If you have ever tipped a bag of tangled jigs onto a wet rock platform at first light, you know why Japanese anglers treat storage as carefully as rods and reels. A MEIHO tackle box is not really one box. It is a modular system of tackle boxes and storage cases: a tough base container, a family of clip-on BM-series attachments, and slim VERSUS compartment cases that keep every lure, hook and leader exactly where you expect to find it. This MEIHO system guide explains how the three layers fit together, how to build a setup for ISO rock fishing, shore casting, light game or boat work, and how to lay out your lure cases so you spend spring fishing rather than untangling. Every model name, dimension and compatibility note below comes straight from the genuine, Australian-warranty MEIHO products stocked at Proshop TST.
Why the MEIHO System Works: Japanese Quality, Modular Tackle Storage
Most tackle boxes are a fixed shell with fixed trays, sold in different sizes and styles but never designed to grow with you. You buy the box and live with its layout. MEIHO, a Japanese brand and company known for high-quality plastic tackle storage, takes the opposite approach, following the philosophy behind most JDM fishing tackle: solve one job precisely, then let the angler combine the pieces to suit the way they actually fish.
The MEIHO ecosystem has three layers:
- A base container. The MEIHO Bucket Mouth series is a heavy-duty box with moulded multi-purpose holders, so the tools you reach for most sit on the outside of the box rather than buried inside it.
- BM-series attachments. Trays, bait boxes, leader clips and rod stands — each accessory locks into those holders. MEIHO lists each as compatible with the Bucket Mouth series and its Run Gun System Box series, so fittings carry across the range.
- VERSUS (VS) inner cases. Slim, divided lure and terminal-tackle cases that stack inside the base, or travel alone in a sling bag when you want to go light.
Start with whichever layer you need today and add the rest over a season.
Layer 1: The Base — MEIHO Bucket Mouth 7000
The MEIHO Bucket Mouth 7000 is the heart of a rock or boat setup: a large box moulded from high quality plastic (impact-resistant polypropylene) with a double-opening lid, anti-slip rubber on the bottom and a multi-purpose holder for BM-series accessories. It also doubles as a seat while you wait for a float to bury.
Key figures from the product page:
- Outside dimensions: 475 × 335 × 320 mm
- Inside dimensions: 383 × 281 × 281 mm
- Volume: 28 L
- Material: PP (polypropylene)
- Colours: Blue or Black
- Made in Japan
That 28-litre interior is where the system makes sense: you stack VERSUS cases inside rather than letting gear rattle around. The full-size VS-3043ND-2 measures 356 × 230 mm outside and only 50 mm deep, so it lies flat inside the 383 × 281 mm interior with room to stack several.
Availability note: the Bucket Mouth 7000 is a bulky item, so Proshop TST offers it as local pick-up only from Sydney — it is not shipped. Check the product page for current availability before you plan a build around it, and browse the tackle box and bag collection for alternatives if you are interstate.
Layer 2: BM-Series Attachments That Clip On
This is the layer that turns a box into a workstation, and where the functionality of the system really shows.
Storage Tray Attachment BM-S: the everyday accessory
The MEIHO Bucket Mouth Storage Tray Attachment BM-S is a 175 × 105 × 40 mm open tray for the small items and fishing supplies you handle constantly. The manufacturer's own suggestion is smart: drop each lure you swap off onto the tray, then rinse the lot together at the end of the day. The tray is polycarbonate resin with a POM attachment, and it is listed as attaching to the BM-9000, BM-7000 and BM-5000 Bucket Mouth boxes as well as its VS and VW system boxes.
Bait Box BM-S
The MEIHO Bait Box BM-S is a hard-type bait box measuring 100 × 90 × 60 mm with an ABS body and a buckle-locked lid, so the contents stay put if the box takes a knock. The top of the lid doubles as a small tray for a working amount of bait — exactly what an ISO angler wants between drifts. It attaches to the multi-purpose holders of the Bucket Mouth series and Run Gun System Box series, as well as the Multi Holder BM-25 and BM-30 and Side Pocket BM-120. Made in Japan. The bait box collection has the full range.
Leader Clip BM-S and BM-L
Anyone who has chased a rolling leader spool across a rock platform will understand this instantly. The Leader Clip holds your shock-leader spool under light tension so you can pull line and tie an FG or ISO knot without the spool spinning off. It attaches with one touch to the Bucket Mouth series, Run Gun System series, Multi Holder, Side Pocket and Rod Stand BM-240S.
- The Leader Clip BM-S measures 53 × 92 × 37 mm without attachments and suits spools 60 to 75 mm in diameter and 5 to 10 mm wide. The S size is described as the shore-fishing option: it can also clip to a bag or lifejacket with a carabiner so you can re-tie on the move.
