RAILBLAZA Tackle Caddy Console Mount

If you fish out of a center console or a small runabout, you know the problem. Your pliers, your keys, a spare box of lures, your phone, the handheld VHF, they all end up sliding around the deck or buried in a bag. The RAILBLAZA Tackle Caddy Console Mount fixes that. It's a molded caddy that bolts to your console and keeps the gear you reach for most right at the helm, within arm's reach when you need it.

The centerpiece is a slot sized for a 3400 Series Stowaway tackle box, so your terminal tackle and lures ride in a sealed box that pops in and out in a second. Around it you get molded holders for pliers, keys, a phone, a handheld VHF, binoculars, a drink bottle, sunblock, even a mug. A bungee cord runs across the front to hold everything down when the ride gets rough. That's the part anglers appreciate most once they've run a chop and nothing went flying.

Here's where it earns its spot. When a fish is on and you need pliers right now, you're not digging through a milk crate on the deck. When you're re-rigging, the Stowaway box is right there and the loose hooks stay in the box instead of on the seat. It turns the dead space on the front of your console into organized storage you actually use every trip.

It's not just a center console piece, either. Bass boats, bay boats, skiffs, and pontoons with a console face all have that flat panel that begs for organization, and the Tackle Caddy claims it. Guides who run a lot of trips like that everything lives in the same spot every day, so nothing gets left at the ramp and the deck stays clear for clients. A clear deck is a safer deck, especially with kids or first-timers aboard.

Mounting is straightforward. The caddy comes with stainless steel hardware, so nothing rusts on you, and it screws right to the console face. One tip from experience: if your console skin is thin fiberglass, back the screws with washers or a thin backing plate so you don't crack the gelcoat when you tighten down. Take a minute to plan the location too. Mount it where it won't block your throttle and shift levers or bury a factory drink holder or VHF mic clip. On single-console layouts especially, hold it up and check your clearances before you drill.

Out on the water, a couple of small moves make it even better. The Stowaway box slides in and out smoothly, but on a hard chop it can rattle, so a strip of thin foam in the slot quiets it right down. The bungee keeps boxes and gear secured, though a tall sunblock bottle likes to tip unless you wedge it next to your lures. And because the caddy is black, the surface soaks up sun and gets hot. Don't leave soft plastic lures sitting loose inside on a blazing day, or they'll get soft.

The plastic itself is UV-stabilized fiberglass reinforced, and it holds up. Anglers who've run these for a few seasons report no yellowing and no cracking from sun exposure. It measures 11.7 inches wide, 4.5 inches deep, and 5.1 inches tall, which is a great fit for most center consoles and smaller boats. Worth knowing: the depth runs on the shallow side, so full-size binoculars or an oversized travel mug may not seat all the way down. For the everyday stuff, though, pliers, phone, VHF, a Stowaway box, and your keys, it's exactly the kind of simple, honest piece of gear that just makes your day on the water tidier.