Spring is Here! Is your Fishing Gear Organized & Ready?

Yep, fishing season is right around the corner. Will you be ready? With a little effort and a few hours here and there, you can get a jump on the upcoming fishing season and have all your gear in working order when that first mild day calls you outside. Here’s a checklist of things you can do to get ready. 

SPRING CLEANING

Yeah, your tackle box is a disaster, isn’t it?

What started out as a museum-quality display of lures, hooks and other gear turned into a jumbled mess of tackle at the end of last fishing season. Now it's time to get out the springtime baits. Spring baits are better for active fish that are kicking off the winter rust. Topwater poppers, jerkbaits, streamers, spoons and some chatterbaits are now viable options for hungry and aggressive fish. 

Make sure you sort out boxes that were previously on the bottom of your tackle box, or filter out your lures from last fall and add in some vibrant spring baits. You don't want to get to the water and start shuffling through your gear when it go time.

The perfect time to clean it up and organize that mess is today. Spread an old sheet across your kitchen table, grab all your fishing gear from the garage and get to work. Wipe down dirty lures with a paper towel dipped in warm, soapy water. Replace rusted or broken hooks and toss lures beyond repair in the trash. 

Sharpen dull hooks and organize them by size, style or purpose in separate compartments in your tackle box. Separate lures by style, size and species of fish they catch. An organized tackle box will help you spend more time casting and less time searching. 

Strip last year’s monofilament off your reels and fill the spools with fresh, new line, but make sure you match that new line to your reel size and the fish you plan to catch. Eight-pound test, for instance, is a good all-purpose line for medium- action spinning reels and such fish as crappie, smallmouth bass, and trout. 

Twelve or 14-pound mono is great for reels and most largemouth bass fishing applications. Pulling out last season’s lures can be time consuming now but well worth the effort come fishing season. 

HOW TO FIND THE BEST FISHING SPOTS NEAR YOU

STOCK UP

As you clean and straighten your tackle, make notes on what you need for another productive season. Are you low on certain types of hooks or weights? Did you run out of a specific lure that caught a lot of fish last year? Shop now before your favorite lures sell out. Whether you visit a local tackle shop, a big-box retailer like Bass Pro Shops or buy your gear online, there’s no better time to restock your tackle box than right now. You may be able to get those lures or even a new rod and reel for the best price of the year thanks to pre-season sales. 

Check Rods You Stored Over the Winter

Rods stored over the winter need a quick checkup before heading back onto the water, especially if they are stored somewhere with less heat. Guides, handles and tips can all weaken during winter storage and result in catastrophic failures, or breaks when pressure tested with a fish. 

If you didn't take your reel handle apart at the end of the previous season, now is a good time. Clean out any dirt, or grit and place a few drops of reel oil on the bearings on each side and the main shaft, put it back together and give it a few turns. Give your drag system a check next. Some anglers release their drag at the end of the season to relieve pressure on the system. There is also a high chance the drag setup you had at the end of last year will not be suitable for the beginning of this year and could end up costing you.

Check Your Lines 

Frays, tangles and improper wrapped lines can all occur during a season and sometimes during the offseason, if your gear is stored in poor conditions. Meticulously checking your line for weaknesses starts your season off on the right foot and gives you the confidence you need to fish in, or near, weeds and structure. If you do find weaknesses in your line setup, now is the time to strip the line off your reel and get a fresh spool ready for this spring. This is also a great time to look into new lines, or heavier braids you’ve been putting off adding onto your spool during the heart of fishing season.

Sharpen and Clean

Check your hooks for rust and dull points. Resharpen everything you plan on taking out on your first day, because why not. For anglers who fish both salt and freshwater, this is extra important to check for damage and corrosion due to saltwater. If you are finding rust and corrosion try using salt and lemon juice paste on hooks to remove the rust, or soak them in vinegar for 24 hours.

Tend Your Boat

Whether you pull a sleek new fiberglass bass boat, a well-worn jon boat or you throw a kayak on top of your car, there is no better time to get your watercraft in proper working order than right now. A thorough cleaning is always a good idea before the season starts. 

For those who take their boats to different bodies of water in the offseason, check your hull for aquatic hitchhikers like zebra and quagga mussels, or vegetation like millfoil. 

These creepy crawlies are also fond of attaching themselves to the prop of motors and can live for quite a while out of the water. These invasives can wreak havoc on other bodies of water, endangering fisheries and reducing our favorite sport species. 

Many state and independent agencies will set up check stations to try and catch the spread of invasives before they get into a waterway and you should do research to find out where these are, as passing one without stopping can get you pulled over and fined.

Change the oil in your outboard, check the spark plugs and inspect the fuel line and other hoses. Replace them if they are worn or cracked or take your motor to an authorized service center 

if you want to leave it to a professional. Don’t wait. Once boating season gets started, boat repair shops can be backed up for weeks. 

Inspect the trailer before you tow your boat anywhere, as well. 

The trailer’s lights might need some work, too. Check the bulbs and replace them if needed. Inspect the wiring. Blown bulbs are often a result of electrical shorts, which can be caused by wires rubbing against the trailer. Don’t wait until you get pulled over by a law enforcement officer to find out your lights aren’t working properly.

Check the grease in the wheel bearings and add more if needed. Inspect the tires. Are they dry-rotted or worn? Replace them before your first outing of the year.

Fire extinguishers can lose pressure, even if they have never been used. Check yours and replace it if necessary, and inspect personal flotation devices for wear. How about the registration? Any boat that is equipped with a motor, no matter the size of the boat or the size or type of motor, must be registered with your state. Either way make sure yours is up-to-date or register your boat through the Department’s website. You can also take a boaters safety course online. It is now mandatory for anyone operating a boat with a 10 horsepower or larger engine or anyone over 14 years old operating a personal watercraft.

If you need parts for your outboard, Marine Parts Warehouse is a great source for replacement parts.

Set Some Fishing Goals

Bored with the same waters and the same fish? Then, make plans to try something new. Whether your goal is to catch different species of fish, travel to remote corners of your state or try an entirely new method of fishing, make a vow to spend more time on the water this year.

Set aside days to explore new lakes, float a new river, or fish a trout stream that you’ve always wanted to fish. Don’t let anything come between you and those plans.

If you haven't experienced the #1 fishing app worldwide, make sure and check out Fishbrain to see all the fish data, fishing spots, weather conditions you've been missing out on plus much more.

Even better, set a goal to introduce two or three or even five new people to fishing. Invite a neighbor or co-worker to a favorite spot and teach them how to catch their very first fish. TAKE ME FISHING!