Okay Bass Cat Boaters, others too, When you go fishing....

[Flyswatter]

Do you pack you boat to the gills with tackle or do you plan the day and go lite?  I go back and forth on this.  Sometimes, IMO making it simple would make me more committed to whats in my hand vs junk fishing add-infinitem(sp)..... Sooooo......  I think I'm going to change it up a bit this season and pack lighter during prespawn and spawning time of the year.   There's a little voice in my head saying why do I need to carry 30 different rattle traps when I have confidence in maybe 3-4 color patterns for the lake I'm fishing.  Just a thought. Like to read what you all do...  Also,  no right or wrong answers just different styles.

[CarkyF]

I try to keep equipment organized by types--deep crank baits for example with labeled boxes.  This lets us carry the individual boxes that should be needed to that particular lake.  In the winter, there is not a need to carry 12" plastic worms, so that box stays home.  Still guilty of carrying way too much when I go.  Rarely does the battalion of crankbaits need to be hauled to Lake Martin--usually can get by with one box of assorted baits. 
Years ago the BassMaster Classic only allowed anglers a set number of pounds of tackle to fish with.  Have considered making a box for each of the lakes I fish with 10 pounds each.  just haven't gotten that far with the idea yet.

[Flyswatter]

I try to keep equipment organized by types--deep crank baits for example with labeled boxes.  This lets us carry the individual boxes that should be needed to that particular lake.  In the winter, there is not a need to carry 12" plastic worms, so that box stays home.  Still guilty of carrying way too much when I go.  Rarely does the battalion of crankbaits need to be hauled to Lake Martin--usually can get by with one box of assorted baits. 
Years ago the BassMaster Classic only allowed anglers a set number of pounds of tackle to fish with.  Have considered making a box for each of the lakes I fish with 10 pounds each.  just haven't gotten that far with the idea yet.

Carky,   I really like your thought process box or bag for each of the lakes you fish.   I got so much that it becomes a major challenge finding things...  I gotta clean up my act!!!!   

[RiverRatMD]

Do you pack you boat to the gills with tackle or do you plan the day and go lite?  I go back and forth on this.  Sometimes, IMO making it simple would make me more committed to whats in my hand vs junk fishing add-infinitem(sp)..... Sooooo......  I think I'm going to change it up a bit this season and pack lighter during prespawn and spawning time of the year.   There's a little voice in my head saying why do I need to carry 30 different rattle traps when I have confidence in maybe 3-4 color patterns for the lake I'm fishing.  Just a thought. Like to read what you all do...  Also,  no right or wrong answers just different styles.

I have about 28 boxes with lures. I keep a 'master' bag at home and try to take what I need for that day which is about 15 boxes.  I have my favorite soft plastics in two bags - (1) Worm/grub bag (2) Creature/trailers bag.   When I go on a trip I take the Master bag with me & keep it in the truck.  I like to keep the G-boat light as I can since I already carry 4  29 series Batteries.

[-Shawn-]

I have 2 sets of Shelves Beside the boat in the garage..........  I keep eveything split up according to Visibuility of the water I am going to be fishing.  Usually take 15 min or so to swap things around..

During Prefish My boat is usually loaded to the gills, But on tourney day, I usually pull it back to just what my Patterns are......  Now if it is a small lake and 3-4 miles is all I am going to run then I usually dont worry about it.

[Bigwrench]

I'm guilty as well , everything I own is on the boat . I swore I was not gonna do that this year , since I added the deck extension . But I'm loaded down again lol. Probably won't be able to break 65 mph this year if I don't quit adding weight . My biggest problem is knowing when to use what ? If I could master that , it  would help me decide what to leave at home or the camper . I probably have 200 cranks on the boat , 100 jigs, a worm bag and 2 tubs full of plastics and tons of other stuff

[Creel Limit Zero]

I used to do that, and last year I got real organized and went the Plano box method for 95% of my tackle.  Everything is labeled and quick to retrieve, and I cut down on half of the tackle I brang since I did not have 15 bags of the same June Bug Trick Worm.  No I've cut down on the weight, and I can retie and find the bait I want in a couple of minutes.  Couple of years ago if I ran out of a certain soft plastic, to find the 3 extra bags of it I know I bought last month would be a nightmare.  I would have half of my tackle out as I tried to retrieve it.  Would waste 5 even 10 minutes in a tournament trying to get this one stupid lure...  I find myself fishing a lot more as well as not getting frustrated due to lack of organization... 

