How to Organize Tackle in a Bass Boat: Storage Tips from MLF Pro Matt Becker
A cluttered boat costs you time on the water. MLF pro Matt Becker walks through exactly how he stores his hooks, jigs, soft plastics, topwaters, leaders and glide baits so he can find any bait in seconds, all season long.
Last updated: November 2026 · By: FishUSA Staff
Knowing how to organize a bass boat is one of the most underrated skills in tournament fishing. When every bait has a home, you spend less time digging through storage compartments and more time with a bait in the water. Few anglers take that more seriously than Major League Fishing pro and 2023 Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year Matt Becker. This guide focuses on tackle storage: how he organizes his lures, terminal tackle, soft plastics and leader line so every bait is easy to find.
“If you guys know me, you know I love to be extremely, extremely organized,” Becker says. In the video below, he walks through the Evolution Outdoor tackle storage he uses to keep his boat dialed in, from small bags for hooks and drop shot gear to a roll-up binder for glide baits. This guide breaks down his system piece by piece so you can set up your own.
Why Bass Boat Organization Matters
Bass fishing moves fast. Conditions change, fish move, and the window to capitalize on a pattern can be short. If it takes five minutes to find the right drop shot hook or the one Senko color the fish want, that is five minutes you are not fishing. A well-organized boat lets you change techniques quickly, see your options at a glance, and keep baits in good shape so they are ready to fish when you need them.
Good organization also protects your investment. Waterproof storage keeps hooks and jig heads from rusting, while dedicated cases keep soft plastic tails from bending and big baits from getting banged around in a rough-water ride.
Build a Tackle Storage System by Category
The core of Becker's system is simple: every type of tackle gets its own dedicated storage, and anything used for the same technique stays together. Rather than one giant box, he uses a mix of clear bags, waterproof trays and specialty cases, each matched to the size and shape of what it holds. Here is how his setup breaks down.
| Tackle | Storage | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Hooks & drop shot gear | Bass Sack (small) | Clear bag keeps a whole technique kit in one place |
| Soft plastics & Senkos | Bass Sack (medium & large) | Room for bulk packs of heavy plastics |
| Jigs & jig heads | BallistiX 3.7 Tackle Tray | Compression latch seals out water |
| Buzzbaits & spinnerbaits | BallistiX Blade Runner 3.7 | Individual baggies keep wire baits from tangling |
| Bulky topwaters | BallistiX Hangr 3.7D | Deep box fits big baits with the dividers out |
| Leader line | Linemaster Leader Bag | Every spool in one bag |
| Clamshell-packaged plastics | PlastiX Case | Protects tails from bending and breaking |
| Glide baits | Big Bait Bag | Roll-up binder takes minimal space |
Bass Sacks for Hooks, Drop Shot Rigs & Soft Plastics
Becker starts with the Evolution Outdoor Bass Sacks, clear, water-resistant zipper bags that come in multiple sizes. Because you can see right through them, you know what is inside without opening every bag. He uses them all around the boat for different jobs.
Small Bass Sacks: Hooks and Drop Shot Kits
Becker keeps all of his hooks in small Bass Sacks. He also dedicates one small bag entirely to drop shotting, holding every drop shot weight and drop shot hook he carries. “I know all of my drop shot stuff is in one place,” he says. Building kits by technique like this means that when you decide to pick up a drop shot setup for bass, everything you need to rig it is in a single bag. Pair the kit with a bag of your best drop shot baits and you can switch to the technique in seconds.
Medium and Large Bass Sacks: Soft Plastics
The medium size holds Becker's mid-size soft plastics, while the large size is built for big, heavy plastics. His large bag is a dedicated Senko bag, stuffed full of different colors. Keeping a whole category of bait together in one large bag makes it easy to compare options and pick the right one, whether you are matching water clarity or choosing among the best Senko colors for bass.
BallistiX Tackle Trays for Jigs, Bladed Baits & Topwaters
For hard baits and jigs, Becker relies on the Evolution Outdoor BallistiX series. These heavy-duty trays have a big clear top and a compression latch that seals the lid tight. “It's not going to come unlatched on you,” he says, and that seal is what keeps water out of your hooks and jig heads.
BallistiX 3.7 Tackle Tray: Jigs and Jig Heads
Becker runs several BallistiX 3.7 trays. One holds his finesse jigs, and another holds his ball head jig heads for minnow and swimbait fishing. Splitting jigs and jig heads into their own trays keeps each one organized by style and size, so you can grab the exact weight you need.
BallistiX Terminal Tackle Tray: Small Components
For the smallest pieces of your system, like weights, swivels, snaps and beads, the BallistiX Terminal Tackle Tray brings the same waterproof seal to a tray built around organized terminal tackle compartments.
BallistiX Blade Runner 3.7: Buzzbaits, Spinnerbaits and Bladed Jigs
Wire baits are notorious for tangling into a ball in a standard tray. The Blade Runner comes with small zip-style baggies inside, so each bait gets its own pocket. Becker uses his for buzzbaits, and the same setup works for spinnerbaits and bladed jigs. “The Blade Runner Series BallistiX box is absolutely legit,” he says.
