tackleboxes?

[sparkyaber]

My 10 year old tacklebox has finally met her maker and it is time for me to purchace a new one. Upon entering the tacklebox section at the store I was bombarded by softsides, big ones, little ones, short ones, tall ones, fat ones, skinny ones, and every color of the rainbow! Granted there were plenty of hard plastic cases also, but I think there was more soft sides than hard sides.

Any one got a reason for the switch to soft sides? I see the only favorable qualities that they have are a shoulder strap and they might fit into a storage area in a boat a little better. Other than that, It looks that the hard sides are still better organized...??

Help me understand the softside craze. What am I missing?

Also, what is the best way to store soft plastic bait? Use a folder like one would use for spinner baits?

Thanks all!

[Nodak7mm]

My reason for liking the soft sided boes is the ability to put every thing in individual 3600 3700 series plano boxes and then grab what I need depending on species, location, style of fishing. Works great, only take what I expect to use.. Still ended up with 3 soft sided 3700 size bags..

Another plus is when opening, you wont wipe out an entire box, just the "little box" you pulled outta the bag..

[harvey lee]

This year I switched to the soft sides and hsve 4 of them and love them.For all the same reasons as posted above.My tackle is much neater.

[delmuts]

i'm with the guys on having a soft sided bag! ( although i only use it if i'm going to be gone for more than a day)i have my plano 3700's stacked on a shelf, and marked so i can grab what i feel i'll need.( i then place these in the storage of my boat) i store my plastics in a worm bag, but that is mainly due to the fact that i leave all of them in the reseable bags they come in ,and i can store that in the boat too.

[MNice]

I was in the same boat last year. I got a plano 7271 and have not regretted my decision.

[gunflint]

If you leave your soft sider unzipped, it doesn't spill all over the place when you pick it up. Anyone who's left a tackle box unfastened, lifted it up and spilled tackle all over the place knows what I'm talking about. Not that it's ever happened to me.

[Rost]

What ever you decide, make sure to buy a bigger box than you think you'll need! That way you won't outgrow it in a few years.

I like softside bags as well.

[Tyler Holm]

If I could add one piece of advice it would be to get water tight compartment boxes. MFS and Plano make such an item that will fit into any softsided tackle box. It only takes 1 good damp day and the forgetting to dry out your boxes to ruin hundreds of dollars worth of jigs and tackle.

Don't ask me how I know!?

[musky hunter]

There is a lot of reason to go to softsided tackle boxes. Organization, portability, density of storage, ease of changing species, etc. Mine is 4 years old now, so they've updated. I'd surely encourage you to compare a few and get one with features you like. I do not think you'd be dissapointed. I'll never go back to the old plastic hard case box.

[sparkyaber]

thanks for the replies. I never thought about the times when I picked up my tackle box and got the chance to reorganize the whole thing while on the water . I guess I don't have as much tackle as you all do. I can fit everything in one tackle box. I better fill my cart when make the purchase. The more I thought about it, I will probably get a soft side for all of the reasons listed above.

[carlcmc]

Soft sided all the way. I have one soft sided cabelas bag for soft plastics. Holds 5 big plano boxes in main compartment and some small ones. And One big soft sided bag for lures. Both full and I could use another bag I bet. No problems with leaving it open while it is misting and raining and your lures rusting

[WigglinMyWorm]

My wife hates my soft sided box cause it gives me the excuse to get more tackle.....just fill up the individual trays and pick the trays that you need for that trip.....plus it keeps the tackle more organized....I have 14 planos full of tackle and still adding.....I couldn't do that with my hard box.

[dwag70]

I guess I would be a hybrid cause I use both Hard and soft sided ... I might be a little tougher on my stuff cause I have broke more than a couple of the plano boxes ... I do use the hard sided box for my plugs and spoons only because I like to keep them in the box so they dont dull and scratch.. I bought a Plano Hard sided 4x4 for Panfish that holds 4 3600 boxes that is great and has a nice top to hold the larger stuff (cans of nibble or power bait) The soft sided bags are nice and work well for bulky items spinner baits and such ..

[nitroant]

I finally went soft side last year. I had enough of the old Plano layered fold out style I had. Never enough room in the boat to get it to open all the way. One thing I have noticed over the years is that the tackle box is always shoved up next to something so that is why I went with a soft side that was top loading. It has a side areas as well, but it works great because I can always get at the boxes inside no matter what it is up against. Plus buy some extra plastic boaxes and load them up with stuff you don't use as much switch them out with your pike stuff if your going bobber fishing with the kids for the afternoon or what ever the situation is. I am way more organized because of the soft sided box.