2018 Prepping for Spring
 

So; Winter is beginning to wane. We have daffodils about 3 inches high in the flower garden and tulips are busting through as well. Yesterday was 76* and today is calling for 77* or better:)

What are you doing with your boat or tackle to get ready for the coming season?

So far, this winter, I have put new line on reels that were getting low. I bought several new reels online and incorporated them into my spread (all board lines are Penn 340 with 40# fluorescent yellow mono). I now have all boat reels the same as well (Penn 345 with 80-100# power pro).

Today; I hope to "dip" some weights. Captain John has always dipped his weights in "plastidip" so I could quickly grab the correct weight when I was working the back of the boat. I will finally follow suit. Last year, a few of my weights were getting beat up and I was guessing (is this a 10oz or 12oz)?
So I bought the three colors (red, yellow,blue) and will dip them later today.

8oz (yellow)
10oz (blue)
12oz (red)
20 oz (green) Have to mix the left over yellow & blue

Besides; Mako Mike swears the colored weights are the reason Capt John catches fish:eek::eek:

My next step (not today) will be to get all the rods (21) down, strip about 10 ft off the reel and retie a new snap swivel to each rod (with a red bead added). Then, it's retie my leaders.

So, what are you doing, or getting ready to do??????????
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This might also be fun:)

Below is my ANTICIPATED spread for Spring 2018. I always "tweek" the spread when on the water. I may fish a cloudy day and add a bar for depth, or it might be a sunny day when fish rise to the surface early (deduct a bar).
Spread always gets adjusted when a couple of fish are caught:D:D

Last year, had to compensate for "winter jellies". Seems like you could keep your lines cleaner if light. Heavy rods/lures got more jellies:mad:

So remember, this is just a starting place:rolleyes:

Check it out; make comments, ask questions, fire away:):)
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For assistance:
Penn 340 reels = 12 ft/bar
Penn 345 reels = 15ft/bar

Daisy chain is 15 ft long
Tandem leaders, 12 ft long (lightest lure)
Umbrellas; no leader

Hope this helps:D
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If it means anything I took the ice tips off my crutches so your boat won’t look like someone was wearing golf shoes !!

LoL
That's just like you Mike; always thinking about the "other" guy:D:D
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I didn't do any "work" on the boat or tackle today, but it did dry up enough for me to drop the bottoms out of our birdhouses and clean them out so the birds can make new nests.

This was on my "honey-do" list:D I have to get busy so I have April/May free for the boat:eek:

So get to work on your list, time is getting short:)
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I see you forgot one Marty. Let me give you a hint......wwwwwwwb:)

Lol; I didn't forget:)
My deep rod (center over the motor) is reserved for the wwwb if necessary. I'll be damned if I'm going to put it out in the morning. When you fish with a bunch of old guys (retired), nobody want to reel that one in, even if there's a fish on it:D

Besides, all my fish this year are coming off my deep umbrellas with the blinking lights attached:eek::eek:

However, this is another example of being flexible with your spread. Some guys simply put out there spread and ride around all day without catching. Then, back at the dock, they can't understand why they aren't catching.

If my crew has any reason to find fault with me as their captain, it's that I'm always tinkering with the spread:mad:

Based on where I'm seeing bait (depth), I'll always say to them, "let out another bar on each boat rod" or "take that 20 oz weight off and replace it with a 32oz".

I "tinker" with boat rods more than the board rods; simply because it's easier. However, when we pull a side to clear winter jellies or remove grass:mad: it's fair game to tinker with the board rods.

You will notice that BOTH sides of the boards start out "the same". At least in my head they do:D However, if I need to, I'll reset one side one bar longer (or shorter) than the other side.

If (or when) we start catching, then we can figure out what distance is best.

If all goes as planned; my lines will all be about 4 bars back off the boards at the end of the day. As we catch fish and reset, the lines go out short (no longer than the shortest rod). The sun is now getting higher in the sky, and the fish are moving up in the water column (along with the bait). I can see bait flipping on the surface, and all my short board lines are getting hit:D:D

The crew is exhausted from bringing in fish, and we head for the barn with smiles on our faces. last year was NOT like this. We were lucky to get our three fish after a long day at the Power Plant/Gas Docks.

I know you and Jason are going to be calling over the radio, "Fish On The WWB" all spring just to get me to put out that line:D:D
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DAmn marty your posts are becoming like a novel and you know how much I like to read! Lol

Ok; I'll do more pictures for you:D
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You didn’t?

I'm dreading this......not sure how well the Purple Martin house was taken care of by the previous owners.....I need to get it done in the next week or so. The PM's are predicted to arrive around March 15th.

Rumor has it that if you buy your fishing license at a tackle shop; you receive the paperwork, but you have to have the bay boat sticker mailed.

I went to the Annapolis DNR office and picked up everything at once:D

Also went to Sandy Point and had my season pass renewed for free. Sometimes it's good to be a senior:eek:

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I am getting an early start this year also. Sent the Radar in for service, I was having problems with it powering up last year. Worked perfect on blue bird days, first sign of fog it wouldn’t power up. Ordered oil and myriad of filters for the old girl. Installing a new AFI horn on the boat$$$. Running wires for a lowrance eite9. Purchased the Elite for the skiff but figured what the hell. I’ll get a transducer and power cable and swap it between both boats. The Totalscan transducer is nice.
Going to have the detail crew come in and lay down some wax and heavy duty cleaning


Hopefully I’ll get the retired guy to clean the rods and prep the tackle.


It’s always nice to make up a big spread with a lot of detailed items in it, tell the old man it’s for an order. Then go pick it up and tell him it's for the boat and he can put it on my tab…

If anyone wants to learn some new words you can go with me to pick up my spring spread.

Hopefully I don’t find any show stopper problems along the way.

Took 5th Tuition to Ed Miller yesterday. She stays shrink wrapped in his "yard" until he works on her:D
Every three years, he does a new water pump kit and changes the thermostats along with the "regular" changing of filters and fluids.
For the first time, he will also be changing out the anodes (zincs) in the powerhead.

I'm looking forward to getting out on Capt. John's "Patent Pending" beginning next week. Hopefully, I'll be in my slip in Deale before April:)

I'll be slipped there for the Trophy season:eek:
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