We’ve all seen them. And ,to keep things in perspective, – been them.
Don’t lie to yourself. Go ahead and admit it. Then move on.
We’re talking about the boater who can’t back their boat down the ramp, much less to launch it. It might be the same person who leaves the dock with no gas, safety equipment, food or drink.
The one where the line on nearly every bait casting reel resembles a nest that birds fight over.
And let’s face it, the same scenario can be witnessed at home, work, the ball field.
Yep … fess up, we all are that person.
Seeing these social-media-destined moments is all too common and way too familiar.
But there is hope – mainly because it’s rarely serious enough to fret about and the cure lies within you.
Preparation is the key. Tossing in a little common sense won’t hurt a bit.
And there is no better time for prep work than right now – especially for an angler with more bait and tackle than the garden has pea pods.
So even if you are still fishing despite the weather, it’s a great time to sit down with a bunch of your favorite stuff.
If hooks are rusted, change them out with new ones. Hard plastic baits? Search them over for cracks and anything else that might be wrong.
Plastics? You know you have enough of them to build a house, but most of them are old, dry and you’ll probably never use them again.
Your favorite stuff now mostly fixed and the tackle boxes are empty.
Place all of your secret charms in some sort of organization that you likely will be the only one that understands. Don’t overload the compartments, but make sure you have enough for a day or two chasing down you favorite swimmers.
Get your rods and reels out and replace line that needs it. Lube the gears and insides so that they work better and keep water at bay. Check rods for broken guides and either replace them yourself or have them done.
Now that wasn’t bad, was it? A day at the most, with time for lunch and your favorite fishing show during a break.
Lastly, do yourself and the rest of the angling brotherhood a huge favor and help out the person you see struggling.
Remember, that’s been you more times than you’d like to admit.
To read more of my work, go to: leetolliveroutdoors.com
