One of my amusements is to find everyday items, often what folks consider “trash” and ponder a way that it could be used in an emergency situation. The other morning I found a small plastic candy canister with a built in folding lid. My mind raced over several possibilities like: a matchstick case; a paper & pencil case; or a pocket sized tackle box that could also be used as a bobber. I stuffed it into my pocket knowing that it would have some practical application.

The next day, while visiting a friend, I pulled the canister out of my pocket and showed it to my friend and asked him if he might have a use for it. He shared with me a story about how his friend had used a similar canister which made his fishing trip a whole lot easier.

Have you ever gone fishing and at the end of the day tried to hook your lure on some part of your fishing pole or reel only to have it come loose and snag on your clothes, upholstery or other gear? This fellow solved this problem by using a canister to enclose the lure, thus preventing hooks from snagging it’s surroundings.

Enclosing the lure is like putting it in a locker for storage and it can be accomplished in different ways. For instance, you can simply place your lure inside the canister, close the lid, and reel in the line and let the canister swivel from the tip of your rod. Or, you can stabilize the canister by using a rubber band to attach it to your fishing pole handle for transport or storage. Depending on the severity of the lid’s edge, you may want to cut a slit from the outside edge to the center in order to provide an opening so as not to crimp the line.

The canister that I found was an empty M&Ms candy container but there are many containers available. Next time you check out at the register at a grocery store, take a look at the variety of candies and their containers to see what might work best for you. If it contains candy that you like, it will be a win/win scenario for you!