05 Jul Kayak Fishing Tackle Storage Solutions
Most fisherman know this, but one part of being a sponsored angler is providing feedback and reviews of the products that we represent. The thing that most people don’t realize is that no one tells us which products we have to use; we choose which products we want to use from our sponsors and, just like you, we obviously don’t use every product in their line. After all, we fish differently and have different styles and they all make products and solutions for the various types of anglers. Today, I am excited to share about a couple products from Plano that have been helpful to my kayak fishing on my Hooked on Wild Waters show. I feel these solutions can also help you become more organized and efficient on the water!
One product I’ve fallen in love with is the Plano Z-Series wrap bag. I’ve tried other solutions for soft plastic lures, such as ring binders, other bags, or storing them in typical stowaways, but both have their drawbacks which are well documented. For the kayak, I knew I needed something more durable than the basic ziplock style bags that are used in traditional binders. I also knew I needed something waterproof; the Z-Series wrap has both of these elements. I really like the fact that it has no zippers, and uses an easy Velcro closure system. Plus, I can easily see all my bait options with a simple unrolling of the wrap, rather than flipping through a bunch of bags. I can fit all of my baits in just three of these wrap bags, which are easily storable on any of my kayak models.When the day is beginning or ended, getting them to and from the water is made very simply via the easy carry handle. I separate all my baits into categories so that I don’t need all three of my bags every time I fish. For example, larger swimbaits and soft plastics are in one, so if I’m fishing a small creek or for smallmouth in clear water I may not bring that one. Bottom line, this product is something that I don’t see myself veering from unless Plano somehow develops an ever better solution for the problem that so many of us have faced for so long concerning soft plastics.
The V-Crate is another product by Plano that I’ve been using recently, and am now happy to put my stamp of approval on. It has a unique look to it that I was unsure about, but I soon realized that the unique shape actually makes accessing my stowaways a lot easier than a traditional crate. The large central opening looks innocuous, because it is basically just a bucket. At first I wasn’t sure what I would use this for, but I found that it really acted like a blank slate that I was able to use how I wish. At times I find myself putting odds and ends in it, such as sunscreen or a water bottle. At other times I end up using it to quickly discard lures that I didn’t have time to put back in my boxes. Then, just yesterday I used it to store some of my Z-Series wrap bags. The lower portion provides a unique waterproof storage area for wallets, keys or cell phones. It also acts like a booster seat to elevate the main compartment to a height that is easy to reach. Or, you can choose to remove this portion to help the crate fit in a smaller, lower profile manner. Accessory tracks on either side are a nice touch for those that want to add additional rod holders, or other accessories. And, just like the Z-Series, I really liked the large thick handle making it easy to transport to and from the water.
Check out my video review on how to organize soft plastics.
If you have not tried these two kayak friendly tackle storage solutions from Plano, I’d definitely give them a look!