- The Leader Clip BM-L measures 60 × 107 × 53 mm and takes larger spools of 80 to 90 mm diameter and 20 to 27 mm width — the size heavier casting and jigging leaders come on.
One honest caveat from the listing: the clip is not a locked mount, so a spool can pop off during strenuous movement — treat it as a tying station, not a travel holder. For the knots themselves, our JDM fishing knots guide covers the FG and ISO knot step by step.
Rod Stand BM-290 Slide
The MEIHO Rod Stand BM-290 Slide is a tilting, sliding rod stand made exclusively for the Bucket Mouth series and Run Gun System Box. It measures 85 × 75 × 327 mm in clear black and offers three positions: upright Standard Style, the bowed Slide Style that makes re-tying easier while keeping line off the rod tip, and a Free Style mounted on the back or side of the box. The stand hole is 45 mm and both sides carry further multi-purpose holders. Availability varies, so check the product page or the rod accessories collection for what is currently on the shelf.
Layer 3: VERSUS Inner Cases for Lures, Hooks and Terminal Tackle
VERSUS is MEIHO's case range — the pieces most Australian anglers buy first, because they work just as well in an existing bag as inside a Bucket Mouth.
VERSUS VS-3043ND-2 Clear: the full-size lure case
The MEIHO VERSUS VS-3043ND-2 Clear is the workhorse. It measures 356 × 230 × 50 mm outside and 343 × 198 × 43 mm inside, with 12 removable dividers plus 2 fixed long row dividers so you can build compartments for anything from stickbaits to metal jigs. The hinged lid closes with a secure plastic latch and the body is polypropylene. The 43 mm internal depth lets most stickbaits and jigs lie flat with room for the hooks.
VERSUS VS-3020NS Clear: the mid-size case
The MEIHO/VERSUS VS-3020NS Clear measures 255 × 190 × 28 mm and ships with 16 adjustable dividers. The body is polypropylene with an ABS clasp, it is listed as wormproof, and it is made in Japan. Wormproof matters: some soft-plastic formulations react with ordinary plastics and leave a sticky mess, so this is the case for jig heads and plastics.
Light Game Case J: 18 mm slim
At just 18 mm thick, the MEIHO Light Game Case J is the ajing and light-game specialist. Two cases dock together, and the footprint is designed to sit in the upper section of the VS-7055 box. Made in Japan and priced from $10 AUD, it is the cheapest way into the system if you fish small jig heads and micro lures.
Folding Case 315DD: hooks and small terminal tackle
The VERSUS MEIHO Folding Case 315DD is a pocket-sized 97 × 64 × 30 mm case that folds open to reveal 17 separate small compartments, each with its own lid, held shut by a spring-loaded closure rather than a latch. The opaque black body is impact-resistant ABS. This is where ISO hooks, split rings, swivels and sinkers live — one size per compartment, and only the one you need opens. See the hook storage collection for more hook cases.
Building Your MEIHO Setup by Fishing Style
Here is how the layers combine for four common kinds of fishing.
ISO rock fishing session
A full ISO day is where every fisherman sees the MEIHO system at its best. Start with the Bucket Mouth 7000 as base and seat — the double-opening lid means you can reach in from either side. Clip on the Bait Box BM-S with the lid tray holding a working amount of bait, and the Leader Clip BM-S so your spool is always at hand for re-tying. Inside, a VS-3043ND-2 holds floats, stoppers and spare rigs laid flat, while a Folding Case 315DD keeps ISO hooks by size. Remember the Bucket Mouth 7000 is a Sydney local pick-up item. Rock fishing carries real risk, and NSW requires lifejackets in declared rock-fishing areas — our rock fishing safety gear guide covers what to wear alongside what you carry.
Shore casting and rock-hopping
When you are walking headlands throwing stickbaits and casting jigs, a 28-litre box is the wrong tool. Build the mobile version instead: one VS-3043ND-2 for stickbaits and jigs in a sling bag, a Folding Case 315DD for split rings and spare assist hooks, and the Leader Clip BM-S on your lifejacket or bag with a carabiner so you can re-tie standing on the rocks.
Light game: ajing, bream and estuary
Light-game anglers need less volume and more separation. Two Light Game Case J docked together handle jig heads and micro plastics at 18 mm each, and a wormproof VS-3020NS takes small hardbodies and plastics that live in the kit permanently.
Boat and offshore
On a boat the Bucket Mouth 7000 becomes a deck box and seat. Fit the Storage Tray Attachment BM-S so swapped jigs have somewhere to sit and can be rinsed together later, and the Leader Clip BM-L for the larger spools heavier leaders come on. If you can source it, the Rod Stand BM-290 Slide holds a rod upright or bowed while you re-rig. For the jigging side of the kit, see our offshore slow pitch jigging guide.
