Tackle storage system for easily moving from kayak to boat to...

[07Rapala]

TLDR: Does anyone have a good recommendation for a system to easily transfer tackle in 3600 or 3700 boxes from kayak to boat? On caveat: I will have the tackle behind me in the kayak and won't be able too see it, so it needs to be easy to access behind my back and grab-able by touch alone.

 

I have been doing most of my fishing from a small pack-boat style canoe for the past 3 years. My dad just gifted me with an old, home-built 17' cruiser kayak. I think it will be great for covering water and fishing on the 3,000-10,000 acre lakes near my home, but the cockpit is fairly small so I need to organize all my gear carefully.

Meanwhile, my current tackle bag holds 5, 3600 boxes. I need more space for the tackle I want to carry and even this little box won't fit in-front of me in the new kayak.

So, I'm going to start using my Mk.1, stolen-from-behind-the-grocery-store milk crate for tackle storage. This crate will fill either 7, 3700 boxes or 7-9 3600 boxes. I like the lower profile of the 3600 does and they would be easier to secure under a bungie. But, since I sit on the floor in my solo canoe and kayak, and the crate will be behind me, I will have to reach blindly behind my back to grab the boxes, so it would be easier to memorize the locations of a smaller number of larger boxes.

But, also need to be able to dump all this in a tackle bag to take with me when fishing with my father in his boat or in the family canoe. But it's hard to find a tackle bag that will fit as many boxes as the crate (particularly if I stick with the 3600 boxes), without a lot of unnecessary bells and whistles.

So, does anyone have a good system for moving your tackle from a kayak to a motorized boat and elsewhere in-between?

 

[ThatFishingGuy]

Not sure if its exactly what you're looking for, but I used something like this for a while when I had my kayak. It fits into a standard milk crate, and it has a shoulder strap you can attach to carry it with you outside of a crate. I thought it was a good solution to being able to keep my tackle together regardless of if I'm on the yak or beating the bank, and you could totally bring this thing onto a boat with you too. I only ended up getting rid of it when I upgraded to a blackpak and realized I like a backpack style better than a shoulder bag when I'm hitting the bank. Gonna invest in a Shimano Blackmoon backpack soon for the bank-beating I think.

[Choporoz]

I don't have a good solution....other than to buy more stuff.  Moving back and forth has been a real pain in the rear.  What's worse, is I'm splitting time between two different homes...in different states.  Boat is at one and kayak is at the other.  I still move some rods, but I now just have separate bags, boxes and tools for each.

[07Rapala]

I’m not sure what I’m looking for either. I’m imagining a bag that fits the exact same stuff as a crate, so I could just move the boxes from one place to another. Or… do I just make the crate my go-everywhere tackle holder?
 

I saw that Plano crate bag, but I don’t think the side flaps would be much use to me. Even if I just toss those in a corner, could still be an option.

 

On the one hand, I’m definitely over-thinking this. On the other, I’d like a good system because currently my tackle management is a mess. 

[FishTank]

I use a Wilderness Kayak Crate. I don't always take it on a boat but it can sit between the two seats pretty easily and it holds more than enough. 

 

[king fisher]

[THE_Vue's]

Maybe something like this

https://youtu.be/49PChUnP0m8?si=ogNKUKqDepf4K05M

 

https://youtu.be/jzJD_u9G3SU?si=dnj1L6TwsVENbb_v

[THE_Vue's]

Or this 

 

[07Rapala]

I'm more and more sold on the Plant Kayak Crate Soft Bag. I should be able to fit at least 8 3600 boxes in it. That allows me to sort out my tackle by type. Can't carry everything, but anything I would need for a day. It will be lower profile and more stable in the boat. And I can bring it in the house to re-up with new tackle and into my dad's boat just as easy. I don't think I'll ever use the side bags (that's where my rods go), but it will be nice to have that top pocket/lid to keep everything from falling out.

[ThatFishingGuy]

13 hours ago, 07Rapala said:

I'm more and more sold on the Plant Kayak Crate Soft Bag. I should be able to fit at least 8 3600 boxes in it. That allows me to sort out my tackle by type. Can't carry everything, but anything I would need for a day. It will be lower profile and more stable in the boat. And I can bring it in the house to re-up with new tackle and into my dad's boat just as easy. I don't think I'll ever use the side bags (that's where my rods go), but it will be nice to have that top pocket/lid to keep everything from falling out.

When I had it, I used the side and top bags for soft plastics and accessories, and the main body of it for tackle boxes, granted I had a bit more space to keep them attached with a sit on top kayak and it minimized what i needed on the "deck". Hope it works out for you.

[GRiver]

I have to unload my boat every time, I use Plano guide series tackle bag 3600. I’ve had it for at least 3-4 years now, and it was used when I picked it up at yard sale. If something happened to this one I would definitely buy another.

I’m having trouble posting a link, don’t know what I’m doing wrong, or I’d post it for ya.

[Choporoz]

On 7/4/2024 at 3:45 PM, Choporoz said:

I don't have a good solution....other than to buy more stuff.  Moving back and forth has been a real pain in the rear.  What's worse, is I'm splitting time between two different homes...in different states.  Boat is at one and kayak is at the other.  I still move some rods, but I now just have separate bags, boxes and tools for each.

I was reminded of this post this morning.  I unexpectedly find myself with an entire weekend to fish.  I have my Hobie here which is great.  I have plastics and terminal tackle and a few hard baits.  Somehow, though, I have just a frog rod and a dropshot rod.  Neither is terribly versatile.   Going to be interesting. Will attempt to embrace the challenge

[5by3]

I use the yakattack kayak crate for my kayak and carry two 3600 deep plano boxes. One has my all of my various plastics that I would use in a typical day. The other has terminal tackle, some jigs, and hard baits. I do not carry all of my tackle with me on trips otherwise it would be impossible to lug back and forth from kayak to boat.

[07Rapala]

So far I've been happy with the Plano bag to drop into a standard milk crate. I do need to do a bit more organizing inside the box and fix up how I connect the buckles and shoulder strap, including cutting extraneous buckles off. The only real problem I am having is now that I CAN carry more tackle, I AM carry more tackle. Its getting too heavy!