Outdoors With Lanny Callicott
Gearing Up for Fishing
While the weather is cold, snowy, wet, windy, cloudy and all of those nice things Mother Nature has to offer, it is a good time to be gearing up for bass fishing. Preparing today is a good way to keep from doing it on a great fishing day in the spring or summer. Fishermen can concentrate better on preparing their fishing equipment on those days when the weather is cold and bad. I have seen guys who never prepare and wait until the last minute or while you are catching fish, to work on their equipment in some form or fashion.
There are many ways and things to prepare now, making sure they are ready for that first day out on the water in the warm sunshine. Many fishermen have different ways they prepare for their first day out on the water to set the hook. I came up with four different categories for gearing up for fishing: ( 1 ) Boat Check, ( 2 ) Rod & Reels, ( 3 ) Baits, ( 4 ) Clothing. I have come up with a few breakdowns in each of these categories and have tried to list what I think are some of the most important. You may do something completely different, but a common sense check list will save you lots of money, time and frustration either on the water or on the boat ramp.
Batteries -These are one of the single most important things you have to have on your boat and in great condition. Make sure all batteries are good and full of charge. One way to keep batteries longer is keep them in a place were the cold temperatures do not affect them. Also, make sure the batteries have plenty of water. Keeping them full is the lifeline of the battery.
Running Lights - Make sure before EACH trip the running lights are in working order. Always keep spare bulbs with you in the boat. Running lights are part of the law.
Trolling Motor - Your trolling motor is the second most important thing once you get on the water. You have to have a trolling motor that you can depend on at all times. Always check behind the prop on the trolling motor for old fishing line that might have gotten tangled around the shaft. This can cause major wear on the motor itself. Simply remove the nut that holds the trolling motor prop on and check. Re-install the prop back. Make sure all electrical connections are good and tight. MinnKota Trolling Motors make what I consider the best overall trolling motor out there. The composite shafts are almost unbreakable and can handle just about anything any lake has to offer. I know, I have run one on Reelfoot Lake for many years and haven’t had any problems yet. (www.minnkotamotors.com)
Boat Trailer - Make sure the tires are properly inflated before each trip. Also keep the bearings greased. It is always a good idea to have them re-packed every other year. Also, make sure you have a spare tire for your trailer and that it is full of air.
Boat Instruments - (depth / fish finders, all gauges, tilt & trim. Most of these instruments have inline fuses or circuit breakers so always have extras of those and keep a check on them before every trip.
Life Vest / Jacket - Always have the proper number of life vests on board for the number of people you might have in your boat at one time. There is a Coast Guard Yellow Label in every boat and this tells the maximum number of persons allowed in your boat at one time. Kill Switch - Make SURE it works well. This might save your life or keep the boat from running away from you if you are thrown overboard while the boat is running. Other Items: Make sure your boat is equipped with a paddle, a flotation devise that can be thrown to someone overboard, fire extinguisher, extra boat plug, and some type of horn or whistle.
Each year I clean my rods and reels with rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth. This works so well on cork handles and the rod guides and makes your rods look like they are brand new. I also check the guides on the rods for any damage and replace them. Damaged guides will cut your line in places causing you to loose that big fish at the wrong time. Once the reels are cleaned, then oil the reel in the areas the hand book shows. Be VERY CAREFUL with today’s reels because they have magnets and are sometimes tricky to get back like they once were. There are many places now that you can send your reels to have them cleaned and ready to fish at a reasonable price.
Reels - I recommend Pflueger Reels. They have been around since 1881 and there is a reason for that — they are very dependable. The reels come in many different styles and weights.
Rods - I highly recommend AllStar Graphite Fishing Rods. These rods are Made In The U.S.A and are dependable day in and day out. These rods are made to handle any trophy bass you are after. The rods have come a long way from the all fiberglass to graphite and now Titanium. You can spend just about as much as you want to spend on a rod today. For a good starting-out rod that will last, you can spend around $50 to $100. Just like anything else you might buy, the more the cost the better the quality.
Lines - There are many brands and type of fishing lines on the market today, but I mainly keep it simple. I fish braided and monofilament lines most of the time. Berkley Trilene is about as good as it gets. I reline my reels sometimes once a week depending on how many days I have fished with that line and the memory that has built up on the line as well. There also used to be only one to two colors of line and now there are many options out on the market. I prefer Clear on most fishing conditions, but the low-vis green is good for waters with alot of green tint. Now, if you are a night fisherman you might want to go with the Clear Blue which is one of the first colors ever made. (www.pfluegerfishing.com, www.allstarrods.com, www.purefishing.com)
There are so many bait companies on the market today. The main bait company that I use and HIGHLY recommend is Strike King Lure Company in Collierville Tennessee. Strike King was founded in 1966 by Charles Spence. They have salt water baits, catfish baits, bass baits, multi-species baits, a large selection of sunglasses, clothing and many other accessories for the fishing world. I have been very lucky to be a member of the Strike King Regional Pro Staff for seven years or so. At Strike King, they are fishermen too. They all love to fish for bass or whatever it may be and that is why their company is so successful.
There are so many baits on the market today it would take me forever to write and describe what is out there now. This is how I break down a day on the water on what to fish and how. If I was only allowed five baits in a boat they would be:
This is just what I like and others select a deep diving crankbait or a lipless bait of some type. Everyone has their go-to bait and confidence in one or two baits day in and day out. If I could I would really fish a Jig/Chunk Combo 80% - 90% of the time. (www.strikeking.com) In the March/April issue of Hometown magazine, look for my next article which will focus on baits.
Columbia Sportswear Company says it all when it comes to dependability in outdoor sportswear to keep you warm, cool or dry. Columbia also offers a wide range of styles for ALL types of weather conditions. One thing that my father Lanny taught me is that you always take off clothing if you have too much on during cold weather, but if you do not wear enough clothing that will make for a cold and short day out. It is also smart to have an extra change of clothing either in your boat or vehicle in case you get wet and need to quickly change.
In summer, wear light colored clothing, with light weight fabric. Long sleeve shirts that are made for hot weather are good too. There are also pants out on the market today that convert to shorts in a matter of seconds. For rainy or damp days, try the Gore-Tex rainwear. This allows your body to breath while repelling the rain water and keeps you 100% dry at the same time. This can be worn in all types of weather conditions. Gloves are also a must in cold or cool weather. I purchase a check pair of neoprene gloves and cut the fingers out of them. You will be surprised how much of a bite you can feel through them. These gloves sell for around $5 - $10 per pair. (www.columbia.com)
I hope to see you out on the water soon. Happy Fishing!
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