Alton Jones Jr. is one of the best anglers in bass fishing right now. Fishing the MLF Bass Pro Tour, Jones spends the majority of the year on the road and water. In order to perform at the highest level across the entire country, he needs to have the right gear on hand to fish from a foot deep in Florida to 50 feet deep in New York. This gear needs to be protected from both the natural elements as well as the curious crook too. And, it must be organized and accessible.
Developing a system that accomplishes all these things can be quite the challenge for any angler, and Jones in particular, who admits that he’s not an organized person by nature. Fortunately for the Real Truck pro, his title sponsor has him covered. Wired2fish caught up with Jones recently as he was preparing for the Bass Pro Tour event on the St Lawrence River in New York to discuss how he keeps everything organized, the DECKED CargoGlide and Drawer System, and how they help him to be the best he can be on the water.
WHY JONES HAS A DECKED STORAGE SYSTEM
“When I partnered with Real Truck and they said, ‘Hey, we’re going to help you build your dream truck’, the first thing I went to was the DECKED system,” said Jones. DECKED, a subsidiary of Real Truck, offers various products for truck bed and van storage. Jones opted for a combination of two of their products for his system: the DECKED Drawer System and DECKED CargoGlide. “I’ve seen other anglers run similar systems or this exact one before and it’s just something I’ve always wanted. Every year I’ve tried different things in my truck. It’s very hard to keep it organized. I’ve always just wanted a drawer system that’s going to fit tool boxes, tackle boxes, graphs, Livescopes and really just be customizable piece by piece by piece, and that’s what I got with the DECKED system.”
At the time we spoke, Jones was about to fly to New York to reunite with his Ford F-250. During a break in the schedule, the Texas native parked his rig and headed home to spend time with family. This is something many touring pros will do to make the most of their free time and to cut down on the expense and wear and tear that comes with driving back and forth across the country. The only problem is, you don’t get a chance to unload and reload the truck for the next tournament.
“Right now my truck has been on the road and gone for almost two months, not being at home. So, fishing different bodies of water from shallow tidal fisheries to swamps and now we’re going to the St Lawrence… I have to have basically everything a bass angler could ever dream of. I have to have it packed, organized and ready to go.”
HOW JONES USES HIS DECKED STORAGE SYSTEM
The combination of a full-bed DECKED Drawer System and CargoGlide allows Jones to store tools, tackle and other gear in two long drawers while also maximizing the utility of the length of his bed with the CargoGlide that is mounted on top of the Drawer System. “That’s something I struggled with. Whether it was fixing a flat tire or getting to a certain bag of baits, it always seemed like the tool or the lure I needed was always in the front, in the most difficult to get to spot. With this system, I can pull it out 75% of the way, reach the furthest thing back in there, do what I need to do, put it back and close everything back up.”
Being able to slide both the drawers most of the way out means that everything in the drawers is accessible from the ground; no crawling into the bed to fish around for a spare reel or car jack that Jones had hoped he’d never need. And having the ability to essentially slide the whole raised bed out with the CargoGlide allows Jones to store larger items on top and access everything from the ground that’s on the CargoGlide as well.
“My truck cap is packed all the way to the rooftop. When you look at it, you’re like, you’re never gonna get in there. But when you see how it’s accessorized with the DECKED Drawer System and the CargoGlide, I mean everything is accessible within seconds, and without having to break your back by crawling all the way into the truck.”
GREAT FOR PROS, BUT NECESSARY FOR JOES?
With hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line and months spent on the road each year, it makes sense for a touring pro like Alton Jones Jr. to run one of these DECKED Systems. But is it a worthwhile investment for an average Joe who fishes around the house and works a 9 to 5—or more likely a daylight to dark day job during the week?
“Whether you’re a professional or a weekend angler, having the two drawer system, you’ve got one side for your passion and maybe the other side is for work. All equipment, no matter what industry or sport, is getting more and more expensive. Having somewhere safe, dry and secure to keep that equipment to extend the life of whatever you have is really, really important.”
Being able to lock the Drawer System is at minimum a deterrent that will prevent the curious crook from grabbing a tool bag and running off with it. If you decide to run the Drawer System, keeping the more expensive tools and gear out of sight and out of mind in the locked drawers keeps criminals from knowing whether or not it’s worth running the risk of getting caught while trying to break into the drawers.
“If you didn’t put anything on top, it would look completely empty. If you’re a hunter, you can keep your shotgun and ammo in there. It’s got some boxes (the Halfrack 32 and Sizer 16) that are really, really versatile. It’s got dividers in there. So, no matter what you’re into, whether it’s archery, fishing, hunting, shooting at the range or you’re just wanting to put your stuff in there for plumbing, it’s got you covered.”
THE DECKED DRAWER SYSTEM AND CARGOGLIDE
The Drawer System is waterproof, lockable and comes with a lifetime warranty. Each drawer has a 200-pound capacity and DECKED throws in an accessory kit, which includes: two Drawer Dividers, one Drawerganizer, four Stash Bins, four D-Ring Tie Downs, one Sixer 16 and one Halfrack 32.
If you choose to run just the Drawer System without the CargoGlide, it carries with it a 2,000-pound payload. The deck of the Drawer System also comes with 8 locations to mount D-rings, all of which have a 400-pound payload.
The CargoGlide can be mounted either on top of the Drawer System the way Jones has his, or it can be mounted directly to the truck bed. There are various versions of the CargoGlide that can either be extended 70% or 100% and come with payloads of 1,000, 1,500 and 2,200 pounds. The 1,000-pound that extends 70% of the way is the CargoGlide that is recommended for use on top of the Drawer System.
The CargoGlide varies in price from $1,400 to $3,000, depending on the length (5 foot, 9 inches;, 6 foot, 6 inches or 8 foot), the payload (1,000, 1,500 or 2,200 pounds) and the extension (70% or 100%). All the Drawer Systems (5’9, 6’6” and 8’) retail for $1,600, and they include the Accessory Kit (a $360 value) at no extra charge.
