Spring brings about thoughts of hitting the lake fishing for walleye for many fishermen. There is nothing better than a day spend in the fun and relaxation of a rewarding fishing trip. But before you drag the boat out of dry dock or the garage, there are some things that you need to do in order to be ready for the season. You need to make sure that you have a checklist of things to do before you go out on the lake or before you spend money on unnecessary lures and equipment. The following is a great check list that can make you ready for walleye season so your first trip out, and all trips after are fun, productive and safe:
* Check the Boat – Even if you fish in the winter months, chances are you are not using your boat so you need to check it out to make sure it is in good running order. The last place you want to be when you find out there is an issue is in the middle of the lake. The first thing you need to check is the oil to make sure that none has drained out while it was out of the water. It is a good idea to go ahead and simply change it to make sure that it is ready to go. It is also a good idea to switch out the spark plugs to insure that they are all firing properly. If you have not replaced your batteries in the past few seasons, then you need to buy new ones. If they are relatively new, then you should make sure that they are all charged up. Check the trailer and make sure that all of the tires are holding air and that it is stable.
* Tackle – The good news is that there is not a great deal of tackle that is needed when fishing for walleye. This means there is not as much equipment that has to be gone through before the first trip of the season. Check out all of your jigs and rigs and make sure that they are not rusted and that the lines and leaders are all still in good working order. Lead headed jigs are a must have and these should be checked to make sure that the paint has not worn off of them. You want to have them in a few different colors for use with live bait such as worms and minnows. Ensure that your spinning rigs still have the ability to spin when they are in the water for those times when you are trolling.
* The Rods – It is vital that you do a once over on your rods to make sure they hold up when you hook a good sized walleye. If the rod is not in good condition, you can find yourself with a walleye on the hook with no way to get it into the boat. This can also lead to the loss of the reel if the rod snaps in half or loses string guides. If you have issues with your rod, then you should replace it before fishing. Choose a medium weight graphite rod that is at least six feet in length for the walleye and you cannot go wrong. This type of rod can handle any of the reel types and you can use for trolling or for static fishing if you prefer.
* The Reels – You should take apart your reels and grease them so that they spin smoothly. Clean them out carefully. If you are not comfortable with this, any bait shop or dealer can do it for you. It is vital to check for burrs or nicks when checking the reels because they can cause damage to the line. A damaged line does snap when the fish has taken the bait and this means that no fish are caught, the lure/ bait is lost. Finally, it is important to replace all of the line with in the reels with new line. Make sure to spool it on carefully so that there is no snagging when the fishing begins.
Before heading out the lake for some walleye fishing, it is vital to have equipment that is in good working order.
Nobody wants to cut a fishing trip short because of malfunctioning or does not work at all. This can cause a great deal of frustration and if you are fishing with others, some may become upset that they have to quit fishing early because you were not prepared. In a worst case scenario, equipment that is not in good working order can cause accidents or injury. If you follow the above checklist, then you can be assured that you have everything ready to go and that your trip, even if no fish are caught, is not a bust.
