Article by Sue Foster
Lots of articles are written about “how to do something” when it comes to fishing. I was thinking the other day while in my store that we are always telling new anglers things NOT to do. So this article is about all the things the angler should NEVER EVER do!
I had a few “NEVER EVERS” in my last beginner’s surf fishing article. They are so important that I’ll briefly mention them again. They also apply to the bay and inlet anglers.
“Never wash your reel off in salt water.”
It would be like driving your car in the ocean and expecting it to work fine the next day! The angler should always wash off rods and reels, from the tip of the rod to the butt of the rod, with a fine spray of fresh water from the garden hose! Many anglers spray off their reels but forget about the rods. Over the years, think about how many rod tips you replace as the little wires that hold the rod tip together corrode. So remember, give your guides and tip a squirt as well as your reel.
“Never forget and leave your bait in your car overnight!”
This also applies for live bait left in a hot car, even for a little while. I’ve heard many stories of the night crawlers turning into a single mass of brown yuck, the $10 pack of bloodworms ruined while spending an hour in the grocery store, and the bag of live minnows keeling over before getting them into the live well. A little cooler in your car with ice will help preserve your bait while on the road getting to where you’re trying to get!
“Never, ever leave the Berkley Gulp on your hook when you finish fishing.”
It gets hard as a rock and you have to either chisel it off, or throw away your rig!
“Never try to take a treble hook out of a flopping fish without pliers!
Since we are in the middle of bluefish season, this is worth mentioning. Local emergency rooms see quite a few Gotcha Plug hooks stuck in fingers and other areas of the body. While you are trying to get one hook out, the fish with flop around, and another treble hook can get you! I’ve been in the emergency room once with a MirrOlure treble hook deeply embedded in my finger. It’s no fun. I have learned to take my time, not to get excited, and be very careful around hooks!
“If you are on a pier, inlet, or boat and casting lures to a school of bluefish, always look behind you before casting.”
You want to catch fish, not people!
“Never let your fresh or live bait fall into melting ice water.”
Whether it is fresh bunker, a bag of live bloodworms, or a tray of live minnows or eels, it is important to have your bait on ice, not in it. Once your ice begins to melt, your bait can fall in the melting ice and live bait can die and fresh bait can get soft and mushy. Drain your cooler of ice periodically during the day.
“Never go fishing out in the boat without your net!”
If you forget it, go back and get it. You’ll surely hook the big fish on the day you forget your net. Same is true if you’re a bridge fisherman.
“Never, ever put your hand in the mouth of a strange fish.”
If you’re not sure, don’t do it. Respect the teeth on saltwater fish. It is also important not to put your hands ON any strange looking creatures such as skates, rays, sharks, oyster toads, and especially star gazers. Use your pliers. Star Gazers have those big eyes that look towards the heavens and are prehistoric looking. They have a spine on them that can give you an electric shock. Rays have nasty spines on them that some people are allergic to, and sharks have been known to grab a leg when anglers pick them up by the tail to return them to the surf! Drag them across the sand towards the water. Be ready to let the fish go if it twists towards you. Sand sharks don’t have teeth, but some other sharks do. Look before you grab!
“Never forget the sunscreen and sunglasses!”
UV rays are intensified on the water.
“Never forget to take a rag.”
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten the rag. You’re on the pier or the boat, with nothing to grab a slimy fish, nothing but your pants to wipe your hands on, nothing but the spare t-shirt to wipe the bluefish blood off the deck of the boat. Actually, you should take a spare rag or two and have it stashed away somewhere.
“Never leave important things like the rag, pliers, etc… on the edge of the boat.”
The boat starts up suddenly, and splash! It’s in the water! And that includes your butt too! I’ve known people that have gone overboard too!
“ALWAYS have your hat securely on your head while boating or on the pier.”
Wind catches your hat, and the hat goes flying in the water! Now how many times has that happened!
“Never ever go fishing with only one rig!”
Being in the tackle business, I can’t tell you how many people only buy one rig with one sinker. They say they will fish till they lose it. Well, sometimes that doesn’t take long. What if you are on the beach or public pier with no tackle store in site? The fish start biting and you lose your only rig? Well, you’re done! Sometimes people buy extra sinkers, but not extra rigs. Usually, when you lose a rig, you lose the whole thing. So for each extra set-up you buy, get a sinker to go with it.
“Never fish with old line.”
During this last striper blitz on the beach, I can’t tell you how many people came in to change their line AFTER they lost a nice fish. Monofilament fishing line can go bad just sitting in the garage after a couple years. Extreme hot and extreme cold also takes a toll on your line if your equipment is kept outside, in an attic, garage, or under the house. Run your line through your index finger and thumb. If it feels rough and chafed, it’s time to change it. Tie a swivel to the end of your line, yank on it, and if it snaps easily, past the pound test it is rated for, change your line! Don’t let that trophy fish get away!
Good fishing…..
Sue Foster is an outdoor writer and co-owner of Oyster Bay Tackle in Ocean City, MD and Fenwick Tackle in Fenwick, DE.
