Leaving for Club Scott this Morning

We're a group of 10 this year, and we will be staying at the big camp down on Mitchinamecus reservoir. Departure is in 1 hour or so. I hear that they are having a record season so far, and I look forward to experiencing some of the larger walleyes the reservoir holds.

Fishing Reel Maintenance

Reel maintenance is an important routine that should be performed each year, unless you are the kind of person who likes to throw out their equipment, or who doesn't mind dealing with a busted gear or disc while out on the water.

The routine is quite simple, make sure you have a container handy, a fresh spool of line, and a set of small screwdrivers. You'll need a can of WD-40 and a can of light machine oil.

First get rid of the old line, then remove the bail, unscrew the handle, remove the housing cover. Put all the screws and small parts in your small container so you won't lose them.

Use the WD-40 to spray on boths sides of the bail assembly. This will prevent binding. Then, use a few drops of oil on the shaft and on the handle. Also make sure to use a few drops on the gears.

Reassemble the reel, wipe off any excess oil and lube, then tie on some fresh line.

The whole process takes very little time and the results are amazing. Do it every year and you can keep the same reels for the rest of your fishing life.

This process applies to most spinning reels, such as those made by Shimano, Abu Garcia, Rapala, Daiwa, Quantum, Mitchell, Pflueger, and most other makers as well.

Downtempo

Downtempo: "Irrelevant Post: Here is some Good Downtempo Music for y'all!"

Walleye Slot Limits: Watch the Shrinkage!

I was just reading the latest in-fisherman this morning. One of the articles was quite interesting. They related the story of a man who got caught with a fish just a fraction of an inch below the slot limit. He was positive that when he measured the fish it was exactly the right length. He went on to claim that the fish had shrunk.

A study was commissioned to verify whether the man's claims were possible. It turns out that over time, dead fish will shrink, and the amount of shrinking depends, among other things, on the temperature at which it is stored. Fish that is put on ice will lose up to 1/2 inch over just a few hours.

The moral of the story is this: If you fish lakes with slot limits, don't take a chance with walleye that are within 1/2 inch of the slot limit. They may well shrink and cause you a lot of grief.

Controversy: Fishing Bass Nests During Spawn

Every year I hear the same debate. Bass nests in the spring are sure to provide anglers with the most exciting fishing there is. That is because male bass sit tight and watch over the nest so predators won't come and eat them. They will attack anything that comes too close, I even have a friend who told me a story about him scuba diving into a bass nest and getting the head butt of a lifetime from a big male. Though the action is sure to be fast and furious, the immediate consequences are that a bass that get shooked while protecting his nest will likely not go back to the nest after being released.

So what is the real long term impact of this practice?

I tried reading a little bit of scientific materials to see whether or not this practice has an impact on bass, in other words does fishing bass nests during spawn impact the bass population of a given lake or river.

Here are some of the articles I read:

http://espn.go.com/outdoors/conservation/c...st/1535917.html

http://floridafisheries.com/faqs/#spawn-ans

http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/f...ackbassrpt.html

http://www.boats.com/boat-articles/Environ...Spawn/2434.html

It appears from reading these that there is not enough evidence to support claims that fishing bass nests during spawn will harm the bass population in any way shape or form. But there is also no evidence that it doesn't have an impact. Apparently there are no valid longitudinal studies that could provide a sure answer to this question.

However, from an ethical standpoint, the fact remains that this is a time when bass is most vulnerable. For us walleye anglers, it means we need to make a decision for ourselves about whether or not we should avoid bass nests while we do our thing. I know I do, but I can't say it is because of any scientific evidence, but rather because I prefer to leave them alone.

Pulling Boats with Automatic Transmissions: Lay Off the Overdrive!

I just read a post on Quebecpeche by mechant malade that caught my attention.

When towing my boat (I have a 2000 XTerra with automatic transmission) I tend to want to use the overdrive to control the upshifts and downshifts that seem to happen a lot more than normal.

Apparently, this is not a good idea. He explains that as the transmission goes up in gears from 1st to 2nd to 3rd to 4th the oil pressure becomes lower and lower. But when you're towing a heavy load, you want to have as much oil going through as possible to avoid damage to your plates.

The moral of the story: Avoid pulling heavy loads on overdrive!