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Washing
Your Reel
It's always a good idea to wash your reel after a trip but DON'T USE HIGH WATER PRESSURE because, when you do that, the water will get into the reel's inner works and cause corrosion. Use a gentle water spray and then sponge the outside (for cosmetic purposes) to remove chum, etc. Finally, use an oil spray such as
WD-40
Knots
Every angler should make it his or her business to be good at tying the basic knots such as the clinch knot and double clinch knot, the albright knot, the uni knot and the spider hitch or poor man's bimini twist.
Write and tell me If you would like me to describe how to tie these knots in a future Tip of the Week.
Boats
A tip for anglers who go out on boats... Make sure that the hatch is opened and the bilge aerated BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINES. Don't be lazy. It only takes a few minutes and this little precaution can save your life and the life of your dear ones.
If you have a bilge blower start it up and bring fresh air into the bilge. And by looking at the bilge you may see any excess amount of water... this is an extra dividend.
Birds
When the birds are working over feeding fish, do not rush full speed into the area. You'll only spook the fish and hurt the fishing. Instead go to the area fast but, when near the area, SLOW DOWN, IDLE IN AND CUT THE MOTOR. Plan your drift into the feeding fish. Then cast your lure and get ready!
Avoid The
Pain
This tip can be applied to just about any activity in life.
Last weekend I had the misfortune of tripping while walking down the few concrete steps at the entrance of a friend's home. Not paying the appropriate attention to what I was doing cost me a variety of scrapes, cuts, bruises, a banged knee, forehead, nose and wrist. And I consider myself lucky because I suffered no permanent injuries.
Now change the setting to fishing from the rocks or walking on the deck of a boat. It takes only a few careless seconds to change a fun-filled day into an agonizing experience. Don't wait until you feel the pain. Learn from my pain.
Eel
Imitations
At this time of year, our local waters are teeming with sand eels. These little baits are gobbled up by stripers like a kid gobbles candy... so hang a small imitation of an eel (something like a mackerel tube lure) as a dropper above a metal jig (like an A 27). The bass will take either the jig or the dropper lure... guaranteed by the OLD MASTER.
P. S. - These eel imitations can be made from a couple of white or yellow feathers tied on to a hook... nothing fancy... like the old mackerel christmas tree rigs. The bass love 'em. Just drop the jig down, move it up and down a few times and BINGO!!! ...you're hooked up to a bass that wanted a "sand eel" that it saw hanging about one foot above the metal jig.
Rusty
Hooks
Tired of rusty hooks? Here's some good advice.
When you put the hooks away, cover them with talcum powder and a little corn starch mix. This simple trick will keep your hooks from rusting during storage. Those expensive Japanese hooks will be protected. Guaranteed! It also helps to run very hot water over the hooks that you've used recently. Let them air dry. Then give them the powder mix described above.
Ice On
Board
All anglers should make it a point to bring ice on board when going out on a boat. Freshly caught fish that are kept reasonably cold will make great meals. It's also nice to have a cold drink on board. Small bags of ice can be bought in any food store.
I've found (especially as I get older) that, if I don't write up a checklist, I'll forget to bring an important item. So make that checklist and remember to add a small bag of ICE to the list.
Navigating Winter Waters
Take extra precautions when navigating waters which are prone to have shoals and wrecks.
This time of the year, some buoys are pulled because of ice flows and shoals build and relocate because of cooler, faster moving waters. Play it safe and go slower.
Sink Tip
Substitute
For fly fishermen who may want to use a sink tip line and do not have one available, here's my way of solving the problem.
Put the streamer fly on leader as usual, then pinch a SMALL round lead shot on the leader immediately ahead of the hook eye. This will work as well as a sinktip or intermediate fly line.
Make the cast, allow a moment for the line to sink, then start the retrieve. This little trick really works!
Hand
Protection
When you're in the sun your hands are really vulnerable.
It's very wise to wear protective gloves. They are sold in all good tackle shops with prices varying from 7 to 10 dollars. Sun creams are all right but fingerless protective gloves are best.
Using protective gloves will also help protect your hands from developing skin cancers.
Removing
Hooks
On removing hooks and lures from hooked fish...
Most anglers like to be "macho" and forcibly remove the hooks with brute tugging and manipulation. May I urge that you always use a TOWEL or CLOTH to get a firm grip on the fish before you start to work on removing the hook.
