Utility Boxes or original bags for Soft Plastics

The fishing season is winding down and I'm staring at the mess on my
workbench in the basement. Lures, packages, bags, boxes scattered all over
the place -- and I'm dreading the unavoidable "organizing and putting away"
that is coming ......

For a couple years now, I've been kind of organizing my soft plastics in 2
different ways - both in utility boxes and just keeping them in their
original packaging and carrying them loose in a small duffel bag onboard. I
find the latter way saves alot of space, but isn't always as easy to find
what I'm looking for when I'm in the boat.

I want an organization technique that 1) keeps me organized with things easy
to find but 2) gives me the maximum amount of space onboard.

Other than the space thing in the boat, putting soft plastics in utility
boxes I've found causes other drawbacks -- 1) loss of scent, 2) you end up
with 1 or 2 plastics in each divider as you use them up and end up wasting
alot of space in the box, 3) say you try to have a "lizard box" or
something, I end up running out of dividable space, or just a few of a
certain brand or color, so I put different lizards together to keep the box
full - which causes color transfer (i.e. chartreuse get red on them and so
on), 4) I end up taking a box of lizards, a box of senkos, a box of tubes,
a box of jig trailer, a box of spinnerbaits, a box of topwater, a box of
diving cranks .... etc etc each time I go fishing, but end up using one or 2
types of lures and within each type, only one or two actual baits .... and
then I get home that night and as I'm unloading the boat I think "Why the
hell did I bring all that other crap ?" or worse "Why the hell did I BUY all
that other crap ???!!" ..............

Anyways, I'd really like to see a thread here from people on what everyone's
each unique individual organization technique is. Is everyone else out
there like me, with crap scattered all over, or you're lugging too much
stuff around with you each time ? Or have people come up with cool ways of
saving space and just taking what you need ?

I remember when I interviewed for the job I have now ...... the 5-person
interview committee asked me the standard question "What do you think is one
of your biggest downfalls" ...... my answer was "I can always see the other
side of everything, which sometimes makes it difficult for me to chose one
thing over the other". It certainly seems to hold true with my fishing !!!
ARrrrrghh. Help me !

Shawn

I feel your pain..sorta. I always bring too much tackle also but have
managed to organize it all. I use tray's to keep everything handy. And while
I do get to the "only two baits left" I usually replace them before they get
to that point. I also do not use trays on any plastics that are not
consistent producers. Those I keep in a side pouch in original bags. I have
also eliminated my hook box. I keep hooks in original packages in side
pockets of the tackle bag, doesn't take any more time to pull the hook packs
out then it does to get the tray. I also know exactly what hook I'm
grabbing. I use a Okeechobee Fats bag I bought last year. It holds nine
trays and my spinnerbait box(which has become a whole entity by itself) If
I'm going out for a 2 or 3 hour trip I usually just plastic bag my baits
witha few of each. But once the tackle bag is organized(6 times a year) I
don't mind bringing everything..except that it's really heavy and adds 75lbs
to the boat.


"Shawn" wrote in message
...
The fishing season is winding down and I'm staring at the mess on my
workbench in the basement. Lures, packages, bags, boxes scattered all
over
the place -- and I'm dreading the unavoidable "organizing and putting
away"
that is coming ......

For a couple years now, I've been kind of organizing my soft plastics in 2
different ways - both in utility boxes and just keeping them in their
original packaging and carrying them loose in a small duffel bag onboard.
I
find the latter way saves alot of space, but isn't always as easy to find
what I'm looking for when I'm in the boat.

I want an organization technique that 1) keeps me organized with things
easy
to find but 2) gives me the maximum amount of space onboard.

Other than the space thing in the boat, putting soft plastics in utility
boxes I've found causes other drawbacks -- 1) loss of scent, 2) you end up
with 1 or 2 plastics in each divider as you use them up and end up wasting
alot of space in the box, 3) say you try to have a "lizard box" or
something, I end up running out of dividable space, or just a few of a
certain brand or color, so I put different lizards together to keep the
box
full - which causes color transfer (i.e. chartreuse get red on them and so
on), 4) I end up taking a box of lizards, a box of senkos, a box of
tubes,
a box of jig trailer, a box of spinnerbaits, a box of topwater, a box of
diving cranks .... etc etc each time I go fishing, but end up using one or
2
types of lures and within each type, only one or two actual baits .... and
then I get home that night and as I'm unloading the boat I think "Why the
hell did I bring all that other crap ?" or worse "Why the hell did I BUY
all
that other crap ???!!" ..............

Anyways, I'd really like to see a thread here from people on what
everyone's
each unique individual organization technique is. Is everyone else out
there like me, with crap scattered all over, or you're lugging too much
stuff around with you each time ? Or have people come up with cool ways
of
saving space and just taking what you need ?

I remember when I interviewed for the job I have now ...... the 5-person
interview committee asked me the standard question "What do you think is
one
of your biggest downfalls" ...... my answer was "I can always see the
other
side of everything, which sometimes makes it difficult for me to chose one
thing over the other". It certainly seems to hold true with my fishing
!!!
ARrrrrghh. Help me !

Shawn