tackle storage in boat?

[mrpike1973]

i dont have a lot of room in my boats. a big tackle bag the kind that holds 7500 clear trays takes up way too much space. i have some loose ones. no bag dont take any room does any one else just have them loose in there boats or a better alternative. i dont want to spend much. i had one bag that is now gone but it took up to much space just wondering what you guys do. its a pain when i want to shore fish to dig through and carry 3-4 of those clear trays . i went to the mans mall and went through umpteen tackle bags i couldnt find one that didnt have bad zippers hard to get in to or the clear trays were junk cant justify paying 30 - 80 bucks on that.

[delmuts]

Depending on THINGS!! I catch and release many of my fish. The ones I plan to keep go into a cooler on ice. This freed up my live wells and bait wells for storage.

[amateurfishing]

+1, my boat is a 1984 with limited room and i am assuming lots of wasted space under the floor. i use my live well for tackle storage, side storage compartment for lights, life jackets, bumpers, & other big stuff, & always bring a cooler (for beverages) and to keep the keepers on ice.

[tunrevir]

I have seen where guys have secured cargo netting along the gunnels especially in open bow models and slid tackle trays into those. I have also seen where guys have built racks for tray storage under the steering console if you have one or secured cargo netting behind the seat backs to carry a couple extra trays.

Tunrevir~

[Northlander]

get a special mate box for all your cranks and sticks and a waterproof soft sided box for everything else.

[Down Deep]

Buy a daypack and hang it on the back of your seat.

[mrpike1973]

never thought of using my live well but how would that work. you cant have the plug in it when you travel so every time you put the boat in you have to remember the bait plug. i dont see this going well here maybe i'm missing something?

[amateurfishing]

i never take my plug out, no reason to if water is never in there, if someone wants to check it, let them, mine is bone dry and loaded with tackle, its obvious what it is meant for, there is no reason to pull a drain plug if no water was in it

[mrpike1973]

please take no offence to this but i thought the law was any live well or drain plug must be open during travel. otherwise i would love to put the plug in it and leave it.

[20lbSloughShark]

Technically I think you're right, but its not a livewell if you keep tackle in it. Then its just a tacklebox. I see what you're saying though, but I think most law enforcement realizes the new AIS law go way too far. I would think they wouldn't even notice.

[amateurfishing]

i have never seen law enforcement on a lake, let alone get stopped by one, or even asked to be checked, nothing to hide, i take drain plug out of boat as law states, if they would ask me to do it for a dry live well then so be it, but as long as its never wet or im not asked im not changing

[mrpike1973]

i called my local co today. he said as long as it has a plug in it where water cant get in and clearly has stuff in it for storage. he said that's no problem

[Raider4ever]

'98 1750 Fish Hawk going front to back. Very front holds the TM batteries, mounted charger, the bow light and a thing I use to prop up the cover so water doesn't pool there. The port-side hatch on the bow has the spare prop, drift sock and what ever else. Starboard bow hatch has all my 3700's. I think I'm up to 8-10 3700's, fly boxes, plastics bags and Spinnerbait box. The livewell has been plugged for three years and has my rain-gear, jackets, and a bin with bug-dope, suntan lotion, fillet knife, sharpener, scale etc.

Port-side rod locker has rods, the stern light, and holds the poles for the boat cover . Baitwell has been plugged since I owned the boat and is my junk drawer (spare sparkplugs, iPilot remote, sunglasses, safety glasses, spare hats, and who-all-knows. The port stern bin holds the starting battery. The Starboard stern one has the oil container, spare quarts of oil, Star-Tron, measuring cup, and prop wrench. Best decision I ever made regarding that boat was plugging up the livewell.

[delmuts]

MAN!! And I thought I was organized!!!!

For now I can plead the FITH! As I currently don't have a boat. Hopefully my new Ranger RT178 shows up this week. This will be my fourth Ranger thou! Can't wait to see where everything will go in it!

[Raider4ever]

The only reason I know is because it just came out of storage two weeks ago and I loaded it up about five days ago (working STINKS). Do not ask me where anything other than the rods and 3700's are after July 15thish. I will have no freaking clue.

[RGR]

'98 1750 Fish Hawk going front to back. Very front holds the TM batteries, mounted charger, the bow light and a thing I use to prop up the cover so water doesn't pool there. The port-side hatch on the bow has the spare prop, drift sock and what ever else. Starboard bow hatch has all my 3700's. I think I'm up to 8-10 3700's, fly boxes, plastics bags and Spinnerbait box. The livewell has been plugged for three years and has my rain-gear, jackets, and a bin with bug-dope, suntan lotion, fillet knife, sharpener, scale etc.

Port-side rod locker has rods, the stern light, and holds the poles for the boat cover . Baitwell has been plugged since I owned the boat and is my junk drawer (spare sparkplugs, iPilot remote, sunglasses, safety glasses, spare hats, and who-all-knows. The port stern bin holds the starting battery. The Starboard stern one has the oil container, spare quarts of oil, Star-Tron, measuring cup, and prop wrench. Best decision I ever made regarding that boat was plugging up the livewell.

I have the same boat and have been kicking around plugging the bait/live wells. You never miss having them?

[Sergio M]

I have an older Lund Tyee "1993" and storage was a problem. In the back by the motor and splash well there is two battier compartments about a foot and a half tall all carpeted with lids. I have four pedestals in the floor of the boat the back two pedestals are about three feet to the battier boxes. I built a large fishing deck with three large compartments. Each compartment has its own access lid, pedestal for fishing seat on top of center compartment and built in tackle boxes. Compartments are all carpeted inside and out to match the interior of the boat, lots of storage now. You can still use all four pedestals and access all the compartments.

[solbes]

On my 16' Rebel XL, storage is at a premium. I got tired of carrying that heavy tackle box down the hill to the boat, so I switched to lockable storage on the boat with 3600 and 3700 trays. I have seven 3600 trays on a hinged lid under the side console. Completely hidden from view most of the time when swung up and locked. When its swung down, they are very accesable while driving. My stern port storage has storage for six 3700 trays. A few more 3600 trays in my starboard rod locker. And a 4 rod tube setup added to the port rod locker. The Bow cargo nets I added usually have towels or lifejackets in them. Just have to be creative and you can get decent storage out of just about any boat.

[Raider4ever]

RGR,

Nope. I rarely use live bait. I think I have a minnow bucket in the garage. The two times I had worms in the boat they went in the cooler with my water bottles and cheese/crackers (and the bedding embedded in the carpet). I have a fish basket I can toss over the side if I want to keep fish (which I rarely do since cleaning them cuts into my fishing for them. Probably should see if I still have it.). So, yeah, not one bit. Love the extra space.