This simple precaution will save you a lot of grief. I promise you. A small towel or cloth is a "must" piece of equipment when you expect to catch fish. Imagine what happens when you're holding a struggling fish without a cloth and the fish slips out of your grip... especially if you used a treble hook. All I can say is "Look Out!".
Wash Your
Gear
Always take the time to wash down
your rod and ree.
A minute or two soaping the guides will prevent oxidation and crusting. And when you wash the reels DON'T do so with a powerful spray of water. This only gets the water into the inner works and causes trouble. Wash the reel with a gently spray . These precautions will pay off. I promise you!
Grouper
Fishing
When fishing the reef off the Florida Keys for grouper, it's a good idea to slow down the live pilcher bait before putting it overboard. The grouper will take a pilcher that is less active more readily than it will take a very lively bait.
Remember that this is true sometimes. Most times a lively bait is desirable. Changing techniques can pay off.
Hold The
Ice
When going out on the water don't put your sandwiches and other food in an igloo containing ice. It almost always results in the ice melting and the food getting water logged.
I don't know of anything more unpleasant than a water logged sandwich. Keep the food in a smaller separate chest containing the refreezable type ice paks instead of real ice. In this way you'll find your food dry and fresh when you're ready for lunch off.
Sharp
Hooks
When you are out fishing it's absolutely necessary to KEEP THE HOOKS SHARP. This means having a good file with you... in your tackle bag, in your jacket or anywhere else just so long as it is available when you want to sharpen your hook.
The file that you want is the kind sold in hardware stores as "metal files" (not "wood files"). The metal files rust easily so they must be cleaned and oiled and kept away from salt water spray.
You can also use the common carborundom stone sold in hardware stores as "knife sharpeners" or the smaller ones sold in fishing tackle stores as "hook sharpeners". These stones work well and do not rust.
Carrying a sharpening tool with you will keep your hooks functional for a longer time and you'll always have a sharp hook when you need it.
And of course, you wouldn't want to stick your finger with a dull hook!
Uncurl
To all you spin fishermen... at the end of the day the spinning line is bound to be all curly with a tendency to roll up around the guides and the reel.
You can get rid of the curly line by running out the line behind the boat on the way home. This will straighten out the line and save a lot of grief the next time you go out.
It is important that you leave out the line without any leader, with nothing on the end of the line... no hook, no lure. If the boat moves pretty fast, it'll only take a few minutes before the line is all straightened out.
Boat
Safety
As your boat approaches another vessel, each boat should always go slowly and then stop completely. Arrange with the captain of the other craft which one of you will be stopped and which boat will approach. For both boats to be moving can be disastrous. As the single vessel approaches the stationary one, it should always come up against the tide or the wind.
Wash Your
Hands
Hand infections are quite common among fishermen due primarily to little cuts and scratches. The abrasions become infected by contact with the fish slime on fish skin and from handling bait.
The best way to prevent these painful infections is to WASH YOUR HANDS before, during and after fishing. Using an antiseptic soap like Betadine skin cleanser is a wise precaution. This product can be bought over the counter. It is the same preparation that surgeons use in scrubbing before surgery.
Sunscreen
Even when the Florida sun is not shining, don't forget to put on the sun screen. A cloudy "sunless" day can cause very severe sunburn. Be safe. Put the stuff on!!!
Monofilament
When monofilament lines are kept on the reel for long periods of time, they tend to become kinky and harder to manage.
It's a good idea to change the lines when this happens. Or you could run the line out behind a rapidly moving boat. This will straighten out the line and usually make the line more supple and less likely to kink up when fishing. The thinner the line, the less likely the tendency to kink up and the easier it will be to manage.
Double
Cinch
Most anglers spend a great deal of time and effort learning how to tie those complex fishing knots found in the magazine articles and in the "how to" books.
It's really not necessary to learn all of that unless you do it to impress fellow anglers.
The "DOUBLE CLINCH" is a very simple and a very efficient knot. It's the easiest knot to use when tying on a hook or a lure and for this purpose it's as good as any other knot.
Tie it by making 5 turns around the line... then through a loop and back through the loop again. I assume that most fishermen know this simple knot and if they don't put it to use it's because it is not "fancy" like other fishing knots. Illustrations of this "double clinch" knot can be easily found. Try searching for it on the WEB.
I suggest that you have more confidence in this simple knot because it really works well. I'll try to discuss other types of knots in future TIPS.
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