Two questions  1. How can I prevent my hooks from rusting i just bought several lures and packs of hooks like two weeks ago and they have already started rusting 2. The bass fishing in my area is slowing considerably the lures that usually work are square bill crank baits and paddle tails

Well, stating the obvious but it's from water.

 

Are these lures you have used?

 

Or lures you haven't even used yet?

 

If it's a lure you have used, you need to maybe let them dry before you put away.

 

If it's lures you haven't even used yet, it's been very humid and water may be collecting in your storage trays or whatever you use.

 

Do you keep everything outside?

 

After an outing check and see if things are dry. If not bring inside and open the lids up. If there's a bunch take them out and wipe things down.

 

Me? I'm super anal and take everything inside.  

 

I've never had a problem with rust.

Get yourself some silica gel packs.  When you think everything is dry and are about to stow them in your bag, box or tray, throw in a couple or three gel packs.  

I am careful not to put wet lures back in my boxes. I let them dry either while fishing or I take them home and dry them before putting them away. If my boxes get wet from rain or splashing, I open the lid and dry the whole box in the sun or when I get home.

I agree with what the others have said, but another product to know about is Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor (VCI) paper and pucks.  The trade name is Zerust and it is a chemical that can be impregnated in and applied to various materials.  When an item is stored in/with VCI, the VCI off gasses a vapor that, as it's name suggests, inhibits corrosion. 

 

In the fishing world it's marketed by Flambeau Outdoors as a line of tackle boxes and inserts.  You can find other options by searching.  It's used in industry and manufacturing a lot.  The nice part about it is that it works on most forms of metal, not just ferros stuff.  Put a slip of it in with jewelry, fine silver, polished copper or aluminum machine parts and your stuff stays shiney. 

 

The not nice part is that it only works in confined spaces and like all evaporative products, when the vapor is gone so is the protection.  I don't use it for my fishing tackle as I haven't found a need, but I have used it in a commercial environment and it's nice.

Awhile back, I went to an industrial supply place to buy some of the pucks or tabs.   When I mentioned I was planning to toss one or two into my tackle trays, the salesperson discouraged this saying they didn’t work well in small closed containers.  It wasn’t very clear to me why this might affect its purpose, but I took him at his word and didn’t buy them.  Would you have insight into why this might be true?  

I'm familiar with VCI paper and tabs due to my other hobby, reloading. Reloading dies often are shipped with either a piece of VCI paper, or a cardboard VCI disc.

 

There is no reason that this wouldn't protect lures in storage, but it only protects from moisture in the air. If the lures are wet when put back into the box, they would still rust until the water dispersed enough for the gas to cover the metal and slow down the rust.

17 minutes ago, Bazoo said:

I'm familiar with VCI paper and tabs due to my other hobby, reloading. Reloading dies often are shipped with either a piece of VCI paper, or a cardboard VCI disc.

 

There is no reason that this wouldn't protect lures in storage, but it only protects from moisture in the air. If the lures are wet when put back into the box, they would still rust until the water dispersed enough for the gas to cover the metal and slow down the rust.

That makes more sense.  Maybe the sales person misunderstood me, or I misunderstood him or neither one of us knew what we were talking about.