How to Organise and Store Your Lure Cases by Type
Good storage cases are half the job; the other half is how you organise them — a layout you can navigate by feel at 5 am.
One case, one job. Never mix lure families in a single case. Stickbaits and casting jigs go in the VS-3043ND-2, soft plastics and jig heads in the wormproof VS-3020NS, micro lures in the Light Game Case J, and hardware in the Folding Case 315DD.
Set dividers by length, then weight. In the VS-3043ND-2, use the 2 fixed long dividers to create rows, then place the 12 removable dividers so each compartment matches the lure that lives in it and no space is wasted. Run lighter lures at one end and heavier at the other.
Keep hooks off the lures. Assist hooks, trebles and split rings belong in the 315DD, not loose in a lure compartment where they tangle and scratch the finish on your jigs. Seventeen individually lidded compartments means one size each and nothing spills.
Wet side, dry side. During the session, anything that has been in the water goes onto the BM-S tray outside the box, not back into a case. Dry cases stay dry.
Looking After Your MEIHO Tackle Box
Polypropylene and ABS give these boxes their durability, but salt is patient. Rinse the Bucket Mouth and every attachment in fresh water after a saltwater session and leave the lid open to dry. Open each VERSUS case and let it air rather than sealing damp lures inside — a closed, damp case is where rust starts on hooks and split rings. Check the latch on the VS-3043ND-2 and the spring closure on the 315DD before each trip, keep clear cases out of long-term sun in a car boot, and lift the spool off the Leader Clip before you pack up and move.
Buying Genuine MEIHO Products in Australia
MEIHO fishing gear is popular enough that grey-import listings turn up online. Buying genuine, locally supported stock matters for two reasons: warranty, because a genuine Australian-supplied MEIHO product is backed here rather than through an overseas seller; and fit, because the compatibility lists above are precise and genuine current-production attachments are the only way to be sure the fitting matches your box. Proshop TST is an Australian store that stocks MEIHO alongside the rest of its genuine JDM tackle range, with Australian warranty on everything sold. Cases and attachments ship Australia-wide; the Bucket Mouth 7000 is available for local pick-up only in Sydney.
Build It One Piece at a Time
You do not need every part of the MEIHO system on day one. Most anglers start with a VS-3043ND-2 for casting lures and a Folding Case 315DD for hooks, add a Leader Clip, and graduate to a Bucket Mouth 7000 when they want a base and a seat for long ISO or boat sessions. Each piece works alone and works better together — that is the point of a Japanese modular tackle box. Browse the tackle box and bag collection to start your system with premium, genuine MEIHO equipment backed by Australian warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MEIHO Bucket Mouth?
The MEIHO Bucket Mouth is a series of large, impact-resistant polypropylene tackle boxes with multi-purpose holders that accept clip-on BM-series accessories. The Bucket Mouth 7000 stocked by Proshop TST measures 475 × 335 × 320 mm outside, holds 28 litres, has a double-opening lid and anti-slip rubber base, doubles as a seat and is made in Japan. It comes in Blue or Black, for local pick-up only in Sydney.
Which MEIHO attachments fit the Bucket Mouth 7000?
MEIHO lists the Storage Tray Attachment BM-S and Bait Box BM-S as attaching to the BM-7000, and the Leader Clip BM-S, Leader Clip BM-L and Rod Stand BM-290 Slide as compatible with the Bucket Mouth series. The same attachments also fit the Run Gun System Box series, so they carry across if you change your base box later.
Do VERSUS cases fit inside the Bucket Mouth 7000?
Yes. The Bucket Mouth 7000 has an internal footprint of 383 × 281 × 281 mm. The full-size VERSUS VS-3043ND-2 measures 356 × 230 × 50 mm outside, so it lies flat inside with room to stack several cases, and smaller cases like the VS-3020NS (255 × 190 × 28 mm) and Folding Case 315DD (97 × 64 × 30 mm) fit easily alongside.
Can the MEIHO Bucket Mouth 7000 be shipped within Australia?
No. Because of its size, Proshop TST offers the MEIHO Bucket Mouth 7000 as local pick-up only from Sydney. VERSUS cases and BM-series attachments ship Australia-wide. Check the product page for current availability before planning a pick-up.
Which MEIHO case is best for soft plastics?
The VERSUS VS-3020NS Clear is listed as wormproof, meaning it resists the reaction between some soft-plastic formulations and ordinary plastics that can leave lures and cases sticky. With 16 adjustable dividers and a slim 28 mm profile, it is the natural home for jig heads and plastics, while the 18 mm Light Game Case J suits micro lures for ajing and light game.
