Organizing tackle

[styx]

I've decided to finally get a soft sided tackle box. I am looking for advice on how you guys organize everything. Do you do it by species, types of baits, etc.. I am thinking I will organize the boxes by species but I am interested in your approach. I am getting more and more into plastics and need a good way to keep everything organized. Thanks

[Captain B.R.K]

Welcome to the club Styx! I purchased a quality soft sided tackle box last summer and have it orgainzed this way

1) Bass - jig-n-pigs, jigheads, and topwater frogs

2) Walleye - just jigs

3) Walleye/Pike/Bass- the Rapala's

4) Panfish and misc. stuff

5) Walleye - with all my lindy rig hooks, spinners, cleaves, floats, etc.

6) Partly empty with misc. stuff.

My side pockets of the bag hold my extra spools of line, countless bags of bass hooks and extra reels I might have.

Hope that helps in getting you started in the right direction. I have another soft sided bag that holds all my plastics and a plano box full of spinnerbaits!

[harvey lee]

This year I bought 3 new soft sided tackle bags.

1-crankbaits

2-walleye jigs

3-panfish jigs

4-misc hooks,weights

5-plastics

6-each bag has line and other misc in the side pockets.

these bags can really get your tackle in order and work great.I still have another box with just spinners and another box with harness's and bottom bouncers.

[Random guy]

Four LakeWood Big Monsters, one for Muskie cranks, one for Musky jerks/glides, one for Musky Topwater/ one for Musky plastics and odds and all the stows are filled with clear planos for the bucktails. I put my walleye spinner (one) in the glove box of the boat.

[Eye-lander]

I have 1 bag, but somewhere around 15 clear plastic containers. I just remove and add containers depending on what and where I am fishing.

1. Bass jigs

2. Tubes

3. Worms

4. Creatures

5. Grubs

6. Topwater

7. Nuetral cranks

8. Diving cranks

9. Panfish tackle

10. Walleye tackle

All organized and ready to be added or removed in less than 1 minute. And of course the front of the bag contains hook removers, scissors, clippers, and sharpening tool. The sides contain line on 1 side and spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Therefore when I am fishing in another person's boat, I am able to reduce what I need to bring. Just 1 bag.

[delmuts]

i'm the same way ! i have all the plano's stacked on a shelf,and marked so i know what is in them. then i can just grab what i think i will need for the day.

[styx]

great stuff so far. Any brands you guys recommend? Sounds like plano boxes are the way to go .

[Northland Sportsman]

I keep my tackle organized the same as above. I have one bag that holds about 5 boxes and can change them out in a snap depending on the targeted fish of the day. I use the same set up for ice fishing, just change out the boxes. I don't think I will ever go back to a hard sided box, this system works slick. Good luck and just get boxes that fit your soft case and are easy enough to open.

[nofishfisherman]

One thing I can suggest over your typical soft sided bag is to maybe look at just a regular duffle bag. Thats what I use. I can carry all the plano boxes I want, but usually only carry two or three each day depending on what I am fishing for. In this duffle bag I can also carry my rain gear, extra coat, my food, extra line, extra reels, filet knife, portable AM/FM/weather radio, head lamp. All fits neatly in one bag and is easy to carry with the shoulder strap and keeps all the stuff together when on the boat.

Works great for me.

[Cooter]

I've tried organizing my tackle on numerous occasions and trust me, it simply doesn't work. In fact, I think its actually quite impossible Your time would be much better spent trying to split the atom or somewhat understanding women.

[paceman]

I've also been thinking about upgrading to a soft sided tackle box. The only negative comment I have heard from friends is that when they get wet they are tough to dry out and everything in them gets wet. Any experiences with them getting wet....

[Bruce Mosher]

Check out my Tackle Pouches! They will help you save alot of money from Chipped up Jigs, Spoons etc. Also Great for organizing Tackle in the Clear Sided Tackle boxes. You can also wrap a Tackle Pouch around your Rod and cover your jig so it doesn't snag up everything. My HSOforum is www.todaystackle.com Bruce Mosher

[ScottND]

Quote:

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I've tried organizing my tackle on numerous occasions and trust me, it simply doesn't work. In fact, I think its actually quite impossible

Your time would be much better spent trying to split the atom or somewhat understanding women.

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BINGO!!!! Just get a big hockey gear bag and through everything in it. This way you get to see how sharp your hooks are whenever you grab for something too. When the scent bottle breaks everything gets prescented saving a lot of time. Throw in about 50 yards of loose 90lb dacron line and you can get a look at everything just by grabbing hold and lifting the whole works up! YAHOO!!! Bring summer on baby.....I'm ready just like last year!

[Matt Johnson]

Here's a link to a video that will help you visualize what Bruce is talking about when he mentioned the Tackle Pouches...

Today's Tackle - Tackle Pouches

They really make it easy to find a ton of options for organizing you tackle. They definitely come in handy when dealing with split-shot and all the various components.