Getting ready for the open water fishing season

The snow is melting quickly, and the frozen lakes and rivers will soon be open. Now is an appropriate time to ready your gear for the open water fishing season.

Over the course of my fishing and boating career, I’ve lost fish due to gear problems and had the motor quit at the most inopportune time. The most common gear problems are dull hooks and old line. Boat motor issues can be any of a wide assortment. Because of these misadventures, I’ve learned to take a few preventative steps to avoid these easily preventable situations.

The end of the fishing season is a great time to inspect your fishing rods and reels. Clean them off and inspect for any needed repairs. This is also a good time to re-lubricate your reel, replace worn or broken parts, and have a professional reel repair service overhaul your drag system or make other needed adjustments. If you forgot last fall, now is the time to get ready for this coming season.

During the offseason is an enjoyable time to shop for that new rod and reel you want as a backup or to purchase a replacement rod for one damaged during your last fishing trip. If I wasn’t already buried in fishing gear, I would have bought a salmon bait casting rod to go with a spare reel I have sitting around.

I like to go through my tackle box during this time to inspect lures for damage and make a list of needed replacement terminal gear such as sinkers, swivels, bobbers, split rings, and hooks. I also determine which reels need line replaced and add the necessary items to my shopping list. This is the time to inspect hooks on your lures and sharpen the dull ones. If a hook needs replaced, I’ll do that during this inspection period.

I try to have the upcoming season’s fishing regulations in hand when going through my tackle box so I can make sure I have the proper size and legal type hooks on my lures. Some salmon species regulations mandate single hooks, so it’s time to change out those treble-hook lures.

If you’re a fly fisher, hopefully you spent the winter tying a bunch of your favorite flies for trout and salmon. Some folks remove the line from their fly reels over winter to prevent the line from taking a “set” on the reel. Now is a suitable time to rewind the line and make sure all the fly-fishing gear is ready to go!

Hopefully, you winterized your boat after last season. If so, it should just be a matter of putting in the boat plug, installing the battery and tightening a few bolts, and taking the boat for a test run on a local lake to make sure things are good to go. If not, you’ve got some work ahead.

When I had an outboard motorboat, I usually changed the lower unit oil, made sure the battery was charged, inspected the powerhead, and launched the boat for a test run. With today’s newer four-stroke engines, make sure to change the engine oil and filter and grease any necessary fittings in addition to already mentioned items.

I currently run an inboard jetboat. I installed a battery conditioner which not only keeps the batteries charged but also extends their life. I need to close up the heat exchanger and sand trap, change the oil, filter, and gas filter, and grease the main bearing on the drive unit. After installing the boat plug, I should be good to go for a test run.

Make your test run on a local lake. Launching a boat into a local river without being sure of proper operation is a surefire way to ruin the season start!

I go through my boat testing all the electrical systems and cleaning up the floors and storage shelves. I usually try to visit one of the Coast Guard Auxiliary inspection sites during the spring just to be sure I haven’t overlooked something important. Plus, passing the inspection might help with your boat insurance costs.

Don’t forget to check your boat trailer. Make sure the tires are properly inflated, the wiring is in good condition and all lights work correctly. Grease the hubs and check for any loose bolts. Check the spare tire while you’re doing the other tire inspections, just in case.

With a little preseason maintenance, you can be sure your fishing season will not be interrupted by an easily avoidable equipment failure!