Organizing your hardbaits

[Micro]

Just wondering how you folks that have a very large collection of hardbaits organize your lures.

I find myself somtimes organizing by brand, and sometimes by type, and some times by lure diving depth.

I have a boxes for wakebaits, a boxes for jointed wakebaits, boxes for popper type baits, boxes for hollow frog, boxes for other topwaters, and a boxes for swimbaits. They are filled with the same class of lures regarless of brand. Then I have a boxes of shad-rap type baits that I organize by diving depth, regardless of brand. Then I have some boxes of cranks that only have Lucky Crafts, some with just Jackall, some with Ima and OSP, mainly because I don't like mixing these in with Bombers, Rebels and other brands.

They way I have things set up, I can find things quickly, but still feel horribly unorganized.

Also, I have way too many baits to take them all with me fishing. What do you do? I have a soft bag that will hold like 7 3700 size boxes. I usually pick out what I want to take then put them in that soft bag.

Anyone have a really good organizational method?

[5bass]

It's definitely best to keep things simple. You will drive yourself crazy if you try to micromanage all your tackle. For most all of my hardbaits I just use 3700 boxes.

Crankbaits (organized by depth: shallow, mid and deep) doesn't matter whether its a LC, a BigM custom or a Rebel or Bomber, they're all in the same boxes according to depth.

Topwaters

Wake type baits: (bigger red-fins, Thundersticks, etc)

Jerkbaits: I do use the Shimano boxes for my jerkbaits. All of them fit perfectly and I can pull out one at a time. Only drawback is, is that they lay in there belly up so it's kind of hard to see all the colors at once. With the Shimano boxes, I do have my baits segregated by brand, just because I only have enough to fill up 4 boxes. I've got my Rogues in one, Husky Jerks in one, LC's in one and Megabass and other jerks in one.

Trying to micromanage my baits creates more havoc than it helps but thats just me.

[.dsaavedra.]

i organize them in 3700 boxes by diving depth:

topwater

shallow

jerkbaits

med/deep

lipless

[Maxximus Redneckus]

I do mine by use topwater/shallow/mid/deep no way i could do them by brand  but i use flambaues with zerust

[Micro]

I use the Flambeaus', too. Mainly 'cuz I like the blue dividers, and because the latches don't pop off.

Trying to micromanage my baits creates more havoc than it helps but thats just me.

It's me, too. I find myself re-organizing every couple of seeks.

[Dan:]

i organize them in 3700 boxes by diving depth:

topwater

shallow

jerkbaits

med/deep

lipless

I do the same but I add the few lipless cranks in with the few deep cranks I use and then another box with swimbaits.

[famous187inc]

After experimenting around with all of the 700 series Falcon boxes, I've come back to good ole Plano 3700 for just about all my hard baits. The Falcon's just don't hold enough lures for me. Here's my breakdown:

Shallow Cranks --  Plano 3700 -- LC RC 1.5 & 2.5 / Rapala DT Fat03

Medium Cranks --  Plano 3700 -- LC RC DD / DT10 / Norman Middle N

Deep Cranks    --  Plano 3700  -- Norman DD22 / FF Shad / DT16

Lipless Cranks  --  Falcon FTO 707

Ripbaits           --   Falcon FTO 709

Mimic Flat Shads -- Falcon FTO 705

Topwater        --    Plano 3700

The Falcon boxes are really only useful for skinny or flat sided baits to me. When it comes to big bulky lures its tough to beat a Plano 3700.

-chris

[.dsaavedra.]

i organize them in 3700 boxes by diving depth:

topwater

shallow

jerkbaits

med/deep

lipless

I do the same but I add the few lipless cranks in with the few deep cranks I use and then another box with swimbaits.

i cram a few of my handmade swimbaits into my lipless box since i don't have many lipless cranks, and the swimbaits are technically lipless too

[5bass]

I agree about the Falcon boxes. I love the concept behind them but the crankbait boxes just dont hold enough baits. I do use the Falcon spinnerbait boxes though. I believe one box holds 20 - 22 spinnerbaits which is pretty good.

[DINK WHISPERER]

I organize mine by putting all lures with the same diving depths together. I print labels out and stick them onto the dividers to remind me of those depths.

[Stringjam]

I throw all of them in undivided 3700's with great abandon - - then I spend 10 minutes digging around trying to find the one I want - - followed by 10 more minutes untangling the trebles.  

Works for me.  

[burleytog]

Divided according to running depth and stored in 3700's.  I bought a Falcon deep crank box last week to play with.  Not a bad box, but for the price I should be able to cram more than 12 baits in the box.

I can deal with hook tangles.

[cart7t]

It's definitely best to keep things simple. You will drive yourself crazy if you try to micromanage all your tackle. For most all of my hardbaits I just use 3700 boxes.

Crankbaits (organized by depth: shallow, mid and deep) doesn't matter whether its a LC, a BigM custom or a Rebel or Bomber, they're all in the same boxes according to depth.

Topwaters

Wake type baits: (bigger red-fins, Thundersticks, etc)

Jerkbaits: I do use the Shimano boxes for my jerkbaits. All of them fit perfectly and I can pull out one at a time. Only drawback is, is that they lay in there belly up so it's kind of hard to see all the colors at once. With the Shimano boxes, I do have my baits segregated by brand, just because I only have enough to fill up 4 boxes. I've got my Rogues in one, Husky Jerks in one, LC's in one and Megabass and other jerks in one.

Trying to micromanage my baits creates more havoc than it helps but thats just me.

This is how I do it.  Keep it simple and you'll spend less time searching when you're on the lake fishing and need that one bait for that one situation.  

[AndyPlaysDrums]

After experimenting around with all of the 700 series Falcon boxes, I've come back to good ole Plano 3700 for just about all my hard baits.

-chris

Are the Falcon 700 boxes a compatible size to the Plano 3700?

[Chris W]

i organize them in 3700 boxes by diving depth:

topwater

shallow

jerkbaits

med/deep

lipless

I do the same but I use the Falcon boxes

[MitchIsFishin]

Same, 3700 boxes labeled with type & depth. Don't have that many (maybe 80), but easy to find what I'm looking for when I want it.

[burleytog]

After experimenting around with all of the 700 series Falcon boxes, I've come back to good ole Plano 3700 for just about all my hard baits.

-chris

Are the Falcon 700 boxes a compatible size to the Plano 3700?

No, the Falcon boxes are smaller.

[roadwarrior]

Most of mine are kept in my fishing room on shelves; stored

in 3700 boxes by "type" or displayed on shelves in their original

packages. The lures "I might use" on a trip are in 3600 boxes

in a tackle bag, all boxed individually so there are fewer choices

and immediate access (no tangles). Finally, the lures "I plan to

use" on any given day are kept in a 14" X 12" divided box which

opens on both top and bottom.

Generally, I'm pre-rigged and never use another lure!

p.s. I also carry a small "Man Bag" for accessories.

[Bankbeater]

All of my lipless baits are 1/2 ounce so they all go into one box. Frogs, poppers, and wakers go into the topwater box. Cranks are split up into shallow, med, and deep diving.

[hercdoc]

I use the BPS Double sided crankbait organizers for shallow, deep, and topwater, and jerk baits.  I can get up to 60+ shallow water cranks in both sides.  Just fold the trebles under the body and lay the bait in the box.  I use a falcon box for lipless cranks.

[Pantera61]

if you figure it out, let me know.

[Quitlimpin]

I throw all of them in undivided 3700's with great abandon - - then I spend 10 minutes digging around trying to find the one I want - - followed by 10 more minutes untangling the trebles.

Works for me.

Bingo!!