The weatherman is promising warmer temperatures, the days are getting longer and my father's favorite holiday is here, Groundhog Day. He says “this is the beginning of the end of winter.” He’s right. It's time to dig out the open water fishing gear and get it ready for another great season. Maybe not the boat just yet but the rods, reels and tackle could use a good going through. 

Checking the line guides on your rods for chips or cracks that could damage and weaken your fishing line is done with a cotton swab. Run the swab around the inside of all the guides a few times in each direction, if the cotton comes in contact with even the smallest crack or chip it will snag and you will know that it needs replacement before it cost you a fish. 

Hold the rod by the butt and sight down through the line guides making sure none of them are bent or misaligned, if some of them are out of adjustment try and straighten them using just your hands - not pliers! 

If you have a guide or tip that needs to be replaced I highly recommend having it done by someone with the knowledge and equipment to do it properly. Mark the guide that needs replacement with a twist tie or piece of fishing line and drop the rod off at either Hank’s bait and tackle or First Cast bait and tackle, both in Waterloo. It will be sent out, repaired and brought back in the matter of a few days. 

Use the same cotton swab to check the line guide on each of your reels then crank the handle a few times.  If it is stiff, catches or is not smooth then the same thing needs to be done as with the rods, just drop it off at one of the tackle shops and let the professionals take care of it. 

Here is where it gets really fun and almost therapeutic to me, sorting through the tackle. Whether you have one tackle box or a boat full of boxes, being organized will help you catch more fish. Separate your lures keeping like baits together, spinnerbaits with spinnerbaits, and jigs with jigs and so on. 

As you sort your baits make sure they're all in good condition. On your lures with blades make sure the blade(s) spin free, also check the hooks for rust and sharpness. Most blade baits like spinnerbaits and buzzbaits have stranded skirts that are held on with a small rubber band collar. Check this collar for cracks that may break during your first few casts in the spring. 

Flipping jigs, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits all have single hooks large enough that they can be sharpened with a hook hone, but baits like top water plugs and crankbaits, come with treble hooks. These finer wire hooks should not be sharpened; they should be replaced with a quality ultra sharp hook. Inspect your terminal tackle like hooks for rust and sharpness and replace them if needed.  

Don’t forget your sinkers. Sinkers with a hole for the line to pass through like bullet weights will often get smashed shut and even though they are made of lead. Opening the hole back up can cause an edge sharp enough to cut your line, so replace them. Having a place for everything and everything in its place makes your fishing trips go smoother, allowing you to get more fishing done instead of digging through your tackle. Until next time keep your lure wet!