hoochie storage

[CIVANO]

How do you guys store hoochies over the winter so they don't stick together and melt into what they are resting on?

 

[burnsy22]

I have all my pre-tied leaders for spoons and hoochies wrapped around pool noodles...I have found this method to be the best for rinsing off and keeping the leader in good shape. They don't stick to the material of the pool noodle either. Just cut the noodle into 12-16 inch sections and put them standing up in a 5 gallon pail.

 

[Fish Assassin]

I never put my gear away for the winter..... I use it

But all my gear gets washed after every use and used again the next time out. All my spares are stored in a cool dark area.

 

[Rum Buddies]

Un-tied hoochies in a big zip loc and tied gear in plano boxes in a duffle bag. My gear stays inside the house, so never had an issue with sticky hoochies. Any oil or scent product will wreck most hootchies so keep them away from that stuff.

 

[Pippen]

I have all my pre-tied leaders for spoons and hoochies wrapped around pool noodles...I have found this method to be the best for rinsing off and keeping the leader in good shape. They don't stick to the material of the pool noodle either. Just cut the noodle into 12-16 inch sections and put them standing up in a 5 gallon pail.

Good call Burnsy.....I have been wrapping around pipe insulation foam but wanted to find something with a larger circumference. Thanks!!

 

[Tips Up]

Good thread
Was just cleaning up my gear the other night and looking for new ideas.
It seems the UV items are the issue. Don't leave UV hootchies wrapped around UV flashers. They melt together.
Seems that the UV hootchies also melt plastic beads. Can't find away to get around this.
Would like to hear from others on this.

I store my tied gear in plano plastic boxes. If long term I usually dismantle and re-tie before use.

Tips

 

[Revenge]

Wood golf tee's ! cut them off and drill a small hole. They wont react to the plastic

 

[hambone]

Buy inserts (beads, gum puckys etc) from a commercial fishing store like PN&T and it's very likely you won't have problems with the plastic melting. For the most part, these stores only sell proven gear.

Hoochies are sold in plastic bags so that's how I store mine... Ziploc

 

[Seafever]

Hoochies:= first I find a large tackle box that has plastic that won't melt when exposed to softer vinyls. I then seperate my hoochies into colors. If the hoochy was ever doctored with Sharpies or pens they don't go anyhwere near my regular hoochies as they will bleed the color onto other hoochies over time. Even the ones that were doctored are seperated from each other as they will bleed together if touching.

Spoons go in a seperate box as do plugs, Apexes,Baitrix,flashers etc.etc.etc.
I wrap Baitrix bodiesor any rubber bait similar in plastic wrap seperately.

PNT claims that their beads do not melt inside hoochies.....but there are plenty of other beads that do.

Some of my hoochies discolor over time, even though they were never used or had any oil on them......I also find that the leader I use to tie them will sometimes discolor over time.

I actually wash every piece of fishing gear every time it comes out of the chuck.

Hoochies I pull apart on the leader and wash it inside out with soapy water then rinse. Flasher swivels get rinsed each and every time as does all terminal gear. Pain in the butt but I know it 's good to go the nexr time.

UV hoochies I always store in a dark lightproof container. Even normal daylight or lights inside a building can make them start to "turn". UV hoochies that have completey "turned" end up white.
Ditto for UV flashers although flasher UV pigment seems to be a lot more light resistant than hoochies.

Fishing is the easy part....taking care of evrything from boat to tackle is where the work is.....

 

[blueugl]

I store mine with cut up straws for the leaders and then put them between the pages of an extra fishing regulation booklet on the dash.

 

[Big Green Machine]

I have all my pre-tied leaders for spoons and hoochies wrapped around pool noodles...I have found this method to be the best for rinsing off and keeping the leader in good shape. They don't stick to the material of the pool noodle either. Just cut the noodle into 12-16 inch sections and put them standing up in a 5 gallon pail.

I was thinking of trying this, have them with straws in a plastic tray with lid and compartments.

The hook secures the Hootchie end in the pool noodle foam, so after wrapping the leader, how do you secure the end?

 

[SophiaB]

Ive used toothpicks to secure the swivel end on the noodle. I don't use this for salt fishing but im a big fan for fresh water use.

 

[Suther]

I was thinking of trying this, have them with straws in a plastic tray with lid and compartments.

The hook secures the Hootchie end in the pool noodle foam, so after wrapping the leader, how do you secure the end?

Just guessing here, but I would think start with wrapping the leader, so it can overlap itself to hold it down, and hook the hook into the noodle at the end, rather than start of wrapping?

 

[eriks]

I was thinking of trying this, have them with straws in a plastic tray with lid and compartments.

The hook secures the Hootchie end in the pool noodle foam, so after wrapping the leader, how do you secure the end?

Hold the swivel end against the pool noodle, and ensure that the first and second wraps go over the swivel, keep the line tight. When you get to the first hook, just stab it into the pool noodle, on the trailing hook, stretch the line tighter and stab it in. It won't come undone, and the swivel will be held in place securely.

 

[Libbs]

I use the insulator foam. Get the large ones, same diameter as pool noodles. The swivel gets pushed into the slit. Wrap around til you get to the hook(s) and poke'em into the foam.

 

[burnsy22]

I was thinking of trying this, have them with straws in a plastic tray with lid and compartments.

The hook secures the Hootchie end in the pool noodle foam, so after wrapping the leader, how do you secure the end?

All I do is start at one end about an inch in, poke a hole in the pool noodle with a small screw driver. Stick the swivel into the hole and proceed to wrap the leader around and finally securing the hook. Then you can line up the next hole over about an inch and a half, and so on. Pretty simple.

 

[Da Bay Bye]

All my fishing tackle gear is stored in a large Plano tackle box that I bought back in 1988. And yes, some of my gear is also from 1988. It is all in very good condition. I keep my new non-built up hoochies in the original package. I always wash my tackle in fresh water when I finish for the day, hang it to dry, inspect it and put it back in the tackle box the next day. I use 3/8 clear tubing cut into 1 inch pieces to tuck my leader line into which keeps everything neat. I also do not leave my tackle box in the boat, it is always put in the garage.

Don

 

[Swanny]

I have used pool noodles for years now and they work OK, however, all line (even fluoro) has memory and storing anything for 6-8 months will reatain the shape they weere stored in. So we're talking a bunch of curly-spring lines. In addition, I always find disformation in the hootchie and a bit of rust on hooks/line. So take your favorite hootchies (you should only have 1/2 dozen goto's) off the line/hooks/beads, wrap them in a paper towel, them store them in a ziplock, and just re-tie them every year with fresh fluoro/hooks. That will take care of any knicks/abrasion in the leader and you'll have a great performing lure...

Be safe....Swanny