Winter is a great time for cleaning your tackleboxes. There is no one perfect system but this is what works for many heavy-duty fishing experts.
A good place for the task is in front of a TV football game. Working off of a large folding table works great. If you have a Man Cave to keep the mess out of the main house, that’s better.
If you don’t use 3600 or 3700 type plastic box system, now would be a good time to start. These are great organizers. You can store by category and product letting you find things quicker. You only have to take what you need on each trip. For example, if you are only shooting docks, you don’t need your heavy sinker and double-hook rig boxes taking up space and adding weight to the boat.
You’ll need cleaning solution, rags, 1-quart size freezer bags and a few 1-gallon size freezer bags. The bags are great for storing items you don’t want in the boxes, or items too large to go into the boxes. They also prevent messes if a bottle of scent creates a leak.
Assemble all your tackle. That means from the boat and every storage spot. Grab both new and used stuff. Remove every items and sort by type: sinkers; hooks; jigheads (by weight); crankbaits; and so on.
Clean everything needing to be cleaned.
Go though each pile of tackle and discard bad items. Have another pile for good but won’t-use items. These can go to a neighbor kid or yard sale box. Good items go into the plastic, divided boxes. If you have too many egg sinkers or other items, put them into the plastic bags for storing.
Also jot down items you need to buy like 8-pound test line, 1/32-ounce jigs, and so on. It’s a good excuse for a road trip to a boat show or tackle retailer.
Get organized and you’ll enjoy the fact you can quickly find what you need when you need it. And, you have to carry fewer items with you by selecting the right boxes to take each trip. For more on this subject, check out our “Rigging a Crappie Boat” segment this month. -TH
