Storing Soft Plastics

[B-I-G]

I figure this isn't much of a problem but the thought has been haunting me for quite some time now. Is it better to leave soft plastics in their original bag or is it fine if you take them out and put them in ziploc bags for easier storage, etc.

[wareagledc]

i leave all mine in orginal packs. but they are all in gallon sized ziplock bags in one place.

[66KingFisher]

I use to always put my plastics in ziplock sandwich bags and add a few squirts of Fish Formula to coat them real good with scent and keep them oiled up...its like marinating your worms and the scent stays with the bait much, much longer by doing it that way......but that was back when plastics all came in bags that were just stapled shut....now days they all seem to come in their own factory ziplock bags so there's not much need to switch, so I leave mine in their factory bags.....and i'm using an old zippered gym bag type deal to carry them in....all the packages are stacked in two rows like files and are fairly easy to cull thru and it holds quite a few packs.

[B-I-G]

Oh okay thanks for the advice guys. I am a shore fisherman so I carry everything in a backpack, so organization and saving space is a MUST. I decided to switch most of them back to their factory bags and just keep them in a Gallon Bag to keep them together

[BigBassin144]

That's what I do. Got worms in one gallon bag, lizards in a nother, creature baits in another, etc, etc. I keep all mine in one of my newly acquired BPS tackle bags since my duffle bag I used to use broke.

BB

[66KingFisher]

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

I keep all mine in one of my newly acquired BPS tackle bags.
BB

Which bag did you get?

[BigBassin144]

I think it's this one, but last year's model.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...0#BVQAWidgetID

BB

[jasonfish320]

ziploc bags will work, the key is to keep them out of the heat (like leaving them in your car for extended periods of time on summer days) Also, when storing be sure to keep the colors separated, a lot of time (especially hand poured) plastics will tend to bleed colors.

[Lancer6]

From long years of trial and error:
Zip-Loc(TM) bags and their many imitations are not my choice for softies storage except in instances when I want to share certain softies with someone and then I use ONLY the heavier "freezer" grade bags, usually with the double row of "zip".
The thinner bags, such as the sandwich type, are too fragile and seem to be affected by contact with (or the vapors from) soft lures and will actually split open, usually at the side or bottom seams. Add to that their overall fragility and ease of snagging/puncturing and you can imagine the "scramble" of colors that might not be discovered until some weird cross-coloration has occurred.
The use of worm scents seems to accelerate and exacerbate the problem. There's nothing like finding that not only worms but SuperSmellySexySizzleSlimeSlop(TM) has spread into the rest of your gear.
In my BIG bag, a Cabela's Super Magnum (AKA The 500 Pound Gorilla AKA The Mother Ship,) I keep my trusted "go to" softies in 3700 or 3600 boxes since it makes rapid acquisition of a desired lure possible. When I want to tote a few other types or colors along I'll stuff 'em into the bag still in their original packaging.
I try to save the original bags so that I can rotate the selections in the boxes as whim and season indicate. Also, I always leave at least one of each type of softy in the original packaging, stored in "master storage" at home so that I can more easily identify a particular lure by make, type, color, length, etc, in order to facilitate replacement or to accurately relate to a fellow fisherman what I recommend he buy and/or pick up for me if he's where they are sold.
Whether a seasoned fisherman or a dizzy blonde is on the cell phone at the worm aisle it's easier to read "ZOOM, U-Tail, HyenaVomit/PurpleFlake" straight off the package than to say "As I recall...errrr...about six inches, sorta snakey/ribbony tail, the color is hard to describe but imagine that lipstick your fat sister wears and...Hello?...Hello?"
Helpful hint: If you (as do I) like to toss ringworms...ZOOM Dead Ringer and the like, be mindful that if they are packed too snugly with other worms the lil' rings will compress and distort and there is NO cure for that once it happens. You will have wrecked worms.
About additives: Rather than risk leakage try sprinkling a little salt and garlic powder in some packages and resealing. OR...spend a little down time in a constructive manner by opening each package in turn and rubbing a very thin coat of scent on each item, then resealing. That way you avoid a potential mess and the possible need to discard a tackle bag.
For the newbies: IMPORTANT! DO NOT, repeat, DO NOT, store softies like Strike King 3X or ANY other super-stretchy lures with other types of plastics, soft or hard. They will literally dissolve them. Always keep those in their original packaging and make certain they are tightly zipped.
And while we are at it; Keep Berkley "GULP" lures in their own packaging at all times.
A few years ago I was given several packages of "GULP" Senko knockoffs. I removed them from their slime bath packaging and put them into one of my Plano 3700s. I didn't fish for several weeks and when I did I found that they had all become harder than a preacher's appendage at a nudist wedding.
I did try to rejuvenate them by putting them in a jar of water. That seemed to be taking too long so I put them in the microwave for a few minutes...still in the water. What I took OUT of the nuker was a dead ringer for a wad of Silly Putty(TM).
Conclusion: They must be kept in their slime.

L6

[Jim80]

I pretty much do what BB said, keep em separate by bait type and then stick em in gallon sized zip locks .


Jim

[Bassboss]

Ya, store all my plastics in the original bad inside a utility box. I may start taking them out of bag and than into the boxes.... they're packed like sardines in can in there, I think I'll have allot more room if I do that way, only problem is is that stuff my loose the sent, or at least not retain it as well!

~good luck and good fishin'

[bassboogieman]

I try and keep mine in the original bags. I have a lot of plastic and I keep most of it in plastic shoe storage boxes. They stack easy in the boat and keep most of it KINDA organized. The Plano boxes just do not hold enough.

[odinbassgod]

ok what kinda soft baits are good? I have some worms and a few frogs but what else is good that works well? And were can I find cent for my soft baits?

[66KingFisher]

I think alot of plastics are good....too many to name them all.....I will say that any of the Ragetail baits are killer.....I also have used alot of stuff from Zoom and Yum.....I like the Yum Crawbugs alot....I think I caught more bass on those last year then any other bait I had in my box.....I don't think you can go wrong with plastics of any shape or color in my opinion.....I like'm all.

As for scents....some already come with scent....like the stuff from Yum or Berkleys powerbait series.....you can also get Yum scents and a couple of other brands at Walmart.....I prefer the original Fish formula scents, which you can get from places like BPS.

[odinbassgod]

ok thanks for the info..

[stevomac59]

I put mine in a BassProShop plastic bait binder.

http://reviews.basspro.com/2010/37107/reviews.htm
Keeps scent intact, and is very convenient