I decided to setup a tackle work area where everything is close at hand and organized. The shelves are built and the tackle tower and tool drawer are all set.

The organizing is another story. I work at it in my spare time. With the start of winter as it is; there may be quite a few spare hours until spring!

Sorting through all those tackle boxes, totes, coffee cans, and what have you is a big job. For example, there is one tackle box filled with hundreds of jig heads in various shapes, sizes and colors, all un-used. My goal is to put the “current spare” tackle that I use (may use) in the Plano 3700s on the shelves and get rid of the rest.

You are a total freak.

Love you Man!

Dwight, you, Theo, Bretski & Eddie could organize, fix and save the WORLD if you had the interest.
Good looking project.

- -

Did you say you were starting a mail order tackle store?

Get rid of the rest? Yeah, right.

That's the rub. Fish Wife tells people I can do anything I want to; the hard part is getting me to want to.


They would make a great donation to the Silent Auction at the next PBCon. Then some other poor PM(s) can buy them and add them to their own surplus tackle collection!

I don't want anything to do with fixing the world. I tried that in the late 60s and early 70s. It was fun, but nothing much came of it!

The Silent Auction donation is a great thought Theo! That is why you are moderator and I am grasshopper; flailing aimlessly out here.

You, DD1, and my dad must have the same disease, Dwight. He has more lures, swivels, weights, etc. than we could use if we fished non-stop for ten years. You seem to be more organized, though.

I can't be too hard on y'all. I buy plastic worms like they're candy. You never know when you'll need a different size, color, or style.

or flavor.

You will need to create a weatherproof metal box that will house 4 or 5 of those divided plastic containers. Install it on the barge dock and you can rotate stock as required to have it ready and on hand at the point of use.

Ya know, I thought about adding that exact word. But I figured the rest that paragraph was already a watermelon-sized softball anxiously awaiting someone to knock out of the park, so I refrained.

But yes, that is very important as well.

I got three words fer ya.

Dwight kicks butt.

Dwight will you please continue to post pictures of your strategy as it evolves. You are giving me some ideas that I would like to use in my own tackle strategy containment.

Bruce I thought for sure your 3 words would have been one of the following :

Lots of tackle -

Tackle for sale -

Dwight's Tackle Shop -

More than needed -

Dwight knows tackle -

Tackle gone wild -

Extreme organizational skills -

Dwight's prowess at self-rationalization is presented for all to see.

In the end, Dwight may have too much free time.

I suspect Dwight has no more free time than I do - he just works at home, so his free time is available for constructive purposes.

How about "Ten pounder yet?"

Christmas Card from Bremer Pond:

2 Inch jigs and grubs arranged.

Yep that would work. Anyone else.

"Missing a few"

and if the answer to that quewstion is "Yes":

"Pay up, Cecil."

Dwight, I have my tackle organized by what I have "confidence" in, I have too much stuff to ever reasonable take with me on any fishing trip. Every so often I go through my tackle and put all of the items that I have a lot confidence in into one bag, items that I have little confidence go into storage tackle boxes. I do leave some room for buying and trying new stuff as well, if the new stuff doesn't work out well then off to storage it goes. I will also organize my tackle by target species such as bass or bluegill. I actually have no idea how many tackle boxes are in my fishing room at the moment.

Shorty, I do that same thing with a medium size tackle bag that holds more than I need for a day on the water. It has interchangeable boxes. I fine tune the contents prior to a fishing day or trip for the types of fishing I expect to do. I got tired of hauling one of those giant tackle bags/boxes that weigh a ton and take up a lot of deck space. I have never been limited in any way by the smaller tackle bag.

I do the same thing Dwight. In fact, I carry my tackle bag on the boat with me even though I have gobs of storage under deck It's too much trouble to find anything in the deck compartments even though everything is organized and labelled. Heck, I probably only threw 15 different lures this year and probably could have saved 50 gallons of fuel had I simply left all the other stuff in the garage but as sure as I leave something behind, that's what they'll be biting on.

Second row, fifth compartment from the left. Pretty clear grubs in that one brother!

I am considering adding more of the wall board and possibly putting the tackle into categories like at the store.[IMG]

OMG !
I've never been to the dark side.
Dwight's tidy little assortment of bobbles and beads seemed a bit much, but it was cute and seemed manageable.
This display by James must be the crack cocaine of tackle-osis. Can this really be the fish-Jones of one man?

Brett you are starting to sound like my wife. Everytime she goes into my manshed she complaines about the amount of money I have spent on fishing tackle. Now you can see why I need help in the tackle containment department.

or a lock on the door she doesn't have a key for. Which would be cheaper/easier?

James, I can't live like that. Being a person that has to open every package that comes on-site (sometimes on the way from the store), this just would not work for me. Not to mention that the level of one's "habit" is worn on the wall where everyone can see, no secrets!

Dwight I have about six tackle boxes of lures and things as well that have been opened and categorized. I know I know I'm hopeless.

James, I have been hopeless longer than you have been alive. It is obvious to me that you know exactly what you are doing, though!

Cabelas had a deal on split double tails. The regular price $4.49/bag of 25 was reduced to $1.89/bag of 25!

I scored 5 bags each of my favorite colors, black and smoke.



If you are unfamiliar with the split double tail, this is how beautiful they are

Rat-L-Traps organized.

Rapalas organized.

Dwight, your beginning to remind me of that show "Monk"

Dwight do you mind coming over and organizing some of this?

James, I would love to lend a hand! How far are you from Daytona International Speedway?

Im not sure but I am close to dfw airport in Texas.

Dwight I just had something very exciting happen today. I discovered that hsb will hit green worms similar to your split double tail.

I have some chartreuse metal flake split double tails they would really like! How far are you from Texas Motor Speedway, then?

