August is one of the hottest months of the year and, therefore, not my favorite month for fishing. But, as a guide, one must go when the phone rings. For those of you who do not make fishing your living, August would be the best time to do all those honey do’s you haven’t done and work on preparing your fishing tackle for September.
Here are a few tips.
Give your reels a good cleaning by loosening the drags and lubricating the gears. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, there are several good tackle dealers in Tampa who can service your reels at a reasonable price.
Check your line guides on the rods for any scratches or nicks. Use cotton swabs; or, borrow a panty hose from your wife when she is not looking and cut it into small strips. It will last a long time, so do not worry–she will not miss one panty hose. Now run the cotton swab or piece of panty hose through the guide. If the panty hose clings or the cotton sticks to the guide, replace the guide or risk losing a fish later. A slight scratch or cut on the guide will cut your line under pressure from a pulling fish.
At the end of the day, never put your hook on the guide as this can and will scratch the guide. Instead, take an electrical nylon tie with a screw hole built in and place it just above the top grip on the rod. This allows a place for the hook to sit.
This is a great time to reorganize and purge your tackle box. Most anglers take too much tackle on a fishing trip. There are many new small soft-sided tackle boxes that can handle all your needs. I suggest you leave most of your tackle at home and replenish your tackle box as needed. In addition, a small waterproof plastic divided tray with a lid works great for hooks and small sinkers to keep on the console of the boat and use as needed.
Now, you’re ready for fishing when the temperatures begin to drop.
Good fishing and tight lines.