I have a big fishing trip down to Grand Isle, Louisiana planned.  The goal is to fill my cooler with Speckled Trout.  A few Red Fish, Spanish Mackerel, and Blue Crabs wouldn’t hurt either.

I’m preparing my fishing gear and assessing the state of my tackle because I’m leaving in a few days.

I never seem to get my gear cleaned properly after salt water fishing.  I rinse my reels and even give them a coating of oil after each trip, but I always lose one or two to the salt water.

I just tried spinning the handle on my lucky reel from last year and it feels like I’m cranking the handle on an old manual ice cream maker.  I opened it up to see if it could be saved, but all I see is rust and corrosion fusing the gears together.  There’s another reel for the memorial box with all of my other old salt water reels.  The only salvageable parts are the bale and the handle.  They go in the box with the other bales and handles I think I’m going to have use for one day.

I’m changing all my fishing line too.  Salt water makes fishing line as brittle as glass.  I forgot to do this last year and the first trout took my line and lure out to sea with a slight tug.  Nothing crushes the excitement of the first cast more than having to immediately re-spool your reel.

The last thing I do is survey the huge assortment of lures I’ve amassed.  I have a shiny collection of brass and chrome spoons.  I’ve also collected every type of glittery, beaded, and spinner equipped lure those Cajuns can come up with.  The old standby is the sparkle beetle though.  Tie a couple of these jigs onto a strong leader and you’ll be catching two trout at a time.

Sometimes I enjoy playing with my fishing gear as much as using it.

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