IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS
Informative articles to help you better understand and utilize the Tools of the
Trade
"Back
to Basics" Vol. 5 "
Organization
In
this month's "Back to Basics" we
are going to step away from our equipment and talk about organizing
it. After all, what good is having all that gear if you don't know
where to find it? These are general guidelines that I use to help
me perform better and catch more fish.
Some of us have more tackle then we will ever fish
with in a lifetime and others of us have just the amount of tackle
we will fish with. Either way, do you know exactly where that crankbait
or certain color of worm is or can you get close then dig around and
find it? I often see anglers kneeling down in their boats pulling out
bag after bag of worms or searching endlessly through Plano boxes looking
for that special bait. Been there...done that! Too much time is wasted
looking for these baits when this time could be spent casting and catching
more fish.
Tackle:
The
first thing I would recommend to do, would be to separate your baits
into categories such as spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigging, etc. A
side benefit from going through this step is you can cull baits you
no longer use but don't forget to donate them to a charitable cause.
Next, and what I feel is the hardest part, is choosing what type
of storage containers to use. What I ended up doing was the old trial
by error. I stood over my baits with the catalog open to the storage
box section and visualized the baits in the container. This did not
always work, or worked for a time, but the benefit was that I was
able to use those boxes for other baits or storage for extra baits.
Once the correct storage container is found, the next step is to
place the baits into it with what I call consistency. What I mean
by this is if I start out a worm box with light or natural colors
first I continue that pattern in my other worm boxes. The same goes
for crankbaits, spinnerbaits, etc. This way no matter which box I
pull out, I know exactly where to go to get what I'm looking for.
The last step is to label the storage boxes. I like to use 3M plastic
tape to do this and label thefront and one side of each box. Important
labeling is not only what type of baits but the weight of or depth
of the baits. By doing this you will be able to find the bait you're
looking for without having to look through multiple storage boxes.
One very important factor you must keep in mind while choosing your
containers is, will they fit in the storage compartments of your
boat.
Boat:
Now
that we have taken the time to organize all the baits we use, let's
not forget to organize it when it goes in the boat. There are several
key factors you need to keep in mind when organizing yourboat's
storage compartments. First, consider how much weight you place in
certain locations. Too much weight in the front storage compartments
is going to have an effect on your boat's performance. The more the
front is weighted down the less bow lift you will get which will
have an effect on both speed and handling. Second, think about which
compartments you put your storage containers in. When loading your
baits into the storage compartments, place the baits you'll use most
often in the front compartments. For instance, you will most likely
have to change or put on new plastic bait (worm) before you will
change out a hard bait.
Storage, extra gear and baits:
Now
that you have organized all your tackle and put it away nicely in
your boat, what do you do with all that extra bait and gear? Well,
you go through the same process you did to organize your baits but
include your extra gear. Once you have all your extra baits and gear
laid out, determine the best method for storing it in your basement
or garage. You might need to add a couple of components to your basement
or garage such as shelving or peg boards. What I have found to work
best is to put the plastic baits in larger storage containers, hard
baits on a peg board, extra boating gear on shelving, and building
a rod rack. The large storage containers for the plastic baits are
easy to load in the back of the truck for long trips and I organize
the colors in the same manner as I do in the boat storage containers.
With the hard baits being on the peg board all I have to do to replace
one is reach out and grab one. Two items I always keep near my extra
storage are a pen and note pad. This way when I start to run low
on a particular bait, I make a note of it and when I go tackle shopping
I know exactly what I need and how many. My extra boat gear stores
nicely on shelving where it is handy and easy to retrieve when I
need it. Last but not least, do not forget to organize your fishing
notes and lake maps. For this I use a small portable hanging file
system. I organize the information by lake in alphabetical order,
and it is small enough that I can throw it in the truck and have
it with me at all times. Always keep blank fishing reports in the
file system so you can fill them out at the hotel in the evening
while it is fresh on your mind.
I hope you have
found this month's "Back to Basics" informative
and it helps you to increase your catch! Visit my website for more
articles. If you are interested in a particular topic,
send a request to rick@ricktilson.com.
Check back next month for another informative "Back to Basics".
Thanks,
Rick Tilson
Copyright© Rick
Tilson. All Rights Reserved