Tackle Storage Boxes

Plastic Utility Box

For bass fishermen, tackle storage boxes in the form of a partitioned plastic utility box, is a handy thing to have around. They're usually modular in design or a simple bin. If modular, the tray will have some fixed partitions plus the ability to customize compartments with removable partitions where desired. Bins are larger and deeper.

The storage space and flexibility these boxes provide the bass angler is a big bang for the buck. They provide a huge amount of storage capacity and the ability to create lure specific, species specific, season specific or water specific, (river, lake or stream) boxes.

These make preparing for a day or week on the water easy. Prepare them for specific applications and place them on whatever type shelves you keep your fishing stuff on. When you're ready for your next trip just pull those boxes you need from your storage rack, place them in your tackle box and you're ready to go. Simple as a bucket.

Plastic Utility Box for Lure Storage and Organization

There are many reasons to use tackle storage boxes. I'm not talking about what is referred to as a tackle box. I'm referring to the hinged plastic storage box, like those shown at right. The boxes that are transported inside a fishing tackle box for use "on the water". If you're a bass fisherman these clear plastic storage boxes are the best thing since the introduction of pop-tops on beer cans.

Have you purchased any new fishing lures lately? Like crankbaits or swimbaits? As expensive as a Washington politician's false promise for crying out loud! So taking care of them is critical. One of the best ways is by using tackle storage boxes to organize and store your bass lures according to some tackle storage system of your own design.

Organize tackle storage boxes by type, like crankbait, spinnerbaits, jig lures for example, and then within each category you might separate them by size, diving depth, seasonal application or weight. Even color. Whatever system best suites the what, when, where and how you bass fish.

Clear Plastic Storage Boxes For Terminal Tackle

How about terminal tackle? Maybe not as expensive as crankbaits or swimbaits but no less critical to a successful day bass fishing. Small plastic storage boxes that are compartmental are perfect for fishing sinkers, fishing swivels, plastic fishing beads, Carolina keepers and fishing hooks. Movable dividers enable an angler to arrange individual compartments to his personal needs.

Larger tackle storage boxes can consolidate significant amounts of terminal tackle into one box. Take a size 14" x 9" x 2" storage box, which is a #370 from Bass Pro and #3700 from Plano. I use one of these as my primary box for sinkers. In fact, I've labeled it "All Things Sinkers" and is shown in the picture above right. When I'm on the water I need go but to one box for whatever size or type lead sinker I need. Very convenient but if I ever drop it on my foot I'll likely wind up with a cast on my foot. Sucker's heavy.

The same can be done with fishing hooks. Take the size #3700 box. You can get an unbelievable variety and number of hooks in one of these.

Off the water, when I return home from fishing, I replenish my self designed tackle storage system boxes then place them on my "shelves on wheels" with all my other plastic storage organizers where they await my next trip. How easy is that?

Lure Specific Tackle Storage Systems

Binder Bags and Soft Plastic Fishing Baits

While some anglers will keep their soft plastic fishing baits in hard tackle storage boxes there really is a better way. There are numerous styles of soft side binder bags made specifically for keeping and organizing soft plastic lizards, plastic worms, tube baits, grubs and other soft plastic fishing lures.

These utilize clear plastic storage bags that are two-hole punched to fit over rings like rings found in the common three ring binder. These work great. They operate just like the old Rolodex card file. You old guys know, back before computers and programs like Microsoft's Outlook.

A suggestion if I might. When I first started using binder bags I would remove the plastic baits from the manufacturer's packaging and dump them in one of the binder's plastic pouches. This is a mistake. As you may know, some (most) plastic lures have some type oil or other "secret ingredient" in them. This stuff is messy, sometimes unfriendly to the host bag and if the lures have salt on them it really creates a hell of a mess.

A better way? Just place the original bag in which the soft plastic lures came into the binder pouches. You still have the organization and storage features without all the mess.

Spinnerbaits and Buzzbaits

There are both soft side bags and hard plastic utility boxes created specifically for spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, jigs and swimbaits. Personally, I find none of them satisfactory for their intended purpose but it's better than carrying them around in a wad, so I use them.

There are some tackle storage systems on the market that are mounted on the underside of the lids of boat storage boxes. These accommodate soft plastic bags as well as spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. I've no personal experience with any of them but some look pretty good and probably deserve consideration by those of us with bass boats.

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