I should be using depending on water conditions so I am setting up my shop in my basement to be my tackle store. Before every trip, I’ll walk into that room, select the lures and baits I intend to use for the trip and conditions ahead and that is it.

 

I’m sure I’ll kick myself in the butt, wishing I had brought along “X” on some trips but I’d rather continue learning that way instead of having too many choices that make me abandon ship too quickly.

I would like to get to this point right here. I want to be able to swap stuff out depending on location and conditions not being the kitchen sink.  Seems to be more of problem with plastics more than anything. 
 

 

I just got done reorganizing my stuff.  Decided I really don’t need to buy a lot of tackle except terminal stuff and maybe some pitching plastic.  

[Ppennin986]

Try owning tackle and baits for multi species I’m constantly changing out bags I bank fish and I own a boat I try to label all my Plano boxes and keep same kinds of baits together and boxes are by species I also from time to time lay all out go through take out what’s not been working and restock what’s low it’s a never ending battle but a battle I like to do bait monkey loves me 

[Oklahoma Mike]

12 hours ago, Ppennin986 said:

Try owning tackle and baits for multi species I’m constantly changing out bags I bank fish and I own a boat I try to label all my Plano boxes and keep same kinds of baits together and boxes are by species I also from time to time lay all out go through take out what’s not been working and restock what’s low it’s a never ending battle but a battle I like to do bait monkey loves me 

Sounds exhausting. I'm worn out just reading that!

[MN Fisher]

14 minutes ago, Oklahoma Mike said:

Try owning tackle and baits for multi species I’m constantly changing out bags I bank fish

I do panfishing from shore sometimes...and have 1 3600 size box for my panfishing needs. Stays in the truck with the Avocet rig for spur-of-the-moment stops.

[A-Jay]

12 hours ago, Ppennin986 said:

Try owning tackle and baits for multi species I’m constantly changing out bags I bank fish and I own a boat I try to label all my Plano boxes and keep same kinds of baits together and boxes are by species I also from time to time lay all out go through take out what’s not been working and restock what’s low it’s a never ending battle but a battle I like to do bait monkey loves me 

Me Too ~ 

A-Jay

[J Francho]

I'm about to go through all my stuff using the three bins method: keep, toss, and sell.  Then I can load up the Plano boxes for spring.  Maybe I can get the 500 sq. ft. of my basement back, lol.