Although winter has only just officially begun, it is never too early to start thinking about preparing for the spring thaw and the fishing opportunities that it provides. The last thing you want to be is unprepared in the event of an unexpected thaw or other unforeseen opportunity to hit the water. You also want your first spring fishing trip of the year to be a success and not deal with the problems that can arise if you didn’t prepare in advance. Here are four ways to make sure you are ready to hit the water this spring.
Sharpen Your Hooks
Sharp hooks equal more consistent hook sets when a fish hits your lure. Sharpening your hook is something that is often overlooked and put in the back of your mind until you start losing fish because of it. If you aren’t the kind of person who wants to take the time and sharpen hooks simply buy replacement hooks. Either way, be sure your hooks are sharp for the upcoming season.
Replace Your Line
This is another one that gets overlook until you start losing fish or start having to deal with knots in your line. There are machines you can buy to make this job easier, a simple google search will bring up an array of ways to do it yourself, or you can just bring it to Cabellas or Big Bass Pros and they can do it for you. Whatever you do be sure to properly dispose of your old line.
Get Organized
Having an organized tackle box can save you a lot of headaches when you are out fishing this spring. It’s never any fun to dig through a messy tackle box in search of your favorite Rapala or Len Thompson spoon. Organize now means less time organizing during the summer months and more time actual fishing.
Scope out New Fishing Spots
Every angler has their favorite fishing spots. Those tried and true locations that always produce fish and are familiar. However, finding and exploring new spots can be a ton of fun. Ice Fishing is an excellent time to find new spots and to see what’s below the surface. Take a few trips to a new place this winter and put the camera down to see what kind of structure is there. If you see something you like you just found a new spot to try during the summer.
Get Excited
Nobody likes the work and the maintenance involved with being a fisherman, Rod and reel maintenance, boat maintenance etc… Some days it seems like it never ends. Nothing keeps the anticipation for a new fishing season up like receiving a new lure in the mail each month. That’s why we recommend Random Lure of the Month. With new lures showing up each month you don’t have time to get bored, it also makes step 1 and 3 in this list a lot easier.