I have a good storage solution for unused soft plastics, but once they've been rigged it turns into a cluster.  

I do several things, depending on what plastics and how they are rigged.

 

If it's something that I use a lot, and I know won't rust the hook in short order, I normally leave it rigged and put it back in the bag. Most of the Zoom lures I use fall into this category.

 

If it's a trailer on a jig or spinnerbait, I normally leave it rigged and put it back in the box. Provided, I know it's not going to cause rust.

 

If it's a bait that causes rust, or a bait that I rarely will use, I will de-rig it and put it back in the bag.

 

As a last resort, I will throw away the soft plastic and save the rest of the rig, if for some reason I want to, but can't, unrig it without destroying the plastic.

I just throw em away. I've rusted too many hooks on $10 baits by leaving the plastic on in an effort to save $1. 

I also have a huge problem with baits that have been used.

 

Once I've used something, I hate to put it back with brand new baits.

 

Doesn't matter if it's a jig, crankbait, spinnerbait, etc.

 

If my wife ever left me, it's because of all the used baits I have laying around in weird places.

 

I need to figure it out.

 

Glad you created a thread on it.   

Throw them in the trash 

You could use an empty soft plastic baggie to store various soft plastics that I might want to use again, but for whatever reason you don't want to put back in the bag.

 

I have a bad habit of taking a soft plastic off and putting it in my shirt pocket, then putting on a shelf when I get home. Then, after a year, I'll rinse all the miscellaneous soft plastics off and put then in their respective bags.

I leave it on the hook and use it tomorrow.

Trailers stay on lures until I replace them.  Texas rigs and similar that get taken off after a short use get dropped on the boat floor and lay in a pile.  I’ll use them another time, pull from the pile for new jig trailers, or snip off a length and make it a Ned rig.  Eventually I’ll sort through them and throw some away but for now I’m using the same plastics all the time so they are fine there.  Anything elaztech is separate.  

Save em in a pile and tell myself I’m gonna melt em down and pour em but I never melt em down and pour em. 

I’m not that ocd. I generally leave them rigged on jigs. I use a plastic till it’s not useable anymore. I use mendit to put them back together. And honestly mix colors and stuff in bags. And don’t worry about color bleed. Color isn’t important til it is. For the lost part it’s presentation. I just don’t think that much about it. 
 

that said I have a tub full of plastics. And always look on the bank for peoples left behinds. No idea what up ever do with the but I save tore up plastics lol. 

I need to start saving plastics... I did for a while.

I love the similarities and differences between everyone.  Elaztech sure complicates things.  I find myself shying away from it more and more.  

If the bait isn’t too torn up I put it back in the package to be used again. 
If the bait is really torn up I try to use it for a trailer, or I just pitch it when I get home. 

Honestly no idea what I’ll ever do with all the ones I save lol. But for some reason I do. 

I store most of my rigged soft plastics in trees on the bottom of the lake.

I just throw them about mid deck on the boat. Next time I go, I scan the assortment on the deck to decide what to throw. Never had a problem with rust, but most of the salt is probably gone from the first outing.