[Eyra1]

I have been organizing off and on for years.  Deep cranks, medium, shallow, square bill, tops/props, jerkbaits...each group has their own box.  Soft sided cases for plastics are kind of the same.

That being said, I am kind of in a hybrid state this week... I will be packing light...no deep cranks, or medium cranks........

Heading to Lake Fork in the morning boys!

[Flyswatter]

I have been organizing off and on for years.  Deep cranks, medium, shallow, square bill, tops/props, jerkbaits...each group has their own box.  Soft sided cases for plastics are kind of the same.

That being said, I am kind of in a hybrid state this week... I will be packing light...no deep cranks, or medium cranks........

Heading to Lake Fork in the morning boys!

Go gott'em and please let us know how it goes.   

[bobsquatch13]

I fish Calif. Delta tidal waters almost exclusively as more fun than any of the lakes around here that I have fished (most of them). Some really big bass in here. So I only carry stuff on my Cat that I use in the Delta which amounts to only five total box's carrying everything I want: two of the 3700 size, a canvas one in 3700 similar size and two smaller oblong shape and that's it! All the plastics, cranks of all kinds, spinner & buzzbaits, frogs, jigs & accessories I might use in the Delta waters. The rare times I go to a lake I use what I have as not going to buy more for the 1 or 2 times I might go to a lake. Not a heavy load of stuff in my boat at all as I also only use 2 casting and 3 spinning outfits total. Works for me.

[Wil Holmes]

Eyra1 would like to see pic's of how you organize your gear in your Eyra. Trying to figure out some new ways. I load my boat with everything when I go not that organized at all. I'm really enjoying this thread to help motivate me to get organized. Thanks Fly!

[Eric-Maine]

My kids have long moved out so I decided to make one bedroom into a tackle room. Two walls covered in pegboard a 6 foot table and a nice office chair. Use the closet to store all my "fishing" clothes. Plan was to keep my boat empty and just take what I needed. I used a small utility basket to pick from the pegs for that trips use. I need more discipline. The season ended with a boatload. Stuff went in didn't come out....that and I sometimes spent time thinking about something I thought I needed hanging on the wall at home. Boat is completely empty again. Maybe I will do better this season.

[Cass Caldwell]

I stopped stockpiling BS a fews years back and now I only buy exactly what I know I need and will use.  For instance, I use Lake Fork Creatures (3 colors), Terminator Spinnerbaits (2 colors), Bandit Cranks (3 Colors), Zoom Trick worm (2 colors), etc, etc.  Of all the stuff I use, I only buy enough to last a few months, and if I run low I will resupply.  It's kinds of like the "Just-in-time" supply concept that Toyota and other companies use.  But I do keep everything in the boat, because you never know when you'll need bait "X". 

[Eyra1]

Eyra1 would like to see pic's of how you organize your gear in your Eyra. Trying to figure out some new ways. I load my boat with everything when I go not that organized at all. I'm really enjoying this thread to help motivate me to get organized. Thanks Fly!

Hey Wil, haven't checked here lately.  PM me an email address and I'll send some pics.  Don't know how to load on web, I don't have that photo bucket thingy

[pascatII]

Fly,
I am guilty of "if I got it, it goes..."  I really need to down size to cut down on search time.  My confidence bait will be a soft plastic.  I really need to leave a lot of the extra things at home.  Maybe I will set up my garage like BPS and start shopping when I think I need to replenish my boat stock.  I could hide the money in an old coffee can and when it gets full I can go buy that PP or Side Imaging I want.  After all, I probably have what I will buy in a tub out in the garage.  Why not shop at home?

[Donald Garner]

I usually bring the store with me.  I have everything in plano boxes labeled and by types etc.  You never know when you might need that other bait 

[Flyswatter]

I usually bring the store with me.  I have everything in plano boxes labeled and by types etc.  You never know when you might need that other bait 

DG,   that brings me to my next question.  Example:   How much difference is there in a Zoom or Big Bite six inch lizard in green pumpkin?   My challenge:  I have way to many duplicates with jig trailers, other plastics and not sure why I have so many square bills when I only fish 3-5 color patterns.  I know I get frustrated waisting time looking for that one lure at times...   My goal is to trim some lure weight in 2013. 

