Tackle boxes used in saltwater fishing have to have extra considerations in their design compared to general tackle boxes, and some need to be tailored to a specific type of saltwater fishing, whether it’s offshore fishing, flats fishing, surf fishing, or wading.
As with anything in saltwater fishing, fighting corrosion is also a top concern. Many manufacturers will go above and beyond to ensure rust and corrosion are prevented as much as possible.
In this post, we will take a look at the best options on the market for saltwater tackle storage.
The Best Saltwater Tackle Boxes and Bags
The selection below is our top 8 choices for the best saltwater tackle box. We’ve included both bags and boxes as they each have their uses, plus some rolling boxes.
While Lakewood caters to the musky fishing world, the effectiveness of the musky monster by Lakewoods can apply directly to saltwater lures as well, and there's a big reason why saltwater anglers shouldn't overlook this box, despite being intended for a specific freshwater species.
It's BIG, and it can hold large lures that are typical in saltwater fishing. Musky lures, like saltwater lures, such as marlin lures and large crankbaits, can run big, and the Lakewood musky monster tackle box can hold lures of up to 14 inches in length.
The musky monster can hold up to 100 lures and is constructed with solid hanging lure dividers, and the large rear storage compartment can fit a 3700-size Plano box for terminal tackle. This box has enough space for all your large lures.
The exterior of the box is made of highly durable and quality ballistic nylon, and even if the box is fully loaded, it will still float if it ends up overboard.
The box includes 4 tool storage pockets in the front as well as side compartments and heavy-duty carrying handles, and if you are in a pinch, you can even stand on it and use it as a casting platform.
Key Features:
- Can store huge lures, and a lot of them
- Heavy-duty soft outer shell with storage compartments
- Will float empty or fully loaded.
The Elkton outdoors rolling tackle box is great for pier fishermen and shore anglers and is just a convenient box to travel with from your truck to your boat, and It has some great features included.
This box has 5 3600-sized trays to accommodate a ton of lures and the terminal tackle required for saltwater fishing. The adjustable top main compartment is great for storing just about anything from terminal tackle, various other pieces of gear, your cellphone, sunglasses, snacks, you name it.
The weight capacity of the Elkton rolling tackle box is 26 pounds, so it can carry a significant amount of gear. Along with excellent storage options, the tackle box also has 4-rod holders to transport your rods safely, and this allows you to use your free hand to carry other gear.
You don't even have to roll this tackle box as it has many different ways that you can transport it. You can use the handle and carry it one-handed, or you can use the backpack straps and throw it over your shoulder.
Key Features:
- Multiple Transporting options
- Rod holders
- This thing has wheels!
Another one stemming from the musky fishing world that is suited perfectly to saltwater fishing is the Flambeau maximizer.
The Maximizer comes with two removable vertical lures storage segments, each of which can hold 50 lures for a total of 100 lures in the box. The box comes in at 14 inches vertically, so you shouldn't have an issue holding lures near that length.
If you look at the removable vertical lure holder segments, you will notice the center two slats are blue. The blue slats are very innovative, they are the patented zerust VCI polymer dividers which are infused with non-toxic materials that prevent corrosion. The zerust polymer works by emitting a harmless Vapor that will protect your lures from rust for up to 5 years before needing to be replaced.
The zerust polymer inserts are a huge deal for saltwater anglers due to the high amount of corrosion that saltwater can impart on gear and lures.
Key Features:
- Anti-corrosion capabilities
- Removable lure-hanging segments
- Can hold up to 100 large lures
Backpack version? Check. Storage box version? Check. Wrap version? Again, check. The Z series of tackle storage from Plano has it all. The only question is, Which one do you want?
The Z series is great for the anglers out there who wade in the flats for species like snook or bonefish, as well as keeping gear organized on a skiff or other saltwater rig.
The storage box version carries 5 3700 series Plano trays, while the backpack version carries four. The backpack version also features two side compartments and a larger fold-out style front compartment that can carry tools and other gear.
The wrap version features six 6" compartments that are great for lures like slender spoons, leader rigs, soft plastics, and jigs.
All three versions use velcro to secure any storage compartments instead of zippers. Why velcro? Well, velcro is just plain easier to get into, especially if you are in a wading situation and need to get access to your tackle or gear while holding a rod.
The Z series is constructed using a high-quality TPE-coated fabric to make it waterproof while maintaining a high level of durability and comes in very cool-looking Kryptek camo patterns.
Key Features:
- Multiple tackle storage styles to choose from
- Velcro-secured compartments for easy access and securing
- High-quality and waterproof materials
The Osage River saltwater boxes come in a variety of sizes, but we will focus on the XL version.
The first thing you will notice about the Osage River XL saltwater box is the massive amount of storage compartments. This thing has 17 external storage compartments in total to hold all the gear you could possibly want.
The main compartment can hold up to 12 large storage boxes inside of it, so you can carry a ton of tackle, and you can choose to buy the tacklebox with or without the boxes.
The outer shell is constructed from high-quality water-resistant 420D ripstop nylon to create a seriously robust tackle box that can take a ton of abuse, a 100% waterproof molded base, and a padded shoulder strap for comfortable transportation.
Key Features:
- Huge amount of storage compartments
- can hold 12 large storage boxes
- heavy-duty 420D ripstop nylon construction
The day tripper by KastKing is a great tackle backpack that has a great design that makes it a good choice for saltwater anglers, in particular anglers who are fishing the surf, wading flats, or fishing from a pier.
The day tripper features a hydrophobic coating that repels water from the outside of the backpack and is backed up with a super effective waterproof PVC layer on the inside to keep all of your gear dry and help prevent rust and corrosion of your lures.
The KastKing Day Tripper has space for four 3600-size storage containers for all your lures and terminal tackle, and the main storage compartment is great for holding your lunch and beverages, rain gear, tools, and more.
