Jump to content

H Crate JR Tackle storage solution(s)


Recommended Posts

After using a series of different kind of behind seat storage solutions I decided to revamp how I kayak fish.  I'm simplifying what I bring and how much of it.  No more stuffing my storage solutions full of things I don't or barely use.   To help aid this I have moved away from the cooler/rod rack behind me and moved to the super slick Hobie H-Crate Jr.   At 14 inches square it's a perfect fit for how I want to fish now and also keeps me from being everything but the kitchen sink..   

 

Is anyone else out there using one of these and if so I'm curious as to what tackle boxes you have in it?  I'll need waterproof boxes because I sometimes get water in the cargo area behind me being a bigger fella but who knows with me lightening my load maybe not anymore.  

 

Anyway what boxes are you using? Even if you don't have a H-Crate JR I'll still take your advice.   I'm looking for just two.  One for the usual plugs and the other for bucktail/ jigs.   Remember two is my limit and not bringing out anything more any longer :) -

Edited by pressphotog
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, pressphotog said:

I'm looking for just two.  One for the usual plugs and the other for bucktail/ jigs.

That is exactly what I do. I bought the waterproof planos and hate them. The damn gasket was always falling out! Plus you need to be careful about water like splashes or it's locked in there. I decided to go the other way with the Hydroflo perforated boxes. You just open them and rinse everything after the trip. After losing one overboard I put on footlong leashes to an 8" piece of pool noodle buoy. Besides that in my crate is a tube I rarely use, a compass, Gulp, otter tails, and leaders. When I take out, the cockpit crap like scissors and gripper go in there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ive explored the simple route along the way as well, I'm not using any kind of crate but this is what I went with.

 

 It's super compact & everything stays dry, the lid has a decent o-ring, not fully waterproof if submerged but it keeps out the splashes or any tankwell water, the top lid has a compartment that's good for storing loose stuff you have lying around.

 Holds two plano 23630's  or 3 plano 3620's,  I just swap out boxes depending where I'm going..... that & a few things below deck is all I bring, I leave everything in there in transit no need to remove anything but my rods.... usually.
box.jpg.8b5900222053799045711ed9c844c7a0.jpg.a28304bbb7ef64bc201a9f2155b25482.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, gellfex said:

That is exactly what I do. I bought the waterproof planos and hate them. The damn gasket was always falling out! Plus you need to be careful about water like splashes or it's locked in there. I decided to go the other way with the Hydroflo perforated boxes. You just open them and rinse everything after the trip. After losing one overboard I put on footlong leashes to an 8" piece of pool noodle buoy. Besides that in my crate is a tube I rarely use, a compass, Gulp, otter tails, and leaders. When I take out, the cockpit crap like scissors and gripper go in there.

I hear you on the gaskets falling out the Plano. I refused to buy those styles again.  

 

 Being that the H-Crate JR is only 14 inches OD that left me with little options on for large storage options sadly when I went to my local dicks.   I pickup up one of the newer Plano Edge water tight case to try. It has a totally different gasket then the 3 latch cheapo models I used to loath.   It also has some sort of contraption to keep things from rusting but I would not hold my breath on that.    The Edge will work but only for smaller swimmers.  It's in no way going to work for the large custom metal lip swimmers I make so I am still on the search for something like that and so I will check out the Hydroflo boxes.   My issue is more of size.  There isn't any waterproof box I've found yet in the 13 inch range which would be the sweet spot for me for larger plugs.  I might have to buy some of the smaller ones and just cut out the dividers so that I can carry a couple large swimmers which always catch for me in the spring. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BillZ said:

Ive explored the simple route along the way as well, I'm not using any kind of crate but this is what I went with.

 

 It's super compact & everything stays dry, the lid has a decent o-ring, not fully waterproof if submerged but it keeps out the splashes or any tankwell water, the top lid has a compartment that's good for storing loose stuff you have lying around.

 Holds two plano 23630's  or 3 plano 3620's,  I just swap out boxes depending where I'm going..... that & a few things below deck is all I bring, I leave everything in there in transit no need to remove anything but my rods.... usually.
box.jpg.8b5900222053799045711ed9c844c7a0.jpg.a28304bbb7ef64bc201a9f2155b25482.jpg

That's slick!  What's it called?

 

I went with a similar setup, but not as small.  I use the fabled Dog food container that I added a 3-rod holder to the back.  I put a handle on it and carry it loaded with all my boxes.  Since the container itself is waterproof, the boxes inside don't need to be.

 

The rule I have is if I take something out to use it, it doesn't go back in.  That way all the stuff in there stays clean and dry; I only have to clean what I use.  When I used to put the stuff back in, I either had to wash everything or it all got rusty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, pressphotog said:

My issue is more of size.  There isn't any waterproof box I've found yet in the 13 inch range which would be the sweet spot for me for larger plugs.

The Hydroflo 3700 is 14" X 9" X 2" with 4 long fixed dividers. Shouldn't that do it?

 

1 hour ago, atv223 said:

The rule I have is if I take something out to use it, it doesn't go back in.  That way all the stuff in there stays clean and dry; I only have to clean what I use.  When I used to put the stuff back in, I either had to wash everything or it all got rusty.

