If you live where the world turns white, and soft water becomes a skating rink when the temperatures fall, then it’s that time of the year. Time to say goodbye to open-water angling and prepare for ice fishing. Yes, it’s bittersweet. But it’s also exciting. To make the most of the upcoming ice fishing season AND next year’s summer fun, now’s the time to put some gear to bed and bring other things out of hibernation.
First things first, let’s get that boat stored in just the right way. It begins with winterizing your outboard. If you have a modern four-stroke, that probably means bringing it to the shop for authorized maintenance. If you’re lucky enough to own an Evinrude E-TEC, like I am, then winterizing the engine is as easy as hooking up a garden hose and basically pushing a button. The E-TEC’s built in, computerized winterization system does the work for you in a matter of minutes. For owners of old two-strokes, you’ll want to drain the lower unit and replace with fresh lube. A new product on the market called EZ-Lube (toll-free 877-830-6781) eliminates the mess of changing gear lube by using a pressurized lube tank and a hose with a wand that literally ‘shoots’ the gear lube into the lower unit. No more hassles and stinky hands! Other winterization musts include running gas stabilized with Sta-Bil through the engine, fogging the carburetor and cylinders and making sure you run all the water out of the cooling system. With whatever type of engine you run, I can’t stress enough how important it is to add Sta-Bil to your fuel. Not just when you winterize, but 100% of the time.
For your boat, pull the drain plug to ensure that there’s no water in the hull that can freeze, expand and cause damage. It’s always a good idea to put mouse poison containers in the boat before it goes to bed. I pulled the cover off my boat one spring to find all the upholstery destroyed by pesky mice. They gnawed some wiring too. Dang mice! Pull your batteries and electronics and keep them stored indoors in stable conditions if possible. And once or twice during the winter months, trickle charge the batteries to keep them topped-off with power.
Most people I know in the cold states keep their rods and reels out in the garage all winter. But for longer reel life, it’s smart to bring them inside with your batteries and electronics. A thorough post-season cleaning and reel lube will help ensure smooth performance year after year. For added protection, GearDefender.com has plastic rod/reel bags for off-season storage. Each one includes a rust-inhibitive chip that you place inside the bag to keep your outfits corrosion-free. I always strip the line from my summer reels at the end of the season. This forces me to re-spool with fresh line the following year and fresh line equals more fish. I bring all my tackle inside too, and check to make sure there’s no moisture in the trays. It’s a real drag [and an expensive one too] to find a tackle box full of lures with rusty hooks.
With the summer gear put away, it’s time to focus on winter preparation. Out come the ice fishing rods & reels, and they all get fresh spools of line. Label each one with tape that designates the line type and weight (for example: 8 LB Fluorocarbon) to avoid any mix-ups in rod selection for a specific species/technique/trip. It’s not a bad idea to put your name and phone number on there too. Many the rod has been accidentally left behind on the ice. And if you’re lucky enough to have a conscientious angler find it, he’ll call you and return the rod.
With rods and tackle ship-shape, I turn my attention to my accessories. I put a charge on my sonar and underwater camera batteries, and have at least two other gel-cell batteries fully charged as back-ups. Next, the auger. Check the blades and if they’re not razor-sharp, have them honed or replaced. Put fresh gasoline with Sta-Bil in the tank, and check the spark plug for any fouling or residue build-up. Also, check the pull chord for fraying. I had one snap on me one day and I was literally done fishing before I even had a hole drilled. Start up your auger and give it a good run to guarantee reliable operation prior to your first outing.
No matter what time of the year it is, as anglers we are ineffective without quality gear that performs as it’s intended. So take the steps necessary to keep your equipment in peak operation. It’s actually fun to do because it’s all part of the fishing experience. If you do, you’ll enjoy hassle-free fishing, have a much better time, and catch more fish!
Good Fishing!
Babe Winkelman is a nationally-known outdoorsman who has taught people to fish and hunt for nearly 30 years. Watch his award-winning ‘Good Fishing’ and ‘Outdoor Secrets’ television shows on Versus (VS.), Fox Sports Net, Wild TV and many local networks.By: Babe Winkelman / Babe Winkelman Productions
