Fishing tackle is expensive, and rods and reels top the list of gear that need replacement due to negligence.
I am amazed at the number of boats I see on the roadway and waters with rods stored in rod holders while under way. Salt spray and road debris wears away at rods and gets blasted into each reel if you transport them this way. While it may give you a jump start to your day, it could be costly.
The finish on a rod and guide wraps seldom withstands excessive wind speed, and reels are rarely subjected to the same grit intrusion when fighting a fish.
Being a custom rod builder these many years, it never ceases to amaze me when an angler brings in a rod needing guide replacement and is bewildered as to why a rod has stress cracks or is worn unevenly. The primary cause is due to handling and storage more so than any bout with a fish.
Store your gear when traveling and you could save a few dollars to go in your tank. This is one expense you can control.
NEWS AND NOTES
PARTING THOUGHT
While putting together this column, my mind drifts to earlier times. Fact and fiction become one. So many trips, so many faces, so many fish.
The anglers I shared a boat with have names but their faces are now more vivid. Who caught what becomes more of "I remember when I ..."
Truth be known, I appreciate these slight nuances that nudge my memory. It makes me tolerable company in the presence of lesser anglers and adds credibility to my stories.
The following should be taken at face value: "While fishing the other day, I caught a fish that was much smaller than the one that got away." Any reasonable accuracy to this statement can be attributed to the uniqueness all fishermen proclaim. As the saying goes, all fishermen are liars -- except for you and me, and I'm not too sure about you.
