soft tackle boxes

[vern]

have lots of stuff, can anyone tell me of the best of the best
bag to get and where.
thank vern

[Walleye Herbie]

Walmart carries a really nice Shimano bag with six of the plano style plastic boxes. It has good side compartments and a nice carry strap. You can't beat these for $21.00 compared to the cabela's equal at $49.00.

[REW]

I have tried a few different ones and have found that the cheap ones (in general) work just as well as the expensive ones.

I have found several at K-mart or Wallmart for about $9 - minus any plastic bags that have worked just fine.

I have used $80 bags as well - and yes they have heavier nylon and better straps -- but in general since most of my fishing is boat fishing and the primaray use for the softsided tackle bags is to simply carry a bunch of plastic boxes filled with tackle to the boat -- where it sits on the floor - I really don't find much difference between the inexpensive ones and the expensive ones.

I have acutally - for a couple of the overflow boxes - simply used a $3 gym bag to hold a dozen boxes to get them to the boat.

Then, if I end up using some of these frequently, I wll transfer the one or two being used to the more convenient front sided - soft sided tackle bag.

Bottom line - simply get a bag that appeals to you and will hold your boxes.

P.S. I don't think that it is a big deal about getting a bag that has a hard sided plastic bottom. Most of the bags, even without the hard bottom have little feet - which keep the bag from sliding around. Even if I fish in the rain - I will always take the bag in at night -- and if the bag is totally wet - I will take all of the plastic boxes out and let everything dry out overnight.

In addition to that - I did have a soft sided box with a hard bottom that I got rid of - because I found that with this specific model -- that in a hard rain - or heavy seas - that water would either come in through the zippers - or if I happened to have the access door open - typical for a normal active fishing day - that water would come into the bag -- and then because the bottom was basically a plastic bucket -- water would pool in the hard plastic bottom.

I could have drilled holes in the bottom to let the water drain, but I solved my problem by giving the bag away.

Just find the bag that fits your boxes.

I carry a fair number of both 3600 size boxes as well as a fair number of 3700 size boxes. I have different sized bags for each type box.

Take care

REW

[REW]

P.S>
As you said - you have lots of stuff.
This was the same situation with myself and I had switched completely over to plastic boxes. Because the compartmentalization was so nice - the plastic boxes actually take a bit more room than a "conventional" box. However, I like the convenience of being able to see every thing laid out is area that are all easily accessable.

Because I really didn't want everything in soft sided bags. I took an empty 3600 box, as well as an empty 3700 box and went to both K-Mart, Wallmart, Sams Club and Target - until I found a couple "rubber maid" or equivalent -- plastic storage boxes that
"exactly fit" storage of multiple 3600 or 3700 boxes.

That way - all of my "overflow" boxes - for the plastic boxes that I don't actually have in my boat in their soft sided boxes are stored in these rubber main plastic boxes.

This way - when going from summer to winter fishing - or going from pan fish to walleye or to muski fishing -- I simply go to the appropriate rubbermaid storage box, and transfer to the soft sided "boat" tackle bag for the days fish.

When I am fishing for that species, or time of the year - the boxes go back to the "rubbermaid" box for storage.

This works for me - and the advantage is that - since the plastic 3600 or 3700 boxes -- completely fill the "rubber maid" storage boxes - I am getting my tackle stored in the smallest foot print available.

This is useful - because on a long and or varied fishing trip - I will take one or two of the "backup" rubber maid" storage boxes - loaded with "alternate" tackle - for the trip.

Take care

REW

[Mattman]

I have a Cabela's bag. Well made, durable, holds lots of stuff.

[Sunshine]

REW,
Do you know the model number of the rubbermaid containers?

[Jersey John]

Like some of the other guys I have a netted gym bag that holds 13 # 3700 storage boxes. For the money it does what I need. Hold enough lures for a days fishing. I also store my other boxes in the back of the truck when on vacation, or plan on fishing for different fish on the same trip. I carry almost all of my fishing gear with me at all times, never know when you might need it. Hope this helps. JJ

[REW]

Sunshine -
No, the model number is on the label - that I take off after I get the containers.
They are sitting beside my computer and are unmarked. I use a couple of different ones - depending on the type of boxes that are inside. I simply take the style boxes that I am using - for example - 3600 - 1/2 size 3600, and both shallow and deep 3700 boxes. I simply go through the various containers - until - by placing the particular style boxes in a particular I find one that completely fills the storage bos - in multiple copies - with no empty spaces.

Take care

REW

[MarbleEye's]

If you do decide to get a soft sided tackle box I would suggest getting on that is top loading. This is because all the boxes are eaiser to acess than in a side loading because none are resting on top of eachother. MarbleEye's

[Box]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-05-01 AT 11:29PM (CST)[p]REW,

I like your idea of using a big ol' junky gym bag. Me and my bro used the softsided bags for about 14 years, and the ones we use now are old Adidas bags that carry a ton o' 3700's. The 3600's just take too darn many boxes to get everything in.

Oh, yeah, and we put a piece of duct tape on the ends and write in perm marker what types of lures/equip is in each. They fit kind of on end in the top loading bag so you can see which box you want from anywhere in the boat. It also helps for when we have visitors in the boat, so they can toss a box to us.

The big bags work great, cost, oh, about nothing (cause you find them in a pile in your basement... next to old baseball bats and hockey sticks...) and its easy to lug them to the truck if you're leaving the boat out in the open overnight. Ours is nylon, so water doesn't hurt it even if it gets soaked.

The smaller ones are nice if you're going in someone elses boat, so you don't clutter it up - then all you have to do is borrow from the gym bag! ha!

I like your idea for the rubbermaid tub. Will be putting a couple in the garage tis year to cover the overflow! Never can have too much "stuff" ;)

Box
MN