The weather starts getting warmer. You hear the the crappie are running. The catfish have come in to spawn. The bass are following their food source closer to shore. It’s time to fish.


It’s not uncommon for the average fisherman to grab his rod and head out at a minutes notice when the fish start getting active in the early spring. But there are some important tips that you should keep in mind before going out. Right now, when there’s time, is the best time to start knocking out this list.






A lot of people don’t think about changing out their line until their reel starts to get empty. You should be changing out your fish line at an absolute minimum of once a year. That old fish line that is on your reel is full of nicks and abrasions. It’s stretched out and weak. Start out the season with some fresh line and then you won’t be cussin’ up a storm when that first big bass of the season snaps your line.


Remember that last fishing trip you took when you just through everything in your tackle box thinking that you’ll clean it out later? Well now is a great time to do that. Clean out that box and check your inventory. You may not have noticed that you are low on hooks. You don’t want to find that out after you are already in the boat a long ways from shore.


Clean and oil those reels. Every season perfectly good fishing reels get thrown out due to frustration. Sand gets in the gears and they don’t operate correctly so people just rash them. Open them up. Clean out the dirt and oil them up. f you keep them properly maintained they won’t let you down.


Sharpen those knives. That bloody dirty, dull knife is still sitting in the bottom of your tackle box. When you clean it out, grab your stone and some oil and make sure that you sharpen up that knife so it cuts as it is supposed to.


On the same note, sharpen up those hooks. Most hook manufacturers like eagle claw have been doing a better job of making sure that their hooks are now sharp when you buy them. However, the hooks that come on those lures you purchased always need to be sharper. Sharpen them up and you will catch more fish.


Check your rods. Check out to make sure that they are still stable and strong. Make sure that the eyes aren’t coming loose. If that are starting to twist, fix them now while you have time. When the action starts it’s too late.


Check your lures. Make sure your lures are still set to moave and look as they are supposed to. Rapala makes great lures, but they don’t work so well when the paint is all worn off.


Check your waders. If you use waders when you fish, check to make sure they didn’t get damaged while in storage. Check for leaks and repair if necessary. Leaky waders can make for a lousy fishing trip. Especially if it’s cold out. I know this one from experience.


Make sure that you check all of your equipment well before you are ready to head out. The most active fishing season is just around the corner. Don’t wait until it’s too late to start knocking out this list.


Happy Fishing!

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