My Nemesis, RUST!

[papajoe222]

I have the majority of my gear organized for the upcoming season. I'm down to replacing and sharpening hooks. I have boxes for willow blade spinnerbaits, Colorado and Indiana blade spinnerbaits, in-line spinners and buzzbaits.  You guessed it, rusted hooks in every box!

I know what I'll be doing for storing them next winter as the rust preventative I've been using has failed on more than one occasion. I just wish Plano would come out with something like Flambeau has. Their factory is less than an hour drive and I can purchase them below retail price. Flambeau boxes are pricey.

[Bass Rutten]

Plano rustrictor boxes, the ones with red latches been around for a while, all I use. The entire box promotes rust prevention, not just the dividers, never seen rust in any of my boxes and I put lures away wet all the time, no messing around with packs.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/search-tackle.html?start=0&count=20&searchtext=rustrictor

[MediumMouthBass]

I still had rust even with Flambeaus "Zerust".

Threw some silica gel packs (desiccant bags) i got off Amazon 200 for $10 and theres no more rust regardless of what tray i use. I leave my chatterbaits and jigs soaking wet in the tray and have all been good. However i go through many of them since i put 1 bag in with each and every 1 lure. I think from all of my tackle trays i have had atleast 3 bags now. And if they go bad just throw em in the oven/microwave and they get brought back to life.

 

Only time theres rust is on cheap metal (cough cough Original Chatterbaits) or i leave a highly infused salt trailer on for months.

 

Id suggest looking into these packs, very affordable and its an extra layer of protection.

[FishTank]

I still have a few of the Flambeaus boxes for odds and ends. I just hate how they latch. I do like the Plano Edge boxes but getting them at a decent price isn't easy anymore. I have turned to the Kastking knock offs and so far they have been great. I have been caught in the rain many times and no rust yet. I also like the latches on these better. I have picked them up for $28 for a two pack of 3700 but the price for them varies. You just have to keep your eye open for when KastKing does a sale. 

[Bluebasser86]

Since I started adding the silica gel packs to my boxes, rust hasn't been an issue. I use to fight with it every season it seemed like before I started using them in my boxes. 

[MN Fisher]

I've never had an issue with rust, and the only thing I've used is the silica gel packs in my Plano Pro-Latch boxes.

[J Francho]

I have no issues with the Plano boxes with all the little air flow holes. My waterproof Edge boxes get fresh rust inhibitors every fall. The Zerust boxes work for about a season before that feature runs out. 

[casts_by_fly]

I have a bunch of flambeau zerust equivalent inserts, but I have plano boxes so I just slip one or two under the lures in each box.  I also don't put lures away wet.  Anything I cut off goes into a tray which gets dried out before anything goes back into a box.  So the only water that gets into the boxes in the first place are when they are open during a rainstorm (which isn't much).

 

Also don't forget to take off any heavy salt trailers.  Some hook don't care (presumably they are coated), but some you'll get really bad rust even without any moisture.

[Skunkmaster-k]

When I get home I open my boxes and run a box fan on them overnight . 

[NorthernBasser]

As others have mentioned, the silica gel packets work great. I just throw maybe 8 or so in each box. I do it with terminal tackle, all hard baits, jigs. Never had any rust since using them. And I just use regular plain Plano 3700's etc. Nothing fancy. But I also never put a bait away if it's still wet. 

 

1 gram fits perfectly and they're super cheap.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Dry-Packets-Premium-Desiccant-Dehumidifiers/dp/B00E880DYS/ref=sr_1_3_pp?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.IHP2cXtIxpVE7CBIUl9SJtHA3lHjIXnkl4F7z1CHpHoAMSevE-UKereHggTfMNKJ9sJvMCHROsP6V0e-Enpe5A6EBwP5-JIDi3uX6z1Ogu9GIWzWB1uy6XkM5BGIHbeHNAEVMWzxdrZjkDo0xj0lFQLQtk55HRRmlmOXRYr11e5Qc1GKefQSCRC_-51fdNYPjTIZh41b1WUtt3ebGWl5KskSyR162cOXC5d7S8m--2Q.tcVD_otwexh4Dz7XI59QtSyqXOUEMsSWb7LgHKlQHVU&dib_tag=se&hvadid=694747305333&hvdev=c&hvexpln=67&hvlocphy=9018768&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=12612732689492954759--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12612732689492954759&hvtargid=kwd-723920016&hydadcr=24657_13626628&keywords=silica+gel+packets&mcid=ddc0f07eeeff3cf69d7051d1f715f4d8&qid=1739908152&sr=8-3

 

 

 

 

 

[padlin]

6 hours ago, Skunkmaster-k said:

When I get home I open my boxes and run a box fan on them overnight . 

When I remember I do the same minus the fan, if it’s nice they sit out in the sun a bit. It helps.

[papajoe222]

Thanks all.

I was using the Z-Rust strips, but didn't know they would only last one season.  Lesson learned.  I tried the silicon packets, but with the same result.  I'm going to combine drying and using new strips every season.

Thanks again