Preseason Line Prep

• The fishing season is just around the corner. Hard-core anglers have been buying new toys, tinkering with the old and building up supplies of their favorite lures for the assault on their favorite species this year.
• Those more marginal anglers out there who may only go out once or twice around the season opener or perhaps take their kids or grandkids out for traditional early season outings are the people who need to take a few minutes to check out their gear and tackle.
• Most important is line especially if, like many semi-active anglers, you spool rods with bargain basement monofilament. Cheap line has memory, the characteristic that tries to keep it wound up like a slinkey toy or the spine of a spiral binder, even when you are trying to use it.
• Such behavior severely hampers the casting distance and sensitivity of your overall outfit, which means it becomes more difficult to detect strikes, which will lower overall success rates.
• The best thing to do is scrap the cheap line every year and have it respooled at a place locally such as the Fish Connection, Mike's or Boondocks where they will do it right and spool up with quality line, not junk.
• Check rods for loose guide wrapings, bent, wornk or broken guides. Ceramic guides can become cracked, which will cause severe wear or even cut line, causing lost fish and expensive tackle.
• Last but not least, check out reel function. Be sure bails open and close smoothly, clean dirt or salt from all parts, moving or not. Check the drag for smoothness and don't be afraid to give it a few drops of oil or reel lubrication to keep it operating smoothly for the season. /li>
• If you don't have knowldge or desire to do such things, take it to one of the local shops. The people there will be happy to give you a lesson in reel care and maintenance. This Sunday, River's End Tackle is even holding a free reel repair seminar at 1 p.m. with Ed Gregan, their in-house reel mechanic. Now would be the time to replace that funky bail spring. (Bob Sampson, Norwich Bulletin)