Eight 3600 and 3700 utility trays, from a plain clear tray to gasket-sealed boxes with rust inhibitors, plus a chart of which bags and packs take which size.
Tackle trays look like a commodity, and mostly they are. The thing that actually matters is the number on the label. A 3600 tray is about 11 by 7.25 inches and 1.75 inches deep. A 3700 is about 14 by 9.13 inches and 2 inches deep. Those are the figures Plano publishes for its own StowAway trays, and most other brands build to the same footprint so their trays slide into the same bags. Buy the wrong size and it will not fit the bag you already own. That is the most common tray mistake, and it costs a return.
After size, three things separate a good tray from a cheap one: a gasket that keeps water out when the tray goes overboard or sits in a wet boat, some kind of rust protection so the hooks inside do not turn orange over the winter, and latches that stay shut when the tray is stuffed in a bag. This page ranks eight trays on those points. The Tray Size column tells you which standard each one is, and the chart further down shows which bags and packs on this site take which size.
Every rating and review count here was read off that product's own Amazon listing while the page was being built. Those stars belong to Amazon's buyers, not to us, and Tom has not used these trays himself. If you only buy one thing from this page, match the tray size to your bag first, then pay for a gasket only if your trays actually get wet.
Most utility trays are clear plastic boxes with dividers. These are the details that decide whether one fits your gear and lasts.
3600 or 3700, matched to the bag, pack or rack it will ride in. Check the carrier's listing for how many of which size it holds.
Gaps under the dividers let small hooks and split shot wander between compartments. Flush dividers keep them sorted.
A tray wedged between three others gets squeezed. Firm latches, or several of them, stop it popping open and spilling.
Worth paying for if you fish from a boat or kayak. Not needed for dry bank trips.
Zerust or Rustricor in the plastic or the dividers slows rust on stored hooks, especially in humid storage.
When six trays look the same from the side, a written label on the edge saves opening every one.
Tray size only matters in relation to what carries it. This chart lists the carriers this site ranks and the tray size each listing names. Check the listing before you buy, because a few bags are sold in more than one size.
On our tackle bags page: the KastKing KarryAll Medium (six 3600s), the KastKing BaitSpace Medium (four included), the Calamus TB61 (four) and the Ghosthorn bag (four included). On our backpacks page: the Baitium 40L (four included) and the Wild River Nomad XP (two included).
On our tackle bags page: the Plano Guide Series 3700 (six included), the KastKing Bait Boss Hawg XL (twelve), the Reaction Tackle XL (twelve) and the Plano Weekend 3700. On our tackle boxes page, the Plano Guide Series 4-By Rack holds four 3700s.
Plano's Deep and Thin 3700s keep the 14 by 9.13 inch footprint, so they slide into a 3700 slot. A Deep tray takes up more vertical room, so count how many fit before you mix them into a full bag.
The small size, for hooks, split shot and tiny jigs. Plano's own 3500 trays are sold in the same StowAway range. Not ranked here, because few bags are built around them.
Short on time? Start with these top-rated tackle trays picks.
Plano EDGE 3700 Waterproof Utility Box with Rustrictor Base is the #1 pick here, on 4.8-star Amazon buyer ratings (756 of them) and one clear job: sealed and rust-protected.
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KastKing HyperSeal Waterproof 3700 Tackle Trays (2-Pack) is the #2 pick here, on 4.8-star Amazon buyer ratings (470 of them) and one clear job: boats and kayaks.
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KastKing Utility 3600 Tackle Trays (2-Pack) is the #3 pick here, on 4.7-star Amazon buyer ratings (8,110 of them) and one clear job: filling a 3600 backpack.
Check PriceDetailed picks with verdicts, strengths, tradeoffs, and the situations where each one makes the most sense.
Quick verdict: Plano EDGE 3700 Waterproof Utility Box with Rustrictor Base is the #1 pick here, on 4.8-star Amazon buyer ratings (756 of them) and one clear job: sealed and rust-protected.
Quick verdict: KastKing HyperSeal Waterproof 3700 Tackle Trays (2-Pack) is the #2 pick here, on 4.8-star Amazon buyer ratings (470 of them) and one clear job: boats and kayaks.
Quick verdict: KastKing Utility 3600 Tackle Trays (2-Pack) is the #3 pick here, on 4.7-star Amazon buyer ratings (8,110 of them) and one clear job: filling a 3600 backpack.
Quick verdict: Flambeau Tuff Tainer 4007 with Zerust Dividers (3600 Footprint, 24 Compartments) is the #4 pick here, on 4.6-star Amazon buyer ratings (8,504 of them) and one clear job: rust-prone hooks, small budget.
Quick verdict: Ghosthorn Waterproof 3700 Tackle Trays (3-Pack) is the #5 pick here, on 4.6-star Amazon buyer ratings (818 of them) and one clear job: three sealed trays at once.
Quick verdict: Gonex Waterproof 3700 Tackle Trays (2-Pack) is the #6 pick here, on 4.6-star Amazon buyer ratings (1,242 of them) and one clear job: sun-tinted sealed trays.
