A "bucket" tackle organizer...good rainy day project

[Full_Monte]

Here are some photos of the tackle organizer I made using the suggestions of Kokonuts, MacPrince, Fall River Guy and the rest of you who contributed to the last thread on this topic.

I made a bucket tackle organizer like Kokonuts did with some modifications.
The main difference is that I made a plate out of sheet pvc to mount the pipes to, cut it to fit the inside of a bucket, and glued the pvc pipes onto it.

Materials included:
2-gallon bucket from Home Depot paint dept.
Lid for bucket
1/4 inch sheet pvc from TAP plastics junk bin
7/8 x 3/8 Urethane pipe insulation from Home Depot
1/2 inch pvc pipe
pvc glue
27/32 inch drill for holes in the bottom plate
Construction tips: A regular drill will tend to "grab" your PVC plate on the drill press, and make your holes too big. Clamp it down. Also, when you glue in the pipes, they may tend to "flop" around. Hold them straight until they stand on their own.

What I like about this is that I can remove all the tackle from the bucket at once to see what's there. I figure I can get 15 setups on it per pvc post.
I also can use some Tackle Buddys that I have in addition to the foam, but if I'd known about the foam first, I'd have skipped the Tackle Buddys.
To attach the swivel end of the leader setup to the foam, I used some "junk" hooks I have and snapped the swivel into a hook. This gives me hooks on both ends of the leader to hook into the foam.

What I don't like about this setup is that the bucket lid takes Paul Bunyan to remove it. I would have also preferred a square bucket, but couldn't find one without buying $57 worth of nails at the store.

You guys have been so helpful to me here, I hope this helps some of you. If any of you find a better bucket, please let me know.

[wahoohunter]

Very nice job and idea

[Kokonuts]

Monte...YOU DA MAN!!! This is what is so great about this Forum!! A good bunch of guys sharing tips & how toos!!
With the full size bucket you have more that enough for a full day & still room for other stuff. I always drop in my corn , pliers, hook remover ++whatever else I need. I also like the idea of taking out all at once. Way to go!Did you use the seat cushion they make for the top?
Bullets came up with the idea of using a small size lunch box to keep corn & bait fresh. That would also make a good one!

Ive just finished my Prototype Pancake DR wieghts! They will work & arent to hard to make if you can pour the lead.
I wish I could post picts but still having a hard time with that.

OK you guys, Lets hear from you about your projects!!!

[SilverBullets]

Great job Monte! Thanks for sharing! It looks like your got some good advice on lures, I think your gonna knock em dead this year!

[Fallriverguy]

That looks great! Instead of a new tackle box, I just need to make a tackle bucket. I really like it.

[jacksonlaker]

Full Monte, you may find square buckets used for cat litter, I have 2 on my boat, one is my garbage can, the other my wife's toilet...I know, too much information !!!! I may a new use for one of them for a tackle bucket !

[HiTechKoke]

Great stuff Monte! You are so ready to go fishing with all your new tackle.

[MackPrince]

Those turned out great Monte.

[Full_Monte]

Did you use the seat cushion they make for the top?
Bullets came up with the idea of using a small size lunch box to keep corn & bait fresh. That would also make a good one!

OK you guys, Lets hear from you about your projects!!!

No, Kokonuts....I didn't use a full-size bucket. This one is only a 2 gallon bucket, not a 5 gallon one. It's about 10 inches high. I'm trying not to go overboard on the size as my boat is challenged for room. The kitty litter buckets would work, but they are larger than the bucket I used. I think they make the seat-lids for the 5 gallon buckets, not the 2 gallon.

[Kokonuts]

Monte... I didnt notice the size of the bucket , the 2 gal is perfect!

[Gadabout]

Ya thanks Monte, now this gives me a reason to leave the house on a rainy day.

[Full_Monte]

Great stuff Monte! You are so ready to go fishing with all your new tackle.

Thanks to you, HiTech, for taking the time to show me what to buy first time out. I spent a bundle, but probably saved a bundle by not buying some useless stuff.

[SuperD]

Full Monte, you may find square buckets used for cat litter, I have 2 on my boat, one is my garbage can, the other my wife's toilet...I know, too much information !!!! I may a new use for one of them for a tackle bucket !

