Tackle storage is a solved problem and the solution has a number: 3600. It is the industry-standard utility tray size, roughly 14 by 9 by 2 inches, and essentially every tackle bag, boat locker and storage system is built around it. Its bigger sibling, 3700, is the deeper version for larger baits.
Once you know that, the decision simplifies enormously. Buy trays in 3600, and buy a bag that takes 3600 trays, and everything you own fits everything else forever. Buying a bag with proprietary inserts is how you end up unable to move tackle between systems.
After tray size, the only meaningful differences are how much water gets in and what shape the bag is — soft bag for a boat, backpack for a bank walk, hard case for a truck bed.
The short answer
Quick picks
#ad · Live prices from the Amazon Creators API, as of Sep 4, 2026. Where we have no verified live price we show none — a gap beats a number that has rotted.
In detail
The picks, in full
Best overall
KastKing Karryall Tackle Bag
Includes tackle boxesSaltwater and freshwaterMultiple compartmentsShoulder strap
A bag that ships with the trays, which is the version of this purchase people actually want.
- Organization
- 9
- Build quality
- 8
- Water resistance
- 6
- Value
- 8
What's good
- +Trays included rather than a $25 afterthought
- +Rod holders and external pockets for tools you need instantly
- +Rated for saltwater use, which means corrosion-resistant hardware
What's not
- −Water resistant, not waterproof — a wet boat deck will get inside
- −Bulky in a kayak
Skip it if…
…you fish from a kayak. A big soft bag in a small boat is a wet, awkward object.
Best trays on their own
KastKing 3600 Utility Trays (4-Pack)
3600 size4-packAdjustable dividersWaterproof-ish latches
The 3600 size is the industry standard, so these fit essentially every tackle bag ever made.
- Organization
- 8
- Build quality
- 7
- Water resistance
- 6
- Value
- 10
What's good
- +3600 is the standard size — these fit almost any bag or boat locker
- +Adjustable dividers let you organize by technique rather than by lure type
- +Cheap enough to buy several and label them
What's not
- −Trays only — no bag
- −Latches are water resistant rather than sealed
Skip it if…
…you need a complete solution. These are the inserts; you still need something to carry them in.
Best water resistance
Ghosthorn Waterproof Tackle Bag
Water resistant fabric4 x 3600 boxesLure organizerShoulder strap
Genuinely water-resistant fabric with four 3600 boxes included — the pick if the bag lives on a wet deck.
- Organization
- 8
- Build quality
- 7
- Water resistance
- 8
- Value
- 8
What's good
- +Coated fabric handles spray and rain far better than plain nylon
- +Four boxes included
- +Padded shoulder strap for the walk to the water
What's not
- −Zippers are the weak point — no zipper is truly waterproof
- −Coated fabric does not breathe, so anything wet stays wet
Skip it if…
…you need genuine submersion protection. That is a dry bag or a sealed hard case, not a coated tackle bag.
Best backpack
MATEIN Cooler Fishing Backpack
Backpack carryInsulated compartment4 tackle boxesRod holders
Backpack carry plus an insulated compartment and rod holders — the right shape for bank fishing where you walk to the spot.
- Organization
- 8
- Build quality
- 7
- Water resistance
- 6
- Value
- 8
What's good
- +Both hands free on the walk in, which matters carrying rods
- +Insulated section keeps bait or lunch cold
- +Rod holders mean you are not carrying rods awkwardly
What's not
- −Heavy once loaded
- −The insulated section is small
- −Backpack straps are the first thing to wear
Skip it if…
…you fish from a boat. A backpack is the wrong shape for a deck and the right shape for a walk.
Skip this one
Oinitiry Fishing Tackle Bag
4 tackle boxes"Waterproof" claimedDetachable reel pouch
Described as waterproof with no rating and no named maker, at a price above the KastKing Karryall — which comes from a company you can call. There is no version of this that is the better buy.
- Organization
- 6
- Build quality
- 5
- Water resistance
- 5
- Value
- 4
What's good
- +Includes boxes and a reel pouch
- +Reasonable feature list on paper
What's not
- −"Waterproof" with no IP rating and no described construction means water resistant at best — and every zippered bag leaks at the zipper
- −No named manufacturer, so no warranty and no recourse
- −Priced above the KastKing Karryall, which is a known product with real support
- −Nothing here that the established options do not do better
Skip it if…
…you have any alternative. At this price the KastKing and the Ghosthorn are both better-supported products.
Organizing tackle so you can find it
Organize by technique, not by lure type
This is the single most useful habit in the category. A tray labeled "jigs" means opening three trays to rig a jig setup. A tray labeled "bottom contact" containing jigs, worm hooks, weights and trailers means you grab one tray and you are fishing. Same for "topwater", "moving baits" and "terminal".
Bring three trays, not eight
Keep the full collection in a bin at home and load two or three trays for the specific trip. You will fish more and carry less, and you already know which techniques the water calls for.
Water resistance versus waterproof
No zippered bag is waterproof — the zipper is a gap. Coated fabrics handle spray and rain well. If you need genuine submersion protection, that is a dry bag or a sealed hard case, and neither is a tackle bag.
Rust prevention
Hooks rust in a closed wet tray faster than anywhere else. Open your trays to dry after every trip, and drop a corrosion inhibitor tab in each one. A rusted trebles tray is entirely avoidable and entirely common.
Match the shape to the fishing
Soft bag on a boat deck where you set it down. Backpack when you walk to the water and need both hands for rods. Hard case in a truck bed where things get crushed. Buying a big soft bag for kayak fishing is the most common mismatch here.
How these were picked
I haven't handled these. Here's what I did instead.
Everyone in this category says they tested twenty of these. I haven't tested any, and I say so. What I do instead: read the manufacturer's manual and published specification, compile the numbers that decide the purchase, do the arithmetic in the open, check the live price, and name one product to skip. The scores above are judgments from that research against a published rubric — they are not measurements I took, because I do not have a lab and I am not going to pretend otherwise.
Questions
Frequently asked
What is a 3600 tackle box?+
An industry-standard utility tray size, roughly 14 by 9 by 2 inches. It is the size nearly every tackle bag and boat locker is designed around. 3700 is the deeper version for larger baits.
How should I organize a tackle box?+
By technique rather than lure type. A tray containing everything you need for one approach — jigs, weights, hooks and trailers together — means one tray comes out and you are fishing, rather than opening three.
Are waterproof tackle bags actually waterproof?+
No. Zippers are gaps, and no zippered bag is submersion-proof. Coated fabrics handle rain and spray well, which is what most people actually need. For genuine waterproofing you want a dry bag or a sealed hard case.
How do I stop hooks rusting in a tackle box?+
Open the trays to air-dry after every trip, and put a corrosion inhibitor tab in each one. Closing a wet tray is what rusts hooks, not the water they were used in.
Receipts
Sources
We do not run a testing lab and we do not pretend to. Where a measured number came from a manufacturer's published specification or someone else's lab, we name them and link them. Where we could not verify something, we say so on the page rather than quietly leaving it out. Read the full method.
