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2/14/2007

Are you really ready for the fishing to begin?

LITTLE ROCK – Warmer weather, likely with a false start or two, is just around the corner and with it fishing time for a large part of the Arkansas population.

Sure, there has been some fishing by some people during recent cold, but warmer weather is when the crappie, bream, bass and catfish action revs up. Are you as an angler ready?

Items that seem routine but are required or essential or desirable need to be taken care of before heading out to where someone said they are biting. Here are a few basic points to check, according to staffers of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission:

Dig out your fishing license and check the expiration date. Don’t rely on memory as to when you bought it – look at the license. If it has lapsed, a quick phone call or online computer work can renew it. Nothing will spoil a fishing outing more than an officer asking to see your license and it has expired. Check your boat’s registration as well.

Replace the line on your reels. This is a low-cost route to improved catches, even if it may choke off the tales of “that big ‘un broke my line.” Sunlight and time are enemies to fishing line. Re-spool those reels, properly dispose of the old line and you should have a confidence boost in addition to better gear to work with.

Look over your rods and pay close attention to the line guides. A rough spot on the inside of just one guide can affect even the new line you put on. One way to check is to run a Q-tip slowly through each guide and watch for frayed cotton. A careful touch with a bit of emery cloth will eliminate snags.

Sharpen every hook in your tackle box – lures and jig heads and individual hooks. An inexpensive hook sharpening tool can do this. Hook sharpening, along with line replacement, is a nightly task for fishing tournament professionals, and we can learn from them.

Clean out the boat, even if it’s been covered for several months. A shop-vac comes in handy here. Look inside and out for possible problems that need fixing. Fill tanks with fresh fuel, not leftover. Change the motor’s oil if it doesn’t use a gas-oil mix.

Charge batteries then check all lights as well as the cranking of the motor. Clean connections with a wire brush.

Check those routine items carried in storage compartments – rain gear, sun block, bug repellent, maps, first aid kit, flashlight, whistle. You may have taken something out during the winter for hunting or when the house lights went out.

All right, now look at lures and other items and see if a quick visit to a store is needed. Now you are ready to see if the fish are really biting in that cutoff or cove.