Hey Idaho anglers, here are a few fishing tips to cure your stay-at-home blues
I’ll get this out of the way early — coronavirus sucks.
The illness. The disruption. The economic uncertainty. All of it. And with the stay-at-home order in effect, even fishing has fallen victim to the pandemic. While it is not forbidden by the order, boat ramps and access points managed by the state and other agencies have been shut down, as has non-essential travel. So, unless you live close to a stretch of river or lake where you can find some solitude, chances are your fishing plans are also canceled for now.
What’s an angler to do? It’s spring time, dammit, and we want to fish! Unfortunately, sticking close to home is the safe choice right now — and doing so increases the chances that this blasted virus will pass us by so we can get back to enjoying our favorite fishing holes soon.
In the meantime, here are a few activities to help cure the stay-at-home blues. They’ll help fight the boredom and make sure you’re ready to rock when normalcy is restored.
Tune up your gear
Fishing gear takes a beating over the course of the season. A break in the action is a good time to give your rods and reels some love. I recommend re-spooling line at least once per year, especially if you use monofilament. Check rods for cracks or bent eyelets. Clean and lube your reels. Patch up those pesky, lingering leaks in your float tube or pontoon. The better care we take of our gear, the better it will take care of us when a trophy fish bites!
Summerize the boat
Before we know it, those ramps will be open for business. Is your boat ready for action? Renew your registration (which can be done online) and make sure everything is in working order. A good checklist includes checking batteries and lights, greasing axles and topping off the air in the trailer tires.
Organize your tackle
This one is my favorite, if only because I’m slightly OCD. But tackle boxes do tend to get jumbled, so it’s nice to declutter. Chewed up soft plastics and rusty hooks can be tossed. Flies, jigs and treble hooks can be sharpened. Speaking of flies, you might even tie a few new ones!
One tactic I adopted several years ago is organizing my gear by species. Rather than keeping everything in one big box, I have smaller tackle trays that house species-specific gear. One for bass. One for trout. One for panfish. One for catfish and sturgeon. The list goes on. The trays fit in a few different tackle bags and backpacks. I’m a big fan of this method because it allows me to quickly and easily pack for a trip. Headed to Brownlee? Better grab gear for crappie, catfish and bass. Hiking into a high mountain lake? Just toss my trout tray in a daypack and I’m good to go.
Plan your next adventure
At some point, coronavirus will pass and we’ll all be back to fully enjoying the Idaho outdoors. While we wait, we can map out future trips to destinations near and far.
There’s a nearby trout reservoir I’d like to explore later this spring. And I’ve also caught wind of giant wipers (a cross between white and striped bass, neither of which we have in Idaho) patrolling a small lake in Oregon. Pick some spots on the map and get planning! We’ll have this virus whupped before long. And when we do, it will be high time for some tight lines!
Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures, tips and tricks with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com or visit www.tightlines208.com.
This story was originally published March 31, 2020 at 6:00 AM.