OCR Text |
Show It's time to tackle spring fishing As winter slowly gives way to spring, it is time to clean out the tackle box, replace the broken lures, and spool on some new line to get ready for the fishing season. For some, spring fishing is already here. Last week as I flew to Texas, one of the passengers got out a fly vise to tie some new flies. He had been fly fishing on the Provo River and had been very successful taking fish on a number 18 Blue Dun fly. The fish are rising when the sun is shining on the water. Just talking about it got me interested in spring fishing. The first step to getting ready is to clean out the tackle box. It is always interesting to see what you left in the box last fall as you ended your fishing season. In some cases, it is interesting to see what and how things have grown over the winter. It makes you want to be more careful where you leave your leftover left-over sandwiches when fishing this year. While cleaning out my tackle box, I take note of those lures that need to be repaired and those lures that need to be replaced. By taking inventory now, I can watch for the sales on fishing tackle that will come around in the next few weeks, i While checking out your lures, it is a good time to sharpen the hooks. To test for sharpness, run the hook over your thumb nail. If it won't dig into the nail, it needs to be sharpened. sharpen-ed. For big hooks use a file. Luhr Jenson sells one that is specifically designed for sharpening hooks. For smaller hooks use a sharpening stone. If you want to make the job easier, consider getting a battery operated hook sharpener. Berkley makes a combination hook sharpenerline stripper or just a ' plain hook sharpener. Either works Utah Outdoors 11t?nl byMike II Jj I Hemingway very well. The combination sharpenerline stripper also makes it easy to strip old line off from your reel and in to the garbage can when you are changing your line. If you can t find one in the local stores, I have about 50 line stripperssharpeners that are left over from my fishing tackle days. I will send you one for $10. Send a check to Mike Hemingway, P.O. Box 1023, Centerville, Utah 84014, as well as your name and address, and I will drop one in the mail for you. When you have taken all of the interesting things out of your tackle box, and stocked it with new or replaced lures, you might consider getting some fresh bottles of Berkley Power Bait. There are some new colors this year to augment aug-ment the pink, orange, and yellow of last year. They promise to be winners. When your tackle box is finished, take the time to put fresh line on your reel. Professional fishermen change the line on their reels after every fishing expedition. You may not want to change yours that often, but it does make sense to change it at the beginning of each fishing season. This is particularly true if you have kept your rod and reel in the trunk of your car or behind the seat of your pickup truck. Nothing breaks down the strength of fishing line faster than heat. If you store your rods and reels in the garage, you should also change your line. Nylon line can absorb the odors of gasoline, oil, exhaust, fertilizer, fer-tilizer, and any other items you store in your garage. Fish find these odors offensive and may be turned off from hitting your lures or bait by the smell of your line. Fill your reel with fresh, quality line. I personally prefer two or four pound test Trilene XL. I have found that fish will hit lighter pound test lines more readily than heavier pound test lines. In our clear trout waters, I like lines that are clear or low visibility in color. I will use heavier lines and high visibility lines in other fishing conditions. If you are fishing with an open or closed face spinning reel, fill the spool to within 18 inch of the lip. This will allow you to cast farther. If the reel is not full, you will limit your casting range because of the added drag to the line as it comes off the reel. Clean and lubricate your reels. Check and clean the drag and make sure that it is working properly. This is essential if you are going to fish with light lines. The final job on your check list is to carefully examine your rod. Replace any broken or cracked line guides. A cracked line guide can shred your fishing line in just a few casts. Make sure your rod blank is in good shape and is free of cracks. If it is cracked, replace it with a new rod. After you have done all of this work, you will be ready to go fishing. Now all you need to do is clean the yard, get the grass in shape, and the garden planted. When you have that done, as well as the house painted, you can go. Unless of course, a nice day comes along, then go fishing and let the rest wait. |