Milkcrate Question

Great responses so far.  Every milkcrate seems to have an interesting story to tell.  Most of us started out with one, many of  us no longer use one, none of them ever get thrown away as they get repurposed for another good.

I started out paddling a Cobra Triple.  In that Triple I had a double sized milkcrate.  In that milkcrate I had pvc rod holders hose clamped into place.  I also mounted my first fishfisher on the rim of the milkcrate.  Being a Triple, I would paddle in the back position and the milkcrate would be in front of me.  That thing took a beating.  It was with me on my very first kayak fishing trip.  It was with me when I caught my first fish.  It grew up with me as a kayak angler.  Many broken pieces later, it still serves a purpose in my garage holding kayaking gear.  Old and beaten, but not retired.  Thank you Darigold!

-Allen

Well put, Pole. I've lashed my Missoula Dairy crate to the paddleboard, and it carried enough beer and minimalist supplies for a quick sub 24 hour outing to a sandy island in the Columbia. On the Scupper Pro of long ago, it ferried freediving gear for the kelp forest of Catalina.  The old girl is currently serving duty as a receptacle in which I can dry carboys used in home winemaking.  Sun bleached and noble, she's a heckuva gal.

This is where my crate started. Modding it a little further currently.

That looks to pretty to go fishing with.

What kind of downrigger is that?

I think it's the depthmaster.  Mine is the same setup, except no air horn and the downrigger is offset to the side. 

I miss the good old accidental air horn bursts!

Back in the day we would liberate milk crates from behind grocery stores.  For decades I had bookshelves and filing cabinets made from milk crates.  They are the perfect size to secure a 20# LP bottle, a 7.5 gallon acid carboy for brewing, and of course to stash in the live well.

Enough tubes for ya?

It was with me on my very first kayak fishing trip.  It was with me when I caught my first fish.  It grew up with me as a kayak angler.  Many broken pieces later, it still serves a purpose in my garage holding kayaking gear.  Old and beaten, but not retired.
-Allen

The old girl is currently serving duty as a receptacle in which I can dry carboys used in home winemaking.  Sun bleached and noble, she's a heckuva gal.

Allen and Andy...you guys are making me all misty eyed 

Lee...I'm still trying to figure out the Bacon Strips. 

Demonic...I'm still looking at your pictures, trying to find the copper line and the rest of "the still"  And yes, that's a lot of tubes.

Look up Epic Mealtime on YouTube

I found this in my milkcrate.

Look up Epic Mealtime on YouTube

I was hungry till I watched that shiz...Thanks Lee and, only in America

http://www.youtube.com/user/EpicMealTime

I found this in my milkcrate.

Are you old enough to remember Cat Stevens? Was the first person that came to what's left of my mind...it was the 70's, need I say more? 

Look up Epic Mealtime on YouTube

I was hungry till I watched that shiz...Thanks Lee and, only in America

http://www.youtube.com/user/EpicMealTime

Actually, they are Canadian.

Its a Scotty Depthmaster 1050c. replaced the cable with 50lb braided fishing line.

I miss the good old accidental air horn bursts!

Haha, no kidding. that's how I would ward off wary sea monsters. Not happened since I put it on the crate though.

Here is my milk crate - I use it more as a place to put things to remember to bring, not so much as storage of fishing gear, although there is a tackle box in there.



Of maybe more interest is my rack for storing gear. I had a garment rack sitting around unused, when it occurred to me that it would be a great place to store my gear. I can use it to roll it out to my vehicle, rinse off my stuff, and roll it into the back of the garage.



The red gas can is to fill with water ballast for the front seat of my tandem when I'm out solo.

I like the rolling rack idea.  That's a pretty slick way of stowing the mirage drives too. 

What I loved so much about my X-Factor is how it was really built with what kayak fishermen like in mind.  There are molded in spots for either a full milk crate, square crate, and even a 5 gallon bucket. 



I started out with one of the square crates with three PVC tubes zip-tied to the back of it.  I gave up the crate when I built the utility rack to provide plenty of space to store fish.  Now my crates are full of extra kayak stuff in my garage.