tips, tricks, money and times savers

[maybe]

Rubbing your hands over stainless steel with some water will get rid of fish/onion/garlic odours too. No need to shell out $15 at the gourmet shop for a "stainless steel soap"...everyone's got a big stainless spoon somewhere.

 

We use some spare inch-wide hair clips to keep the small ends of our rods under control.

 

Keep a snap swivel on your key ring, and clip off to something (like a loop inside your boat bag) before setting foot on the dock. No worries about dropping them, or having them bounce out of your pocket while you're digging for something else.

[wallyboss]

When I leave for a week or so, I make some Super Ice. I mix salt in with the water then I freeze it. It stays colder for a lot longer.

[TroutnMuskieHunter]

When/if you get pulled over by MNR or the police in your boat (like I was on Sunday here on the river), always answer yes sir to the safety questions

Do you have life jackets-----> yessir

Do you have oars ----> yessir

etc.....etc....

 

I was asked to produce a flashlight so I showed him my little Muskol LED flashlight (I got it as a promotional item when I bought a can of Muskol spray)

 

He asked me if it was waterproof and I replied "yessir" as I looked him straight in the eye....Hell, I didn't know whether it was water proof or not but I sure wasn't going to give him a "I dunno or no answer"!!!! As soon as they went on their merry way my buddy grabs my flashlight and takes it apart only to find that the batteries are completely rusted...

 

"YESSIR"

Edited July 15, 2008 by TroutnMuskieHunter

[muddler]

Stock up on finger nail clippers at a dollar store and put one in every tackle box - cheap line cutter. I also buy the cheap long nose pliers and put one in every tackle bag/box. Cut 10-12 inch sections of flat macrame cord (the stuff they weave lawn chairs with) found at craft shops. Wrap the cord once or twice around the sections of a broken down rod and secure with a simple overhand knot. Keeps the rod second together and doesn't come apart.

 

Carry a small first aid kit in a a zip lock bag. Saved the day for me/us more than once when river fishing for steelhead.

 

Muddler

[Rich]

No matter where you're fishing, keep your digital camera sealed inside a ziploc bag when you're not using it.

 

For shore fishermen, don't buy tackle boxes. Buy tackle trays and a decent backpack. It will make your shore fishing trips far more comfortable, plus leave room to bring food and drinks.

 

For a different effect on your buzzbaits or other topwaters, try rolling the bait in cinnamon powder before casting. When the lure hits the water it sort of explodes with the brown powder and helps get fishes' attention.

Edited July 16, 2008 by Rich

[JohnF]

Dunno if anyone else is as uncoordinated as me, but when I'm standing hip deep in a creek and want to change lures I never seem to have enuf hands. I cut some short chunks of the hard foam laminate that comes in computer equipment boxes, punched a hole in each and ran a ziptie thru it to make a loop with a stainless steel smallish carabiner on. I hang these on my vest or the strap of my bag up high and stick a hook of the lure I'm removing in it, or the one I'm gonna put on, whatever. I started doing this after the second time I dropped a tackle tray open in the creek. It also helps avoid those unintentional piercings that happen when you just get too many things going too many ways all at once. The laminate feature is important because they tend to be more tear resistant.

 

They're also handy as a bait needle keeper. Just slip it in lengthwise from the end. I discovered that when I was wading for carp and trying to load corn on a hair-rig in the water. Oh, and speaking of carp. I discovered that one of those belt-mounted worm trays works for corn too, but you guys have probably already figgered that one out if you wade.

 

JF

[Hotrod2066]

Take your old jigheads that are rusty and clip the hook off with the wire cutters, you now have a dropshot weight.

[mikeh]

best knot to use on braided line is the Palomar knot, never had a knot pull out when tied with this one

[mikeh]

when putting trailer hooks on spinner baits carry a margarine container lid and cut a piece off and put it on the hook after you put the trailer hook on, stops the hook from coming off.

[Beans]

When going carp fishing I like to tie up several hair rigs in advance and use a piece of swim noodle to keep them from getting tangled...a small nail with a head big enough to keep the swivel in place...wind it around the noodle then insert the hook...

 

This also works well for keeping Lindy rigs and worm harnesses from getting all tangled together...

[tbayboy]

when putting trailer hooks on spinner baits carry a margarine container lid and cut a piece off and put it on the hook after you put the trailer hook on, stops the hook from coming off.

Same goes for live bait on jigs - take a paper punch and cut out a bunch of little white circles. Put on your minnow and pop one of these one and it'll stop (well lessen) the chance of the pesky perch/bluegills stealing your minnow while you hunt walleye (learned from Manitoba Rob here actually)

[GBW]

cleaning your boat/truck/suv/van/car with a damp dryer sheet removes those pesky stuck on bugs. on shore, not in the water...

[Zubris21]

I find if Im cleaning fish in the while on a camping trip, the best way to get the smell off, is to grab some pine needles and rub them through your hands. I'd rather smell like pine, than fish, even if the bear doesn't agree.

 

Also if your bottom bouncing with a worm harness to store, leave the harness attached to the bottom bouncer. Slide the clasp on the bottom bouncer over the bottom wire, then wrap your worm harness around the whole outfit. When you get to the end just clip your hooks on the sinker and the tension holds it tight. Works for storage.

[MCTFisher9120]

Ducktape a flash light to your net out in the boat while night fishing. Makes things easier when fishing solo.