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Take time out to put things back in order
Months of fishing can take its toll on the stuff that anglers lug around in their boats, so I took a time out midweek to check that I had what I need aboard the BassCat for a few more weeks of action on the water.
Another season is winding down. After retiring recently from my full-time work at advertising agency Innis Maggiore in Canton, I was able to invest two and sometimes three days a week on the lakes near home in Poland and on Lake Erie, the Ohio River and even Lake Chautauqua in New York.
My boat is well-organized, but fishing trips can turn things topsy-turvy. Busy days when the fish are biting put a dent in the inventory of consumable lures, such as plastic worms, and the hustle and bustle can turn even the neatest tackle storage compartments into chaos and clutter.
Anglers are well-advised to make sure their boats are ship-shape and their tackle is in good condition – regardless of the season.
But it’s especially important as the summer weather wanes. I’ll probably fish into mid-November. As the cool-weather season settles in, I rarely see others while I’m on the lake, so I want to be doubly certain I have what I need in case I bump into a problem out there.
After fishing three out of four days, my time out revealed a boat with tackle and tools in spots where they don’t normally belong. The hour I spent reorganizing, tweaking and cleaning may save me time on the water and perhaps even prevent a breakdown.
I checked the batteries aboard the BassCat. It has a 12-volt cranking battery and two 12-volts for the 24-volt trolling motor. All three were in good shape, so I’m banking the Mercury will crank and the Motorguide will pull me to my favorite spots.
Today’s gasoline pumps dispense fuel with a high percentage of ethanol, which is particularly problematic for outboard motors. To counter the ethanol, I added a few ounces of stabilizer treatment to the fuel tank as insurance while I run the last few trips of the year.
I examined other systems. Bilge pumps? Check. Lights? Check. Power trim? Check. Tools, spare parts, bathroom tissue? Check, check and check.
All the reels got a spritz of oil. I keep 10 baitcasting outfits and three spinning rigs in the rod storage compartments, and all of them get a heavy workout, especially during tournaments. Thousands of casts create wear and tear, so a drop of super lube helps keep them whirring smoothly.
I straightened a couple of bent rod guides and turned my attention to the mess that formerly was a well-organized cache of lures. I returned packs of soft plastics to their respective storage bags and re-hung spinnerbaits and buzzbaits on their racks.
Hooks get dull and knots can weaken, so I redid several rigs with new hooks and carefully tied knots. To lighten the load a bit, I pulled out a few rods and reels that will not be seeing duty as October turns to November.
A quick pass with the shop vac across the boat’s carpeted decks picked up grit tracked aboard during dewy mornings and bits of dried aquatic vegetation, the remains of weeds I plucked from lures after fishing at grassy Mosquito and Pymatuning reservoirs.
My work finished, I stepped back. The BassCat looked ready for the rest of the year, and I felt good about the chances of it starting every time I turn the key.
The rods and lures are ready for three or more trips and I, of course, am geared up for some great autumn action with the largemouths and smallmouths.