Color or by depth.  I am just organizing my stuff to get ready for the season. 

I organize mine be depth and then by bill shape.

I organize mine by depth also. Then I use a fine sharpie to write on the underside what depth the lure runs. It can be frustrating to pick up a bunch of Rogue's and not know which one's float, and which one's suspend.

 

 

Depth.

... and, since my memory is so bad, just this winter I marked the "book" diving depths right on the back of the plug in small numerals with permanant ink. Let's see how long the ink lasts :

I organize mine by depth also. Then I use a fine sharpie to write on the underside what depth the lure runs. It can be frustrating to pick up a bunch of Rogue's and not know which one's float, and which one's suspend.

Wow - same responese at the same time - sorta like a Twilight Zone episode!  (Now I don't feel as stupid for doing the depth marking  ;D ;D)

What if you dont know the depth of a certain crank? 

You guys write under the bait or on top of the box

What if you dont know the depth of a certain crank?

You guys write under the bait or on top of the box

The "book" diving depth is often found on the original package, otherwise, you can usually find it in the BPS catalog or on the manufacturers web site. I "" the word book since diving depth is affected by line type and diameter (among other things) and you may or may not get the book depth.

I write the numbers on the left, rear side of the plug, towards the bottom - FWIW

U actually write on the crankbait?

I go by depths that way I don't have 3 of the same color right next to each other and then have to wonder what is what.

U actually write on the crankbait?

yes, either on the belly or back

U actually write on the crankbait?

I did - using the exact same Sharpie shown by BigRickRolled. Don't know how long it will last. I've had a number of these out for a swim and the ink has held up so far...

I've done this on baits before, if you don't want it to be on the bait itself you can write it on the bill. That's where I did mine. Held up pretty well.

I write the depths on the bills also...

Depth first, color second. 

Question for those that right the depth on the crankbait.  Do you also write it on your deep divers?  If so, how do you know how deep it's actually going, & do you write down the line size seeing that it directly affects the depth.  Honest questions.  Thanks.

Depth first, color second.

Question for those that right the depth on the crankbait. Do you also write it on your deep divers? If so, how do you know how deep it's actually going, & do you write down the line size seeing that it directly affects the depth. Honest questions. Thanks.

Can't answer that personally (yet). I only have a few cranks that go below 10 feet but haven't fished them yet. I bought them in advance of getting a canoe and getting out on the water in the spring...I'm fishing off the bank right now.  I did write the "book" depth on them as a starting point, knowing that they probably won't reach their book depths.

My guess is that you know how deep your deep divers are actually getting by either catching fish that show at a certain depth on your fish-finder - or you feel the crank hitting bottom at the indicated depth, or the crank is bringing back grass that you see at a certain depth.

You should be able to tell how deep your cranks go by just looking at them. If you can't, you should fish them more often.  

You should be able to tell how deep your cranks go by just looking at them. If you can't, you should fish them more often.

Yep - bill length, width, and angle should tell you and it would be close enough I expect.... (but I'm still gonna write the numbers on my plugs : )

Definately by depth.

I sort them by what rod I throw them on.

I take an engraving pencil and mark the lure's diving depth on the bottom of the bill. Depending on the lure, I may put the brand/model on there as well.

As far as organizing them in my tackle box, I have them seperated by style and depth. I typically fish from a kayak in the warmer months, so I try to limit the amount of "unnecessary" tackle I carry with me.

I typically carry a Plano 3600s loaded with med-diving cranks and jerks, another loaded with lipless cranks, and a smaller container (off brand, roughly 2/3 the size of a 3600) full of wakers and shallow cranks. It may seem like a lot of cranks, but I keep hook bonnets on them to minimize tangling and that severely limits the quantity you can fit in a box.

These will cover the majority of situations I'm likely to encounter in my local waters, but your local waters may be different.

first of the season, depth

end of the season, whatever box they fit into.

first of the season, depth

end of the season, whatever box they fit into.

Ha - best answer so far !

I have them by depth, in a 360 box in singles not to tangle them....well I single my favorites and double/triple up guys I don't use often b/c for the amount I use them, they can tangle

Bass Pro Shops sells double sided tangle free hard bait organizers.  At least they used to.  I just referenced my 2010 Master Catalog and my 2010 Spring fishing catalog and they aren't in there.  They are in the 2009 catalog.  Go Figure.

These boxes work great.  I sort out baits using a combination of size, diving depth and brands.  For instance, I'll carry 2 boxes of just Timber Tigers and another box of assorted cranks.

These same boxes work great for jerkbaits as well.  For the big deep diving cranks and Rattle trap style baits, I think the Plano Flipsider storage systems work real good. 

In addition, I have another set of boxes that I keep empty, so that should I be fishing out of another guys boat, I can pick and choose and not have to take a dozen crankbait boxes with me.

I think I'm like many other guys in that I have perpetual tackle storage issues.

By color and by depth