It’s A Big Checklist, Let’s Start With The Biggest Item!

Be Prepared!

Every Boy Scout in America knows those two words.  They have been proclaimed millions of times off the lips of young boys across this country.

Preparation makes everything go smoothly and makes for less stress.  For most, fishing is a leisure activity.  Some may take it a little more seriously than others, but still, something done for enjoyment.  When preparation cuts down on the amount of stress, more leisurely fun is had by all.

There is a lot of shore fishing going on up here on the Northern Tier and some boat activity has begun as well.  We still wouldn’t classify this as mainstream, open water, go time though. Heck, some years we are still able to ice fish at this time.

We had a pretty early ice off and the entire lake is open, people are chomping at the bit to get out there even though Sunday and Monday’s snow may have tempered that enthusiasm a little bit.  This cold front following those little snow squalls is also deterring us from heading for the boat ramp.

So, as we sit idle waiting, we work on making sure that we are prepared.

The Biggest Item / The Most Essential

The Boat

Whether it has been in your possession for years or is brand spanking new, this is one of the most essential.  Nothing ruins a planned day of fishing faster than an inoperative boat at the boat launch.

For many, that boat has been in some sort of storage throughout the winter and has been winterized to some extent.  Throwing off the cover and towing it to the launch to make sure it runs is a nice luxury, living within a couple of miles of a lake or river that has boat access is great for some of us as a quick backing in to get the motor submerged is all it takes to start it up and run it for a few minutes.

City dwellers might not have that opportunity, that is when these little devices are so handy:

Oil

Do you remember the last time you put oil in, was it full when you took it off the water.  In the fall, when we are finishing up our boat fishing for the year, our minds are on feathers and the nasty case of feather flu.  Decoys and Shotguns are on our minds and we forget everything else.  This can include what kind of shape our fluids in our boat are in.  No bigger headache than getting 1/2 a mile from the launch and your low oil buzzer starts going off.  Make sure you check your oil level.

Gas

Did you put in sea foam, was your boat stored in a way in which no snow or ice was able to enter your gasoline.

Batteries

If it or they were stored like this, it probably isn’t good!

Are they operational and fully charged.  Did you forget to pull them and leave them out all winter.  Make sure you check your batteries to ensure that they are in top shape.

Life Jackets

Did you take them out?  Are they stowed away or up in the attic or down in the basement.  Make sure you have them where they belong, in the boat.

Fire Extinguisher

One that gets overlooked but is very important to have when on the water.  Very seldom does one have a fire on the water but if by chance it does happen, you are going to want and need one of these.

Boat Registration

Is it up to date.  One shouldn’t go out if it has expired.  Make sure that yours is current to avoid any run-ins with the Wardens.

Problems?

If you run into any issues on the way to getting the biggest item ready for your open water fishing season and it is something too big of you to tackle, we have just the right guys for you to call.

What Did We Miss??

The biggest item is also probably the most important.  Check it all to make sure you are sea worthy and ready to go.

Good Luck out there!

Hold On To Your Rod…

And…

CATCH MORE FISH