Then you have to put it somewhere! I found plugs I left in the cockpit were snagging me and other gear, but my narrow paddle boats also have less storage nooks and crannies than a Hobie.  The hydroflo solution is to be able to rinse everything easily in the box, and not worry about waterproof planos or crates. I open the boxes on the patio and rinse them when I rinse my reels.

Edited by gellfex
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, BillZ said:

Ive explored the simple route along the way as well, I'm not using any kind of crate but this is what I went with.

 

 It's super compact & everything stays dry, the lid has a decent o-ring, not fully waterproof if submerged but it keeps out the splashes or any tankwell water, the top lid has a compartment that's good for storing loose stuff you have lying around.

 Holds two plano 23630's  or 3 plano 3620's,  I just swap out boxes depending where I'm going..... that & a few things below deck is all I bring, I leave everything in there in transit no need to remove anything but my rods.... usually.
box.jpg.8b5900222053799045711ed9c844c7a0.jpg.a28304bbb7ef64bc201a9f2155b25482.jpg

That's a nice idea but I'm already invested in the Hobie h-crate.  I'm having a little trouble finding "good" size storage that will fit under the cover and hold a couple/few larger metal lip swimmer for instance. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, gellfex said:

The Hydroflo 3700 is 14" X 9" X 2" with 4 long fixed dividers. Shouldn't that do it?

 

Then you have to put it somewhere! I found plugs I left in the cockpit were snagging me and other gear, but my narrow paddle boats also have less storage nooks and crannies than a Hobie.  The hydroflo solution is to be able to rinse everything easily in the box, and not worry about waterproof planos or crates. I open the boxes on the patio and rinse them when I rinse my reels.

I just stick the used stuff in the net pocket on my Hobie, my buddy keeps an extra empty box for uses stuff.

 

I tried the hydroflo for just that purpose.  I rinsed the whole box full of lures when I got home from a day of fishing.  What I found was that it wasn't "open enough" to get it dried out quickly enough to prevent rust.  It was a mess.  I think they are meant for freshwater where you put back a damp lure and it has enough airflow to dry a few damp lures, not soak the whole thing.  Maybe you've had a different experience, but I destroyed a lot of stuff trying to use them that way.  My current system has kept my gear in great condition with minimal cleanup and been a solid setup for years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 mins ago, atv223 said:

What I found was that it wasn't "open enough" to get it dried out quickly enough to prevent rust.  It was a mess.  I think they are meant for freshwater where you put back a damp lure and it has enough airflow to dry a few damp lures, not soak the whole thing.

I leave it open outside in the breeze till it's dry, and raise them up so there's air flow underneath.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am actually really annoyed that Hobie made the h-crate JR 14 inches square so it excludes you from every 14 inch case on the market.   I am thinking I made a mistake here and I'm thinking I'm going to return the jr crate because I'm left locked into 10 inch storage boxes which isn't wasn't what I was looking for at all .  I'm kinda baffled why they didn't make it 14 1/2 inches square.  At least then 14 inches boxes would have made it in there.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, gellfex said:

The Hydroflo 3700 is 14" X 9" X 2" with 4 long fixed dividers. Shouldn't that do it?

 

 

NOPE!  That doesn't fit in a H-Crate JR.    I actually took the h-crate to dicks today and no 3700 case fits in it.  What was Hobie thinking! Had they made it 14.5 inches it would have been a million times more attractive.    I wrote the company where I purchase it about returning it.  I am going to take a hosing on a return unless I find a solution but at this point it's a glorified expensive box with rod holders I cannot effectively store the stuff I fish with in.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, pressphotog said:

 

NOPE!  That doesn't fit in a H-Crate JR.  

 

It does if you let it stick up past the rim. Doesn't bother me, makes them easier to grab, I'm not so flexible these days. The standard square crate is 12x12 inside, I had to rip 1.5" from the center of one and weld it together to fit my narrow Scupper Pro's tankwell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the Pro Angler so I slide my tackle boxes under my seat. I really do not like having to twist myself into a pretzel to reach behind me to grab tackle. 

 

 

You are just a dirty, smelly fisherman. If a hot girl is making eye contact with you, she is probably a hooker.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, gellfex said:

It does if you let it stick up past the rim. Doesn't bother me, makes them easier to grab, I'm not so flexible these days. The standard square crate is 12x12 inside, I had to rip 1.5" from the center of one and weld it together to fit my narrow Scupper Pro's tankwell.

Yeah it looks like I'll have no choice but to do what you suggest.  My interest in having them them lay the other way is because I have the h-crate cover too which I like because it kept things out of the sun but the cover has become a liability too.    I had a vision I was aiming for and it all fell apart. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 mins ago, pressphotog said:

Yeah it looks like I'll have no choice but to do what you suggest.  My interest in having them them lay the other way is because I have the h-crate cover too which I like because it kept things out of the sun but the cover has become a liability too.    I had a vision I was aiming for and it all fell apart. 

 

Don't overthink! When I use my Kayaksailor rig and want to bring a cooler for keepers I can't take a crate at all. I had to get smaller planos I could keep stashed in the cockpit. Adapt, Improvise and Overcome!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to register here in order to participate.

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...