Spring Fishing Tips in NJ

Spring fishing is here, are you ready? Angling success is to some degree a matter of luck. Or is it? Successful anglers are more than just lucky, they are prepared. Your tackle and equipment are crucial for success. This is the time of year to organize and tune up your equipment. Nothing can be more disappointing than getting to your favorite spot and realizing your reel doesn’t reel, your rods are missing an eyelet or the fishing line that came with your reel has turned itself into a tangled mess.

Paying close attention to the condition of your equipment will improve your fishing success and help make your trip more enjoyable.

Fishing Line – Line should be replaced at least once a year, especially if it has been subjected to extreme heat from being left in a vehicle or in the storage hull of a boat. There are many excellent “mono” lines available. When choosing fishing lines there are several factors to consider. All monofilament line has a “memory”. The longer the line has been on a spool the more it resembles a slinky. Purchase a good quality line with a small diameter, and low visibility. For trout, 4 to 6 pound line should be sufficient in most cases.

If you are going after larger fish, you will want to increase the weight of the line. Fishing line is rated by the break strength of the line (referred to as # Test). Many sporting outlets and bait shops can replace the line for you. Often, this is cheaper than replacing it yourself because you only pay for what you need. You are assured the line is spooled properly and the old line is recycled, preventing it from making its way to a landfill.

Reels – Fishing reels do not need to be expensive to catch fish, but they do need to be cleaned and lubricated at regular intervals. If reels are subjected to excessive dirt or sand, they must be cleaned to prevent sticking or possibly damaging internal parts. Cleaning and lubricating is a fairly simple process, which is usually covered in the owner’s manual.

Cleaning is done by removing the line spool and either rinsing or using a small soft brush to remove dirt or debris. A good quality reel lube that has Teflon in it and displaces water should be lightly applied to moving parts. Most bait shops offer this service if you do not want to attempt this yourself.

Rods – Fishing rods should be inspected to insure the rod tip and line guides are not broken or damaged. Replacing a broken rod tip or line guide is easy and inexpensive. There are repair kits available that include several different rod tips for different diameter rods. The kits include ferrule cement that comes in stick form and can be melted with matches or a lighter and dabbed onto the rod tip. The new tip is then slipped over the glue and the end of the rod. Make sure it is lined up correctly before the glue hardens.

If the tip is not straight, simply heat the rod tip with a match or lighter and position correctly. Replacing line guides is a little more time consuming, but well worth the effort. Line guides may be purchased either single or in packages with various sizes, they are either single or double footed. Remove the damaged or broken line guide and old thread; position the new guide on the rod. Place the end of the thread under the foot and wrap the thread tightly from the end of the foot to the guide. Once the foot is wrapped with thread secure the loose end of the thread with a piece of tape to the rod. Be sure the guide is in-line with the other guides. Coat thread with epoxy or clear fingernail polish and trim excess line once hardened.

Please Note: Braided line can damage rod tips or guides if they are not ceramic or made of a hard material. It is not advised to use braided line with plastic guides.

Tackle – Check your tackle to be certain you have everything you will need for your planned trip. Many times moisture will invade your tackle box leaving your hooks and lures, rusty and in some cases unusable. Dull or rusty hooks are inefficient and should be either cleaned and sharpened or properly discarded. Old Power Bait, salmon eggs or fish attracting scents that have been exposed to hot sun or extreme cold, for prolonged periods of time, will become ineffective and should also be discarded.