Rainy Weather

What to do when the weather keeps you home

Sometimes the weather is just too awful for any kind of fishing. Here are a few constructive things I found to do when this happens.

Set your tackle box on a table or bench and empty its contents. Sort the contents by type i.e. lures, sinkers, spreaders, leaders, hooks, swivels and so on. Examine each item to make sure it is functional and in good shape. Make sure the hooks on the lures are sharp and sharpen as necessary. Check the leaders and hooks with leaders for frays or any damage. Discard any that show wear. Check the swivels and other hardware for rust or damage and discard any that are not in good shape. Check all the other items such as knives, pliers, shear pins and any safety items. Clean them and make sure they are serviceable. If not discard and replace them. Put everything back in the tackle box in a manner that you know where everything is. Return the tackle box to its storage area.

Take out one fishing pole at a time; remove the reel and exam the pole. Give it a general inspection. Look at the eyelets and make sure they are straight and damage free. Check the pole body for nicks or any visible damage. Check the reel mount to make sure it is not loose or damaged. If the pole is in good shape set it aside. If not repair what you can or take it to a good shop for repair. Do this for each pole.

Exam the reel you have removed. Check for any loose parts, clean and oil as necessary. Most reel manufacturers now have videos that show how to disassemble, clean and oil their reels. If you can’t find the videos there just Google reel repair and you’ll have a huge selection. This is the time to strip off any frayed line on the reel. I usually take off a hundred feet or so. Another trick that saves money is to transfer line from one reel to another. This puts the most used line on the bottom of the spool and the newest at the top. Once you have done this replace the reel on the pole it was removed from and put it back in its storage area.

This is also a good time to check any clothing items that you count on when fishing. Such as shoes, hats, visors, shorts, long pants, special shirts and jackets. I try to keep mine in one area so I can get them quickly and they are all in front of me.

Some other things to check at this time to make sure you have plenty are sunscreen, bug repellant, first aid kits, and any other safety item you might have. Also this is a great time to check your charts. Look at the dates and see if they are current. Buoys are added and sometimes removed so make sure your charts are current.

If you do these things you will be ready to get back out there when the weather changes. Maybe you will even catch that trophy walleye.