The storage tray compartment is different from other backpacks on the market as it opens to the side of the backpack instead of from the front, which allows you to access your storage trays while the backpack is still on your back. The backpack has excellent shoulder straps with thick but breathable padding, which is great for extended use.
Other storage features include slash mesh pockets and a removable main storage compartment bottom.
Key Features:
- Innovative storage designs
- Waterproof
- Comfortable for long fishing trips
The Shimano Tonno is specially designed for offshore fishing. The Tonno is designed to safely carry jigs and popping lures and keep them well organized and ready when needed.
The bag is made from a PVC mesh ripstop fabric and is designed to all for easy rinsing and drying after a day of fishing if needed. The storage tubes of the Tonno are made of hard plastic to keep everything in place and protect you and the bag from hooks, and the bag also features a 3600 storage box slot for other lures or terminal tackle.
The Tonno has several other smaller storage compartments for various pieces of gear and terminal tackle, and the whole setup is very compact, great for anglers who know exactly what they need to be successful.
Key Features:
- Hard plastic tube design for lure storage
- High level of organizing options
- High-quality ripstop fabric construction
The GPS jig tote by G5 Outdoors is specifically designed to organize and carry saltwater lures and jigs that are up to 9 inches in length.
The tote comes with 18 square tubes for convenient vertical storage, allowing you to grab the baits easily as they hang.
The bottom of the GPS jig tote features a perforated design, allowing water to escape and preventing water from pooling in the bottom of the tote, and even features a breathable mesh design on the top to dry out jigs.
A final consideration that was put into its' design, the GPS jig tote has extra-large diving-style zippers for easy grabbing, opening, and closing of the tote.
Key Features:
- Large capacity for jigs and lures
- Can take lures up to 9 inches in length
- Perforated bottom and overall breathable design
How to Choose the Best Saltwater Bag or Box
Here are some of the factors that go into deciding which of these 8 boxes and bags is the right choice for you.
Style and Design
If you want the coolest-looking tackle box out there, that’s your choice. In most cases, tackle boxes, bags, and backpacks have some sort of style imparted in them, but at the end of the day, the fish don’t care what your tackle box looks like, and as with anything in the world, form does not mean function.
Tackle storage options like the Lakewood monster musky box listed in the post are particularly flashy, but it is one of the best boxes on the market for holding a huge quantity of very large lures and also provides a high level of durability and even mobility.
The utility aspect should be your many concern with tackle boxes; anglers should put a premium on having reliable and highly functional gear first and look second, in my opinion.
Materials/Weather and Waterproofing
The materials used in the construction of a tacklebox are important, and with all the options out there today, high-impact roto-molded plastic designs are becoming rare. Instead, textile-designed tackle boxes are taking over.
Not all textile-designed tackle transporting and hold options are created equally. Ensure that the tackle box or bag that you are considering is built with high-quality and durable materials that are waterproof and keep your gear dry, or have breathable materials and water drainage options.
Size, Weight, and Portability
We feature a wide range of sizes in this article to suit everyone’s needs. The very large boxes featured are great to just leave in your boat or truck and carry as needed but aren’t suited to be carried as you fish the surf or are on foot.
Think about what type of fishing you do the most, and if you have storage options for a boat and still like to wade, surf fish, or fish from piers on occasion, a small backpack-style tackle bag or roller tacklebox would be a great addition to your arsenal.
Be sure that your next tackle storage option is the best for the type of fishing you do.
Pockets and Compartments
You can never have enough storage. When you pick a tackle box, be sure the one you choose has the most storage in its size class that you can find. If you don’t use the storage, no big deal, it doesn’t affect your fishing in any way, but if you need to store gear and you don’t have a place to put it is frustrating and inconvenient.
Straps and Handles
If you are choosing a backpack-style tackle box, it would be a good idea to check on the quality of the padding and if there are other methods you can choose to carry it. Some tackle box backpack designs have multiple carrying options like wheels, shoulder straps, backpack-style shoulder straps, and carrying handles, all featured in the same design.
Other designs don’t need a wide variety of options as they are not meant to be carried for extended periods of time, and in this case, are as important, other than they should be able to hold the weight of the gear without tearing or breaking.
Extra Features
Extra features all depend on what you want, and features like rod holders are pretty awesome and could be a deciding factor for you. Other features like molded bases, cooler compartments, and corrosion protection are features that could be very important to you as well, and you should think hard about what you want before you make a decision on any tackle box.
Cost
Everyone has a different spending budget to work with, but at the end of the day, you get what you pay for, as the old saying goes. Get the best tackle box you can afford; after all, something is better than nothing.
FAQs
Should I Choose a Tackle Box or a Tackle Bag?
The more traditional style of tackle box is great if you plan on only transporting it short distances, from your truck to your boat, and those types of situations.
Tackle bags are great for shore fishing, or if you are on foot and want to stay mobile, tackle bags can work just as well on a boat, too, the only difference being that most tackle bags hold less gear and have less storage than a tackle box.
Are All Tackle Boxes and Tackle Bags Protected Against Saltwater?
Many traditional tackle boxes that are made from materials like roto-molded plastic don’t have many features in terms of protection against saltwater and corrosion, while some, like the flambeau system, do.
Most tackle bags feature some sort of protection against saltwater and corrosion. In most cases, this protection is in the form of a waterproof design or allows for the draining and drying of saltwater.
What to Put in a Saltwater Tackle Box
What should you put in a saltwater tackle box? Anything you need to be successful for a day on the water. Snacks and drinks, with some tackle bags having water bottle holders built-in. These are great items to bring if you have a main storage compartment to hold them, but without a doubt, you should have a wide range of lures, tools, and terminal tackle to ensure you have everything you need.
