Article 33...

Fishing in the Garage
By Chad  Brauer

Much of successful bass fishing stems from preparations that are done prior to hitting the water. It doesn’t matter whether you are going on a weekend trip to the lake or to the Bassmaster’s Classic, proper preparation will make the experience more enjoyable and more productive. Focusing on three areas: tackle, boat, and the emergencies, you can be prepared and focus solely on the task at hand – catching fish.

The tackle area involves the most obvious items such as baits, rods, reels, line, etc. This is where most fishermen focus most of their time. Re-spooling line, sharpening hooks, organizing tackle boxes are all part of this area. You can also go further by painting baits in special colors, building new baits from scratch, or modifying existing baits in any way to give yourself an edge when you get to the lake. Part of the fun of fishing is looking for that one secret that will catch the bass when nothing else will. Trying to get your tackle ready for any situation will allow you to freely adapt to whatever you run into at the lake.

The boat area involves around routine maintenance of every aspect of your rig. Do not just park your rig and let it sit until your next trip. A boat is a big investment and requires some attention to keep you worry-free on the lake. Keep it as dry as possible, especially in the compartments where mold can grow quickly. Do not let your batteries run down; keep a good charge on them. Make yourself a checklist of things to check before you pull out of the driveway. The better the maintenance on this equipment, the fewer problems you have and the more enjoyable the fishing becomes.

Planning for emergencies can involve something simple that saves a day of fishing or could be as serious as saving a life. If you are on the water enough, you will encounter all kinds of scenarios that could ruin a fishing trip if not prepared for. You can never anticipate everything that could go wrong, but the more that you do prepare for the better off you will be.
Your time spent in the garage working on your fishing equipment can make a huge difference in the quality of your fishing experience. Think ahead of what could possibly come up on your trip and prepare for it before it happens.