I like the idea of have having a peg board to select what I need for the day based on seasonal patterns.  Make sure you have enough knowing the water is stained or dirty.  That alone will cut down what I have in my boat.  Just a thought that is neither right or wrong put personal preference.

[Donald Garner]

DG,   that brings me to my next question.  Example:   How much difference is there in a Zoom or Big Bite six inch lizard in green pumpkin?   My challenge:  I have way to many duplicates with jig trailers, other plastics and not sure why I have so many square bills when I only fish 3-5 color patterns.  I know I get frustrated waisting time looking for that one lure at times...   My goal is to trim some lure weight in 2013.  I like the idea of have having a peg board to select what I need for the day based on seasonal patterns.  Make sure you have enough knowing the water is stained or dirty.  That alone will cut down what I have in my boat.  Just a thought that is neither right or wrong put personal preference.

Fly,

Theres more than likely not much other than the name   

I don't fish tournaments like most guys on UB do so I don't have a need for a bunch of duplicate baits.   I have a total of ( 12 ) plano boxes that hold all my various crank baits, spinnerbaits, vibershocks, top waters, jigs, jigging spoons etc.  I also have ( 12 ) plano boxes that hold all my various types of soft plastics.  I use basic colors that have produced for me or my fishing partners.  If I run short of a type of bait then I'll go and purchase that bait.  I do have a small box with extra skirts, blades etc for "Making spinnerbaits".  All these plano boxes fit nicely in my Stratos Storage area behind the drivers and Pax's seat. I have ( 14 rods setups ) I keep in my Stratos also.

I have the same amount of plano boxes with the same baits as in my Stratos stored in my G3 boat.  This way I don't have to take stuff out of one boat and put it in the other if I want to fish out of it.
The only difference in my equipment is the number of rods I have in my G3 ( 8 rods ) vs ( 14 rods ) in my Stratos.
   

[BassCatBates]

I start out packing for every tournament with the idea that I'm only going to take the bare minimum.... and by the time I'm finished I have pretty much all the tackle I own in the boat.  I play out WAY too many what if scenarios in my head and end up just bringing it all. 
only exception is if I'm fishing a tourney where I know I will be in skinny water the majority of the time.  I try to pack pretty light then and keep as much weight as I can out of the boat.

[Elwood]

I never have to pack.....All of my tackle stays in the boat and I replace as I use.  I have grow to resist the lures that catch fishermen and trim down to what catches fish for me. Jigs, Spinnerbaits, and creature baits/10 inch powerworms.  I have a couple of other things that I might use once or twice a year.

[Flyswatter]

Well,  guilty as charged.  I've been hooked and caught by one to many Strike King and Rapala Crankbaits.      Way too many of the same thing.  My son is set for life.   

[merc1997]

I'm guilty as well , everything I own is on the boat . I swore I was not gonna do that this year , since I added the deck extension . But I'm loaded down again lol. Probably won't be able to break 65 mph this year if I don't quit adding weight . My biggest problem is knowing when to use what ? If I could master that , it  would help me decide what to leave at home or the camper . I probably have 200 cranks on the boat , 100 jigs, a worm bag and 2 tubs full of plastics and tons of other stuff

:)i just have to smile about having 100 jigs.  in NuJigs, that would be a lifetime supply!!  i will have to say that your boat is a floating tackle shop!!!  there is nothing like being prepared though.

bo

[Bigwrench]

:)i just have to smile about having 100 jigs.  in NuJigs, that would be a lifetime supply!!  i will have to say that your boat is a floating tackle shop!!!  there is nothing like being prepared though.

bo

It's probably more like 150 jigs lol. Now I'll have to count them for sure .  I do have one NuJig and it is tied on my Champion 704c Rod   Fished it for about 2 hours today in 49-51 degree water.  The great thing is I haven't lost it and I've thrown it in some nasty stuff ! The only downsides are , I haven't caught a fish on it yet and I only have the one .  3-4 more weeks and I will be fixing both of those issues .  I just can't catch fish below 55-58 degree water temps no matter what I throw at them . I think it's a conspiracy lol , the fish got my number. 

[West6550]

BigWrench if you count them and have to many I have room to "hold" them for you lol

[Flyswatter]

BigWrench if you count them and have to many I have room to "hold" them for you lol

BigWrench,  What West6550 said.  We are all here to help (hands extended forward and palms wide open).