9 replies to this topic

[Jim_S]

Anyone know of a good method of carrying bucktail lures when going fishing??? My bucktails look really nice when I put them in my plastic tray, by the time I come back home all the hairs are smashed, the hair is going all over, and the hooks are tangled in the hair.

I need a better way of carrying them, I know the fish don't care how they look, but I put so much work into making them look great and then carrying them ruins the bucktails. Any suggestions?????

[cotton]

Musky fisherman sometimes use a heavy styrofoam cooler...stick the hook in the top and let the lure hang in the box. I use 5 gallon buckets and cut slots in the top (cause styrofoam don't last) for my saltwater lures on the pier...same principle though. If they're small lures use a "spinnerbait" box with slots, just hang the treble in the slot.

[GB GONE]

Jim....I saw a guy on the Chippewa Flowage up in Northern WI with all his bucktails on a Cooks tackle system set up.

These are great for in the boat but won't work if you are not wanting to store them in the boat all the time..

Jim

[Jim_S]

Thanks for the replies!! I'm sure I can make something now I see what the Cook system looks like.

I have to take all my stuff out of the boat every time I go out, what a pain in the %$#.

[gonefishindd]

I package my bucktail jigs in small zip top bags. example: 2"x8 "' bag, cut a peice of copy paper to fit into the bag , drop in the jig. the paper keeps the bag stiff ,hair in place and tangle free.For freshwater jigs ,smaller bags . Jann's carries small poly bags

[Jim_S]

At first the plastic bag idea seemed great, the more I thought about it the more I don't think it would work. Problem I see w/plastic bags is what happens with a wet lure? It will probably get ruined in an air tight bag.

I have to find some way to hang the lures so air circulates around it.

Thinking about a small (2qt) plastiic bucket w/holes in the lid. Push the front of the spinner wire loop into the hole and then put a nail through the loop to hold it. This way it would hang free and be protected at the same time.

Another idea I have is to make a small square maybe around 12" x 10". Screw an eyehook into the top lip and attach a rubber band or small spring on the lower lip. Then put the lure wire hook over the eyehook then slip the spring onto the spinnerbait's hook.

We have tornado warnings here for tonight so I have lots of time to think & experiment.

[Jim_S]

Ok, just by looking around my shop I found something that works perfect. I found a clear rectangle shaped Sterilite container w/a white snap-on lid. It looks to be about 1 or 1.5 gallon size.

I heated up a nail with a propane torch and punched about 25 equally spaced holes in the lid (room enough to put more holes if I need them). All I do is push the eye of the in-line spinnerbait through the hole and put a nail through the loop to hold it. The weight of the lure holds it secure. I can see lures through the clear plastic.

Made a 4-sided handle from some rope and rubber tubing.

Slick set-up and it only took about 15 minutes to make. Looks like something you would buy in a store for about $20.

[davycrockett]

I made a box for my inlines out of an empty rectangular bucket that had milk bone dog bones in it.(My Choc. Lab is spoiled rotten! )I've seen similar plastic containers that contain kitty litter. The bucket is approx. 12" tall which is perfect for bucktails, especially tandems. I made two dividers to fit the length of the bucket(about 11") out of plexiglass. After I cut the dividers to fit, I cut notches in the plexiglass to hang the baits upside down. I then secured the dividers by cutting some 1"X1" pine blocks the length of the bottom of the bucket. By screwing thru the bottom of the bucket I secured the dividers with a block on both sides of the divider. Then I cut blocks and secured them to the sides of the bucket to sandwich the dividers. I drilled some 1/4" holes in the bottom and sides for ventilation. The bucket has a hinged lid that snaps on and off easily. The whole project was time consuming (about 4 hrs.) but it beats paying hundreds of $'s for a box.

[dannyboy]

Short lengths of aluminum or plastic downspout arranged vertically in a milk crate work well for a quick fix.

Dan

[musky_man]

Jim,

When your bucktails look like that, take some dishwaher soap (the kind you use in your sink, not a mechanical d/w) and give them a good washing. Hang them to dry. Once dry. steam the the bucktail over a boiling kettle. for about 30 seconds

You will be amazed at the results -- look like new.

Hope that helps.