soft swimbait storage

[Chris at Tech]

For all you swimbaiters out there, how do you store your soft swimbaits or even the hard swimbaits with the soft tails?

For instance, I have a Mattlure soft bluegill and baby bass that I normally store in a 3700 container.  That container joins the other 3700's I have in my Browning bag, and is stored vertically.  Problem is when I pull those baits out, they've invariably shifted positions in the box and got a kink in the plastic tail.  And we all know this impacts the action of the lures.

So how do you guys store them to minimize this kind of effect?

[Branuss04]

Here is how I store my swimbaits... it's nothing special.  Just use them often, but when you aren't using them make sure they don't get hot.

This is how I do it and NONE of my baits have ever got tweaked to where they don't swim right.

[5bass]

[movedhere] General Bass Fishing Forum [move by] five.bass.limit.

[fourbizz]

I made a bunch of hangers. I took 1X4's, cut them to about 4ft in length, then I shot 2.5" 16ga finish nails through it every 3 inches or so.

I mounted the 1x4's to the wall, with the points of the nails sticking out. Easy and cheap, as long as you have a nail gun. If you use 16 or 18gauge, the nail will fit right through the line tie of the baits,

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I made my own type of "Markey's" box.

What length of baits you are trying to store determines whether you want to make your box stand vertical or horizontal.

The things you will need to do this are:

3700 box w/ no dividers

1/4" threaded rod

Two fender washers and lock nuts to match the rod

Wire ties

Relatively heavy snap swivels

Drill and bit

Dremel w/ cut off bit

Drill holes on either end of the "top" of the container. For the horizontal application, BE SURE TO DRILL THE HOLES ON THE END NEAR THE LATCHES. THE HINGES SHOULD BE ON THE BOTTOM.  For the vertical box, I like my hinges on the left.

Insert the rod through the holes and cut it off leaving enough thread for the fender washers and lock nuts. Put the washers and nuts on the ends and tighten.

Take the wire ties and run them through the top of the swivel.  I like to cut the barrel part off and just use the snap as it saves space. Wrap the tie around the threaded rod inside the box and pull snug.  I like to leave enough space where I can slide the tie back and forth to allow for larger or smaller baits.

Unsnap the swivels and hang your baits vertically.

Works for me.

[Bass Junkie]

  SPEEDBEAD,

                   I'm having a hard time seeing what your sayin'. Could you post a pic or two????

[Raul]

SPEEDBEAD,

                  I'm having a hard time seeing what your sayin'. Could you post a pic or two????

He does something like this:

When you get home you just store the box in a vertical position.

[Bass Junkie]

  OOOOH................. Cool. Thanks for the pics. Really cool.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Thanks Raul.  I am at work and can't put pics up.

Like he said, just stand the box up on its end to store them vertically.

You can also run the threaded rod the same way those baits are sitting in the pic.  This will allow you to hang quite a few shorter baits in there, and you can store it in place of two 3600 boxes in your normal tackle box.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Here is how I store my swimbaits... it's nothing special. Just use them often, but when you aren't using them make sure they don't get hot.

This is how I do it and NONE of my baits have ever got tweaked to where they don't swim right.

You want to part with that rainbow at the top of the first pic?  

[bigtimfish]

I don't know how good it would work for big swimbaits, but For my little ones and my cranks, I use a flat magnet (refridgerator magnet). Cut it to fit, glue it in place. Most of the time my lures don't shift anymore.

[Branuss04]

You want to part with that rainbow at the top of the first pic?

Nope!!  

Out of all my baits, that would be one of the last I would sell if I were to sell all of my baits.  It's worth every one of the 20000 pennies I spent on it  

BTW, I've seen the way 4bizz hangs his baits and it is sweet!!!  That way you can see what you have (Benificial if you have lots of baits) and can pick and choose what you want to bring.  

[CWB]

I use mainly Strike King Shadalicious and Bass Magic. I simply store them in the original plastic tray they come in inside the bag and they are perfectly straight, ready to use. Rigging is very quick once you've done it a dozen or so times.  Bought some Reaction Strike baits that came 4 to a rectangular plastic box and every one was kinked.