TSFMag Field Test – Plano Rustrictor™ StowAway

So let’s be honest; at the end of a long fishing day we don’t always give our tackle the attention it deserves. We rinse rods and reels, we wash the boat and rinse our wading gear and hang everything to dry. But what about the lures? If you’re like me, you’re in a hurry. Too hot, too cold, or too tired…not to mention a cold beverage to celebrate the day’s success. 

I wish I had a dollar for every batch of lures I neglected over the years and allowed to rust in storage trays, only to discover my mistake after a month or longer had passed.   

In most cases we get away with simply swapping out rusted hooks for new ones, but not always. Sadly, we have likely all dumped way too many lures in the trash.

I learned of Plano Molding Company’s newest addition to their extensive line of tackle storage boxes recently. Please understand that while nothing beats fully rinsing and drying your lures before storing for extended periods, the Rustrictor™ Stowaways from Plano can be a godsend to those of us who procrastinate or just plain forget.  

Quoting Plano’s Rustrictor™ StowAway advertising statement: “Plano’s innovative Rustrictor Series brings unbeatable rust-proof protection to the StowAway line. Designed in partnership with industry leader Armor Protective Packaging, Rustrictor Stows surround tackle with 360 degrees of Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor (VCI). These tackle boxes fight back at rust and corrosion 5x longer* than the competition. Keep your prized lures looking like new with Rustrictor! *Per Accelerated Lab Testing

Sound too good to be true? Let’s find out.

In order to test the advertising claim, I designed an experiment that included both Plano’s Rustrictor and plain, non-Rustrictor tackle storage boxes. To keep everything fair, each box received an identical set of lures: 1/4 and 1/2 ounce Johnson gold spoons, One Knocker Spooks, and Rapala’s Skitter V.

Every Monday and Thursday for three weeks, the boxes with the lures inside were filled with salt water dipped from the local boat ramp. The lids were snapped shut and the lures were allowed to soak twenty-four hours. After soaking, the water was poured out but no attempt was made to wipe away residual water or clean the lures. The boxes were then closed and placed on a shelf in the garage. I wanted to create a real-world environment for the salt to do its thing.

The results are displayed in the accompanying photos. The lures in the Rustrictor box remained virtually rust free while the lures in the non-Rustrictor box had begun to show rust and corrosion. Note especially the rust forming on the hook of the small spoon and the hooks of the Skitter V. These are not the fault of the lures; rather it is proof of purposeful neglect to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Rustrictor™ StowAway.

While we are not trying to sell anybody on the idea that the Rustrictor boxes are a panacea for eliminating rust on fishing lures stored for long periods without proper maintenance, I was none-the-less impressed with the results of the experiment.

The bottom line is that Rustrictor lived up to its claims, which is good to know, if you sometimes forget or procrastinate taking care of your tackle.

www.planomolding.com/fishing/stowaway-utility-boxes/rustrictor-series