Ten miles.

That is Gail and my favorite race track. We were there last November. I believe that was our 8th trip to TMS in 10 years. We used to go in April, but it rained pretty much every time so we switched to November.

Dwight,
Any chance you have access to any .50 caliber firearms?

Jeez, that is a scary story.

A few.

When my recovering leg gets well enough I am going to make a trip to the basement and photograph and post my tackle area. The last time I made that trip to the basement it was a one way trip. As discussed elsewhere on this site, the return trip was on the EMS gurney as I messed up my leg which has left me recovering.

Anyway, Cabelas has a sale now and has some very nice looking rod storage items at less than half price. I already have something similar in the Browning brand that I bought at Bass Pro Shops, but some of these look very good:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templa...1502&id=0035940

Bing

Bing,

Those are great prices!

I have the round type with the ball-bearing base. It holds the 24 most used rods. The spares are in rod tubes of various types, some that I haven't look into for a year or more.

I suppose there is no sense in me reminding you to be careful on those stairs!

When I started organizing my tackle I was amazed that I had so much stuff. (over 50 unopened lures, etc.) I sorta thought I was to tackle what Amelda Marcos was to shoes. Then I see other people's areas and realize I am a piker.

When I look at Hank Parker and Bill Dance's pole barns on TV or DVD and see they have more rods on one wall than I have ever owned. Connie and watched Issue 3 and 4 of Bill Dance's Bloopers last night and realize he has broken more rods on camera than I have owned. I currently "only" own about 25 rod and reel outfits, but 12 of them are for grandchildren and other little ones.

To the best of my recollection, I've only broken three rods in my life, (Inclduing Connie removing the top six inces of the custom six foot untralight fly rod I wrapped several years ago). I've only broken one on a fish. One was broken on a Canadian Goose, but that is a story for another time (I must have had a 12 pound breakage rod and 15 pound monofilament).

Bing

I tried fixing the world in the seventies and something did come of it....Fox Nuke Plant was not built on Kaw Lake...so non of those funny looking fish I saw posted ....found out some more about my pond ...to discourage to describe...observation: I drive a 1965 mercury comet caliente...sometimes it fixes itself...would be nice if ponds would show the same courtesy.

Dwight jealous of the organization. Also too embrassed to post a pic. I would make James look organized. I did get 2 24 rod holders from cabelas and have plans to work on basement organization now that house is complete.

Thank you Greg I knew I wasn't the only one with this affliction. See Dwight

Complete organization is something that will never happen, given the affliction of fishing gear!

I always save the silica gel from packages that come in stuff from tools to beef jerkey to keep them dry and toss them in my tackle boxes and gun cases. I'm not sure how much it helps but it can't hurt and doesn't take up much space.

Ryan, Using those desiccants packs is a good idea.

It is also good idea to put them in the oven on the lowest (warm) setting a few times a year to remove the moisture they have absorbed. A clothes dryer works well too (preferably on no-spin). This process gives them a new lease on their moisture sucking lives.

Ryan, I keep a few of those packs in my hook storage area, they definately cut down on the rust, as I don't have any noticable on my hooks.

Wow, great ideas guys, I never though of that.

JHAP You have your Death Star operation and tax-evasion-off-shore deal. All we have are our desiccants.

ROFLMAO, without a doubt the tax code definately induces or sustains a state of dryness. I've been busy attending tax update seminars and rotating my 2008 tax research materials into my library. Congress was busy last year passing five new tax acts. Since I know that you are all sitting on the edge of your seats for more information regarding these acts they are as follows:

· Economic Stimulus Act of 2008
· Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008
· Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008
· Housing Assistance Tax Act of 2008
· Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008

Do I know my desiccants or what.

It's no wonder that on rare occasions I display less than normal behaviors. It's a wonder that anyone could be exposed to this stuff on a regular basis and not be full tilt bozo. Wanna torture a prisioner, forget water boarding, nix the rack, put the electrodes away. Make them attend tax seminars - they'll fold like a cheap suit.

JHAP,

Is this the new Thread Killer Death Star test? If so, it may work. Taxes will pretty much kill anything

Sorry Dwight.

OK, folks forget I mentioned the "T" word.

Back to Tackle Containment Strategies.....

I was, of course, just giving you a hard time.

Anyone as weird as me out there, that does not have one lure in
their tackle selection that is not of the factory super sharp variety, or have been hand filed or honed to a sticky sharp point?

Make that; "one hook in their tackle"

I have stone hook sharpener hooked on the outside of my tacklebag to touch up hooks. I always wondered if those battery powered ones work better.

I read somewhere that you should test a hooks sharpness on a fingernail.

Ryan,

I prefer a hook file to a stone, but that is a personal preference. I never start fishing without a quick thumbnail check for hook sharpness. If the hook won't stick to my thumbnail, then it gets a touch-up. I check my hooks often using that thumbnail check while fishing.

If you want to try a battery powered one, you can try mine. With a good hook file and a little practice you create hook points that are far better than the power one.

I'm not sure I understand that. I usually test the sharpness of my hooks in my fingers, my arm, once in my leg, a shirt or shorts, my hat once - boy was that scarry. I don't sharpen my hooks (seriously I've never sharpened a hook). I figure I'm dangerous enough with dull hooks.

JHAP, you really ought to consider going totally barbless.

That is one thing that I have thought of. I do crimp the barbs on all of my tackle. It's not that I care that much about my fish, it's just that dislodging a hook from your forearm is much easier, much less painless, and removes much less meat when you have crushed the barb.

Theo said,

From the sounds of his hook sharpness testing techniques, JHAP may be better off going hook-less and using a dip net.

Fishing with me is definately an adventure.



What is the easiest way to capture JHAP?

Use a dip net.