I try to be careful to keep anything scented out of our tent and camp at night, but I've always wondered about my tackle box. I've generally left it out by the canoe, or under the canoe. Does anyone hang it with their bear bag, or store it in a bear proof container? Not that it has food in it, but some of the lures are scented, and the box itself smells like fish.

I've always wondered about that.
I keep a bunch of powerbait in a zip up soft pouch in the canoe.
But I've never had a critter of any sort mess with it.

Good question. And what about the ditch kit in my PFD? I keep a couple of energy bars in it for emergencies. Granted they're in the wrappers but I'm betting a bear could still smell them from close range.

Crossed my mind couple years ago. I keep my plastics in a zip lock (always did) and the zip lock goes in a small zippered pouch with a bag of slip bobbers and some other assorted extra fishing gear. Pouch is separate of actual plastic tackle box with lures/jigs. I started just stashing that extra pouch just outside of camp under log or between rocks. I didn't want it to become a whole step in my bear proofing process so I just keep it simple but do address it. Bears may still find it and rip it up but at least they shouldn't trash a bunch of other gear with it.

NEIowapaddler: "Good question. And what about the ditch kit in my PFD? I keep a couple of energy bars in it for emergencies. Granted they're in the wrappers but I'm betting a bear could still smell them from close range. "

I forgot about an empty cheese wrapper in my pfd pocket once and a bear ripped open the pocket so I never leave any ditch kit food in my pfd overnight.

Half the time I forget a Mio in my life jacket. Irresponsible.

Scented plastics - never gave it a second thought. Now I will. Fish smells in a canoe from fishing always has me thinking too.

Nope. I don't hang my fish stringer either, nor my clothes that I wore all day probably have fish slime all over. We do keep a clean camp & usually have a large group so that probably helps keeps animals away, we fart a lot.

Sometimes the shoreline itself smells worse than the canoe.

OMGitsKa: "Nope. I don't hang my fish stringer either, nor my clothes that I wore all day probably have fish slime all over. We do keep a clean camp & usually have a large group so that probably helps keeps animals away, we fart a lot. "

About 13 years ago we were late season glamping on site 372 Horseshoe Island, Saganaga, we had a canvas tent (thanks Butthead) and stove and we were using a 15’ aluminum boat. Went out to fish for the day and my buddy couldn’t find his tackle bag. At first we thought he left it by shore the night before but then remembered that wasn’t the case as we both recalled the odd Grouse encounter we had while bringing it back to the boat the night before. It likely weighed 12-15 lbs so we pretty quickly knew it had to be a bear, couldn’t see a weasel or something pulling that out and away. The hungry guy got into the boat, took the tackle bag and then carried it back in the woods a bit. Hard to say if he gave up or we happened to scare him off before he was done, had some nice big holes in it for sure but had not been completely torn apart. Later that day we caught him prowling around outside the tent, not the greatest feeling knowing you’re sharing an island with a bear right before he/she goes into hibernation!

Cool! Not cool you had a few encounters - smart buggers.

I agree that purists would store any smelly things properly from bears, I used to.
I still take many precautions with food storage, but the last 20 years, I have never worried about the super small stuff. I've done this in Griz country in Montana and Alaska,. (I lived in Ak for 3 years). I know I shouldn't have, but I was 95% careful.

You are talking about border line behavior for the BW in my book.
Take your chances either way. Your mileage may very.

LindenTree: "I agree that purists would store any smelly things properly from bears, I used to.
I still take many precautions with food storage, but the last 20 years, I have never worried about the super small stuff. I've done this in Griz country in Montana and Alaska,. (I lived in Ak for 3 years). I know I shouldn't have, but I was 95% careful.


You are talking about border line behavior for the BW in my book.
Take your chances either way. Your mileage may very.
"

One can definitely take things to a ridiculous (in my opinion) extreme if you overthink it. If I spill a drop of food on my pants, does that mean I need to hang my pants every night? Cause they sure as heck aren't fitting in a bear vault, lol.

I don't think you should have to worry about bears getting into the tackle box too much. If a bear does do get into one once, it's not likely to ever try again because of the hooks. I think they are unlikely to associate scented plastic bait with food, there's just no reward to ever encourage that behavior.