Gear Review: Plano EDGE 3700 Terminal Tackle Box
Although pricey, the Plano EDGE Terminal Tackle Box is one of my favorite fishing items!
Equipment and gear storage is one of the most underrated and overlooked aspects of having a successful day on the water. The more organized you are, the more efficient you can be when the bite is hot. I use many storage solutions and hacks on my boat to maximize my space and keep everything in its place. One of the most challenging issues was to keep track of all my terminal tackle. I tried many different ways to keep as much of it in one spot as possible but never fell in love with any of my ideas. Then, as if Plano had crawled into my head of what I was always looking for and came out with their Edge Series 3700 Terminal Tackle Box last year. I can't believe it took till 2021 for a company to make such a simple product. Plano even took it one step further and created a product so well thought-out I wanted to share it with you. I looked around various types of tackle shops, home improvement stores, and specialty container stores, looking for this exact concept but could never find anything suitable for my needs. So when I first saw the Terminal Box last spring, I had to try it out. After a season of use, it might be one of my favorite things I have ever bought for the boat! Capt. Mike just picked one up last week and won't shut up about it, which motivated me to write this blog!
The box is pricey for your typical storage box, coming in at a whopping $50 (EDIT: Now it's $65. Still worth it). I was a little hesitant at first, but if it's going to let me sleep better at night, I'm all in. The box itself is your typical 3700 size (Plano also makes a smaller 3600 size) which means it can easily fit in any storage system designed to house 3700 tackle trays. When I was looking outside the fishing world, this was the most common problem I was finding. I could find some boxes that might have been sufficient, but the dimensions wouldn't allow it to travel with other fishing boxes. Now, you can throw this in a tackle bag with the rest of your plugs and be good to go!
For all the OCD anglers out there, how beautiful is this?
Immediately, you will notice this thing is tough! The plastic is much more rigid than your typical tackle tray. The stainless steel and pin hinges are resilient and durable, while the top cover is a hard, clear polycarbonate lid. Throughout the season last year, there is no doubt I dropped this thing at least 20 times, and I was more worried about my gel coat cracking than the box! It also never opened up due to the large, one-handed operation of the front latch that provides a water-tight seal.
Tough stainless steel hinges won’t snap like your average tackle tray.
When it comes to water intrusion, the boxes in the Plano Edge series are protected to the nth degree. The top cover is lined along the interior perimeter with a rubber gasket that fits secured once you snap down the oversized front latch. No water or moisture gets in or out. These boxes also come with Plano's proprietary Water Wick divider with a reusable moisture-wicking silica packet and ventilated dividers for more airflow. There was always some rust or corrosion in every other box I have owned, and I would throw out a lot of rusted stuff at the end of the season. Not anymore! I saved money this year by not having to replace half the stuff in there.
The rubber gasket give the box a tight seal and does not allow any water or moisture inside.
Now for what makes this product super unique! The layout of the different compartments and their configurations. The box comes with different-sized modular boxes that can be moved and organized based on personal preference. Each box has a cover that snaps shut, adding even more protection from the elements, but more importantly, you will not have ANY small terminal tackle objects mixing up with each other (like swivels and crimps). I will share one little hack I made with mine. Some modular boxes have a small, weak divider within the box that doesn't stay put too well. I took a hot glue gun and glued them down. Now I have a static divider that will not allow a mixture of swivels, crimps, and clips. Plano put a lot of thought into these individual boxes as they are molded so your fingers can easily slide a box out of the tray. Often, I'll take a small box and keep it on my dash for what I will need for the day. The covers on the boxes snap tight so the little pieces will not spill all over your deck.
The divider slots in the tray are very close, allowing ample customization of how you want to store your stuff. Another bonus is that you can purchase extra boxes in different sizes if you need more of one type over another. Everyone's needs may differ, so this customization is a huge plus.
This box holds 25 8/0 circle hooks!
Divider is “Hot Glued” to not fall out
I can get all my terminal tackle needs for the season into the box. It lives on my boat in a mesh pocket on my livewell out in the elements all season long, and I never had an issue. I don't even have to go into my center console to grab it because I trust its waterproofness and durability. Plano also makes other configurations of this box, which I have bought to carry my various lures and plugs. Again, the Edge Series has saved me money as I don't have to replace rusted-out hooks and split rings on my lures. It has been one of my top buys of fishing equipment ever.
Post blog: When I went to confirm the price, it jumped up to $65. I probably wouldn't have bought it if this retailed for $65 last year. It does seem pretty high, and the $50 was about as much as I was willing to spend. However, now that I have used it, I would have no problem paying more for what the Plano Terminal Tackle Box brings to the table. The minute details and thought put into this simple tackle tray make it unique and well worth the money.