BallistiX Hangr 3.7D: Big, Bulky Topwaters
The Hangr 3.7D is designed with angled dividers to organize hard baits, but Becker uses it a little differently. He pulls all of the dividers out to create one big, deep box for his bulky topwater lures for bass and other baits that take up a lot of space. It is a good reminder that the best storage system is the one you adapt to your own tackle.
Storing Leader Line
Loose spools of leader line roll around the boat and get lost under the deck. Becker keeps all of his different leader lines in the Evolution Linemaster Leader Bag so every spool is in one place. It holds up to five spools with clear labels, so you can pick the right pound test and line type at a glance when you need to retie.
Storing Soft Plastics in Clamshell Packaging
Many premium soft plastics come in rigid clamshell packaging, which is awkward to store in bags or standard trays. Becker uses the Evolution PlastiX Case for exactly these baits. It keeps clamshell packs neat and upright so the baits are not bent and the tails do not break.
“Everything is very waterproof, heavy duty,” Becker says. The heavy-duty zippers keep the case sealed so baits do not get shaken around on a bumpy run across the lake. Keeping plastics in their original packaging also helps prevent colors from bleeding together.
Storing Glide Baits and Big Baits
Glide baits are some of the hardest baits to store. They are long, heavy and expensive, and they eat up space in a standard tray. Becker's answer is the Evolution Big Bait Bag, a binder-style bag with clear pockets that rolls up when you are done.
“It keeps them organized and really takes up minimal space in your boat,” he says. Each bait gets its own pocket, so hooks do not tangle and finishes stay protected, and the rolled-up bag tucks into a storage compartment without crowding everything else.
Bass Boat Organization Tips
Whatever storage you use, a few habits make the biggest difference in keeping a boat organized through a full season. For a deeper look at storage options for every kind of tackle, see our guide to the best ways to store fishing tackle.
Build Kits by Technique
Like Becker's drop shot bag, group everything you need for one technique in one place. When you switch to that presentation, you grab a single bag instead of hunting through several boxes.
Use Clear Storage
Clear bags and clear-top trays let you see your options without opening every container. That saves time and keeps lids closed and sealed more often.
Match the Storage to the Bait
Small components belong in compartments, wire baits in individual baggies, clamshell plastics in a case built for them and big baits in deep boxes or roll-up bags. Forcing a bait into the wrong storage leads to tangles, bent tails and wasted space.
Keep Water Out
Sealed trays with gaskets and compression latches keep hooks and jig heads from rusting. Let wet baits dry before they go back into a sealed box.
Don't Be Afraid to Customize
Becker pulls the dividers out of a tray designed for hanging hard baits to make a deep topwater box. Adapt your storage to the tackle you actually carry.
Frequently Asked Questions
The key to organizing a bass boat is organizing your tackle: give every category of tackle its own dedicated storage. Keep hooks and terminal tackle in small clear bags or terminal trays, jigs and hard baits in waterproof tackle trays, soft plastics in large bags or a soft-plastic case, and bulky baits like topwaters and glide baits in deep boxes or roll-up bags. Building technique kits, like a single bag with all of your drop shot weights and hooks, makes it fast to find what you need on the water.
The best fishing tackle storage system depends on how much tackle you carry and how you fish. A modular system with removable trays, adjustable compartments, and durable, easy-to-carry storage bags offers the most versatility for organizing everything from lures and soft plastics to terminal tackle.
Keep soft plastics organized by type, size, and color. Store them in their original packaging when possible to prevent colors from bleeding or plastics from reacting with one another. Group similar baits together in larger compartments or dedicated soft-plastic storage bags for quick access.
Organize terminal tackle by category and size. Keep hooks, weights, swivels, snaps, beads, and other small components in separate compartments or small removable containers. Labeling compartments by size or type can make it much easier to find the right piece of terminal tackle on the water.
Store fishing lures in compartments based on lure type, size, or fishing application. Keep crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs, and topwater lures separated to prevent tangles and make selection easier. Adjustable-compartment tackle boxes are especially useful because you can customize the layout to fit your specific collection.
Glide baits and other big baits take up a lot of room in standard tackle trays. A roll-up big bait bag with individual clear pockets keeps them organized and protected while taking up minimal space in the boat. Big, bulky topwaters can also go in a deep tackle tray with the dividers removed.
Use tackle trays with a sealed, waterproof lid, such as trays with a gasket and compression latch, and choose storage with built-in rust protection. Let wet baits dry before putting them back in a sealed box, and keep trays out of standing water in the boat's storage compartments.
Final Thoughts
An organized bass boat is not about having the most tackle. It is about knowing exactly where every bait is so you can make fast decisions on the water. Matt Becker's system comes down to a few simple ideas: give each type of tackle its own storage, keep technique kits together, use clear and waterproof containers, and adapt your boxes to the baits you actually fish.
Start with the category that gives you the most trouble, whether that is loose hooks, tangled spinnerbaits or crushed soft plastics, and build from there. You can find the full lineup of Evolution Outdoor tackle storage at FishUSA.