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A new season on the horizon – but am I ready for it?

With the new season just around the corner it is timely to catch up some of those niggly little jobs that I intended to do over the last couple of months or so. With regards to care and maintenance of fishing tackle and associated equipment, many anglers have a stringent regime of care and like to keep on top of any issues as and when one arises. They methodically go through their tackle and replace old or lost items and prempt requirements for the next planned trip. Personally I am not of this ilk and while I would like to think that I could go fishing at the drop of a hat I have found that on a number of occasions when I have done just that I either forget something or take the wrong gear for either the time of year or species.

A little prior preparation and planning goes a long way to making sure you have every chance of success and with a new season approaching I thought it may pay to have a bit of a spring clean and to prepare for my next outing. As it been some time since I have been out, and a lot of my kits is old and in sorry state I have listed below a reminder to myself of some things I need to consider and do to get up to speed. I would also like to offer this up for consideration by other likeminded anglers.

The following are a couple of suggestions that I have picked up from the web, magazines and an elderly gentleman who swore a lot when he came in the office complaining about the Labour Party. It’s not an exhaustive list, and it’s not intended to teach anyone to suck eggs, but have a look at them and see if one, or maybe two, are still on your “to do” list!

1. De-gunge and de-clutter tackle, fly and lure boxes. When the last was time you emptied out all the tackle from its various boxes or containers and peered at the bottom of them let alone cleaned it? Have a good dig out and then use warm, soapy water and a small sponge or dish rag to swab out all tackle boxes and fly and lure compartments. Adjust selected compartments for new flies, lures or group lures by types, makes for ease of choice and access. Ensure the internal compartments are thoroughly dried before placing items in the boxes.

2. Keep your “fav’s” handy. Ever wasted time trying to find and then extract a favourite fly or lure from the box? Pick out your most successful flies and lures and store them on either the top drawer of your tackle box, or in a small handy box to go into your fishing vest.

4. Check all Flies and lures. Check your fly collection and remove any that are looking tired or generally too chewed up, ensure you purchase or tie enough of replacements for at least a couple of outings. Inspect and sharpen the hooks of your lures with a hook file or sharpening stone. Again check all lures for wear and tear and replace as required.

5. Check your other gear. Carefully look through all of your other gear, such as pliers, flashlights, scales, fillet knives and such to make sure they're clean and in good working order. Have a look at what you have been carrying around and never used. Do you really need it? If not leave it at home and don’t let it clutter up the gear you need.

6. Stock up on terminal tackle, flies and lures. Check your terminal tackle - do you have enough line, leaders, indicators etc? As for new lures - check with your local tackle shop to see what's new on the market or what has started to prove popular with other anglers in the area. Use this opportunity to buy in new fly tying materials and lures to ensure you have enough spare for when you lose a few of the tried and tested patterns.

7. Clean and maintain rods and reels. Ensure you are happy with how to do this or if not then follow the instructions that came with your reel (if you saved them), to clean and lubricate it. Or if you are unsure, have a word with a knowledgeable mate or check with your fishing tackle shop and see if they can either advise or if they offer a tune-up service. Also, check your fishing rods to make sure the line guides are straight. Complete any rewhipping repairs in good time for your next trip.

8. Check your waders or wading boots. If they have holes then patch them up or get them repaired in good time for your next trip. Remember, as of October 1 it will be an offence to use felt soled waders or wading boots for sports fishing so leave them at home. A number of shoe repair outlets are now looking at the options for replacement soles for waders and it may well be worth your while enquiring what your local shoe repair shop can offer.

9. Ensure you are legal. Don't forget to buy a new fishing license and pick up a copy of the Regulations to ensure you’re legal to fish and are aware of the seasons and bag limits in the area you intend to fish. If you have paid a lot of money for the equipment you have then don’t lose it by not having a licence. Remember all licence money is ploughed back into the public resource you are enjoying.

10. Misc items for consideration. Ever been out on a trip and have inadvertently locked your keys in the car? One way to prevent this is to store an extra car key in a discrete compartment in your tackle box, fishing vest pocket or some other such place. Ensure your mobile phone is charged before you set out on your trip. If you are not in an area that has coverage then it may pay to have a phone card on you. Ensure you pack some sunscreen with a good protection factor, an extra pair of sunglasses and a hat is useful. Remember to charge up your camera for that all important shot of the largest fish caught to date, or pack a disposable one to cut down on weight.

The above are but a few items I need to consider. Cleaning out the box and giving the gear a once over shouldn’t take too long, but it’s one of those things that I have tended to put off until eventually a piece of kit fails or I can’t find a favourite fly or lure. Making some time and preparing for the new season will hopefully minimise my chances of either forgetting to take something important or having something break on the next trip. My casting style ensure I run a very high risk of snagging, I sometimes think I should forget the rod and reel and just throw flies and lures into the water and up trees. This season I’ll keep a good stock of my favourites and try to replace items when they are lost or broken. This season I intend set myself up for a chance at success not failure because of poor preparation.

Tight lines!

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