Quick verdict: Plano StowAway 3600 Utility Box with Rustricor is the #7 pick here, on 4.6-star Amazon buyer ratings (171 of them) and one clear job: one-hand single latch.
Quick verdict: Reaction Tackle 3700 Gasket Seal Tackle Trays (3-Pack) is the #8 pick here, on 4.6-star Amazon buyer ratings (221 of them) and one clear job: spray and rain.
Check the bag or backpack listing before you buy trays. Most packs and smaller bags are built around 3600s; bigger boat bags and racks take 3700s. A 3700 will not go into a 3600 slot, and a 3600 rattles around in a 3700 slot. If you have no bag yet, 3600 is the safer default for a bank angler and 3700 suits bigger baits.
A rubber or silicone gasket around the lid is what keeps rain, spray and a dunking out. The EDGE, HyperSeal, Ghosthorn and Gonex listings all call their trays waterproof; Reaction Tackle's listing says water resistant. A gasket also traps moisture that is already inside, so dry wet lures before you put them back.
Plano's Rustricor and Rustrictor and Flambeau's Zerust are rust inhibitors built into the plastic or the dividers. They slow corrosion on hooks between trips, which matters most for tackle that lives in a damp garage or a boat. The inhibitor fades over the years, so it is not a lifetime fix.
Adjustable dividers let one tray hold big crankbaits on one side and small terminal tackle on the other. Look for dividers that sit flush to the floor so small hooks cannot slide between compartments, and latches that will not pop open when the tray is wedged into a full bag.
Get the KastKing Utility 3600 two-pack for plain storage, or the Flambeau Tuff Tainer 4007 if your hooks rust. The Flambeau measures 11 by 7.25 by 1.75 inches on its listing, the same footprint as a 3600.
Get a sealed 3700 like the KastKing HyperSeal or the Ghosthorn three-pack. Both listings describe a gasket around the lid, and a tray that floats shut beats one that fills with lake water.
The Plano EDGE 3700 has both a watertight O-ring seal and Rustrictor in the base, plus a moisture-wicking pack. That combination is what you pay extra for over a plain clear tray.
The point of trays is that you carry only what that day needs. Set them up once at home and the bag mostly packs itself.
Read the bag or pack listing for the tray size and count. Buy trays to match, not the other way round.
One tray for crankbaits, one for jigs and trailers, one for terminal tackle, one for soft plastics in their bags. Avoid a single mixed tray.
Long rows for jerkbaits and spinnerbaits, small cells for hooks and weights. Move dividers before you load the tray, not after.
Write the contents on the end of the tray that faces out of the bag. You will find the right one without pulling every tray.
Before each trip, take out the trays you will not need. A lighter bag is easier to carry and quicker to search.
Open sealed trays at home and let used lures dry before closing them in. That is when hooks start to rust.
Once you know which kit type fits your situation, dig into each gear category for in-depth picks and buying advice:
Want to browse beyond the ranked picks? Filter and sort the full tackle trays listing below.
About 11 inches long, 7.25 inches wide and 1.75 inches deep. Those are the dimensions Plano lists for its StowAway 3600, and Plano quotes 3 to 39 configurable compartments. Other brands vary by a fraction of an inch: KastKing lists its 3600 at 10.8 by 7.25 by 1.65 inches.
About 14 inches long, 9.13 inches wide and 2 inches deep, per Plano's StowAway 3700 page, with 4 to 64 configurable compartments. Plano also sells a 3700 Deep at 3.25 inches and a 3700 Thin at 1.5 inches, which keep the same length and width so they still fit 3700 bags. Reaction Tackle lists its 3700 at 14 by 8.75 by 2 inches.
Buy the size your bag or pack takes. If you do not own one yet, 3600s suit a bank or wading angler who carries light, and most tackle backpacks are built around them. 3700s hold bigger crankbaits, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits and are the usual choice in a boat bag. Mixing sizes in one bag rarely works.
If your trays ride in an open boat, a kayak or a bag that sits on a wet deck, yes. A gasket keeps water out when a tray goes overboard or gets rained on. For tackle that lives in a dry garage and goes out on the bank, a plain tray is fine. A sealed tray also holds moisture in, so open it up to dry after a wet day.
The smallest of the common sizes, about 9.13 by 5 by 1.25 inches on Plano's StowAway 3500 page. It suits split shot, hooks and small jigs and fits shirt-pocket and small sling storage. This page ranks only 3600 and 3700 trays because those are the sizes bags and backpacks are built around.
They can. Soft baits carry oils that attack some clear plastics, and worms left loose in a tray for a season can fuse to the floor. Keep soft plastics in their original bags inside the tray, or buy a tray its maker sells as worm-proof.
Reader-supported and free of paid placements. Every pick is ranked on published specs and Amazon buyer ratings, not on who pays us.
Each pick is compared on published specs, materials, design, and category fit across the major brands.
Rankings factor in how well each product matches common freshwater fishing needs, not just popularity.
Star ratings and review volume from Amazon buyers are factored in to reflect real-world satisfaction.
A pick earns its spot by delivering useful performance for the money, whether budget or premium.
We ranked soft tackle bags by the tray size they take, from a compact four-tray 3600 bag to a 12-tray 3700 boat bag.
See Tackle Bags