A little Spring cleaning with Profesional Angler Pat Slater
By Matt Schauer

Posted: March 5, 2012

Greetings,

Spring is teasing us with some very warm days although the wind is making enjoying this time difficult. During this transition time, I like to take this opportunity to start going through my fishing equipment.

I begin by examining all my rods, checking guides and guide wraps. I carefully look at and feel the guides for any nicks or rough surfaces which could nick my line and make sure the wrapping of the guides is sound. I also will use a mild soap and water solution to clean the rod if needed.

Next, I take a look at my reels and check the screws, tightening any that may have vibrated lose. Clean and lubricate them as needed.

After that is done, I look at the line to see what needs to be replaced. I use superlines on most of my reels and I do something to extend the usable time of these expensive lines. I transfer the line from one reel to another by starting with an empty spool and tying the used end of the superline to some mono backing already spooled. This will place the used line at the center of the spool and the unused, new line on the outside of the spool for the upcoming season.

If you use mono primarily, then most likely it should be replaced annually. It may seem like overkill but I don’t want to lose a trophy fish or tournament winning fish because my line was bad and breaks while fighting the fish to net.

Like many of you, I’m chomping at the bit to get on the water and hope to take advantage of the first warm, CALM day to get out. Hoping to have some fishing stories to share soon….

Til then, Be Smart, Be Safe!

This post was provided by Pat Slater, Pro Staff: Mack’s Lure & Ranger Boats

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