The Milkbone dog biscuits we buy at Pet Smart also come in square buckets. But the lids require the jaws of life to get them off too.

[Kokonuts]

Monte.....WHAT NEW TACKLE?.......We wanna Know!!!!!!

[Full_Monte]

Monte.....WHAT NEW TACKLE?.......We wanna Know!!!!!!

It's just the tackle that you guys already have. I've been buying what seems to work for you guys, nothing fancy. In fact, I've been wondering what the heck "Gulp Maggots" were for months, until I ran into some at the tackle store.
I could just see myself buying live maggots, dying them pink, and then convincing my wife to put them on her hooks. You see, we only caught three kokanee on our last vacation, and I KNEW that they would cost me a bundle in new gear. I thought "if these fish are in this lake, what am I doing fishing for trout?" From then on, it's been downhill.

[Full_Monte]

The Milkbone dog biscuits we buy at Pet Smart also come in square buckets. But the lids require the jaws of life to get them off too.

Yeah...I hear you. There are some at Kohl's that have snap levers like Plano has, but they are pretty small and cost about $12. I will check out the Milk Bone buckets. Now, all I need is a dog....

[Fallriverguy]

In fact, I've been wondering what the heck "Gulp Maggots" were for months, until I ran into some at the tackle store.
I could just see myself buying live maggots, dying them pink, and then convincing my wife to put them on her hooks.

Before I started using Gulp Maggots, I did buy live ones and dye them a variety of colors. My wife did not think much of maggot color packs she found in the freezer.

[SuperD]

Yeah...I hear you. There are some at Kohl's that have snap levers like Plano has, but they are pretty small and cost about $12. I will check out the Milk Bone buckets. Now, all I need is a dog....

I had to buy a cat food jug for the onboard pee bottle and gave the cat food to the neighbor that has a bunch of cats.

[SilverBullets]

Before I started using Gulp Maggots, I did buy live ones and dye them a variety of colors. My wife did not think much of maggot color packs she found in the freezer.

If anyone is contemplating dyeing worms, I'll save you the trouble. After sprinkling them down with bad azz bait dye a few years back, they seemed to enjoy it for the first few minutes. They were moving around pretty good, then all of a sudden stopped. But hey, the color was incredibly vibrant!

[Gadabout]

OK, thanks Monte for trying to fill in what would had been another boring day. Went to Tap plastics got a red 5 gal bucket/w lid. Then a round plastic thing for the bottom. 1/2 inch pvc pipe with glue. The 27/32 drill bit was another thing. Orchard had them for $32.00 bucks-NO way was I going to get that one so I ground off the large bit I had and it work. Removed the form from my neighbors house and Presto. Done. Thanks again- NOW WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO KEEP BUSY IN THIS RAIN.

[SilverBullets]

Monte...
Have you come up with anything for dodger storage yet? If not, Cabela's makes a great dodger bag that I've been useing for years. They have seperate compartments and can hold around 30.

[Gadabout]

Dodger storage-Try using a CD holder, cheaper

[Gadabout]

Monti, you said you use junk hooks, What do these look like and how to you secure them to the foam? Do you have a photo how this is done?

[Full_Monte]

Monte...
Have you come up with anything for dodger storage yet? If not, Cabela's makes a great dodger bag that I've been useing for years. They have seperate compartments and can hold around 30.

Good idea, SB...haven't seen it, but will look. I've been looking for a way to keep the dodgers from banging into each other in the tackle box. I was looking on the Fish Sniffer site, and there was a guy who uses one of those home heat sealers to make a Dodger "wallet", with individual compartments for each dodger, open at the top. He folds the wallet up and puts it in the tackle box. Not a bad idea, I think.

[Full_Monte]

Monti, you said you use junk hooks, What do these look like and how to you secure them to the foam? Do you have a photo how this is done?

I use some old hooks that I had lying around. All I do is tie a swivel on the top end of my leader and then snap the swivel through the eye of the hook. Now there's a hook on the top end of the setup and the two Gamakatsus at the bottom. I hook the top hook into the foam, wrap the setup around the foam, and set the two bottom hooks into the foam. When I want to use the setup, I unsnap the swivel from the "junk" hook in the foam and hook it up on my dodger. The junk hook stays in the foam for the next usage.