Schooling Fish Action Can Be Exciting and Productive

  Fishermen have all sorts of favorite moments. A big largemouth bass blowing up the surface on a still morning to grab a top water bait is one.

  Finding a wad of hungry bream that hit your hook as fast as you can bait it is another. A bunch of slab crappie that suddenly turns on for several minutes, then just as abruptly shuts down is one.

  For pure ol’ fun fishing, schooling white bass can be a special moment.

  Some anglers make a specialty of this type fishing. Warmer weather is a good time for it, and they may set out with binoculars within reach to look for schooling whites. Spot a frothing of the surface, and you know the whites are herding and tearing into schools of shad.

  The trick is to get within casting distance as rapidly as possible, because the schooling activity may last only a few minutes. One requirement is to have one or more rods rigged and ready for each fisherman in the boat.

  The lures can be most anything that imitates a shad. A Little George is a good choice. These tail-spinner lures, sometimes called helicopter lures, are weighted enough to cast far out and they flutter down through the water like an injured or dying shad.

  A small, pearl-finish crankbait has worked well for many anglers.

  It’s opportunistic fishing. The boat dock operator or bait shop proprietor may tell you, "the whites are schooling early these days," but you just have to get yourself in position and ready to take advantage of the schooling fish if and when you can find them.

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  Muddy Water Can Turn On Catfish

  It’s been raining lately. Water is muddy. Can’t catch fish in muddy water, you have heard.

  But that’s just a poor excuse. Muddy water can mean some good catfish action, according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

  You’ve probably heard, or even experienced, the red-hot catfish action that can take place just before a storm. Barometer drops, clouds build and catfish go crazy, so they say.

  Here are some muddy water suggestions collected here and there from veteran catfishing folks:

  Tip No. 1: Rising muddy water may provide a bonanza for catfishermen. Channel cats, in particular, feed heavily under such conditions. These channels will bite on a variety of baits, but the two most common are worms and chicken liver.

  Tip No. 2: Try to find a place just out of the main current where the water makes a little eddy, and place your bait in the eddy, but right next to swift water. This is where a feeding catfish will wait for the current to bring the next tasty morsel downstream.

  Tip No. 3: Channel catfish under these conditions are apt to take your bait very hard and fast and, unless you are paying strict attention, will literally jerk the rod out of your hands. And if you have an unattended pole sitting in a forked stick, you’d better not get too far from it or it’ll be gone before you can reach it.

  Both stories courtesy of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Visit their web site at www.agfc.com.

  The warm days of spring are finally here and it’s time to get your boat ready for fishing and summer fun. A little work now might save you a big headache later on. Following is a check list of some of the things to check out before heading to the lake.

  * If your motor was running poorly last fall or if it’s time for routine maintenance, now is the time to get it to the repair shop. As the summer gets going these guys get real busy so get yours tuned up now.

  * Check the batteries. Fill with distilled water and charge. If they won't keep a charge, change them out. They may take a charge but be sure and load test them because batteries may charge but go dead real fast when you hit them with the load from your trolling motor.

  * If you have the means, carry a spare prop and the necessary tools to change it with you. A couple of years ago we were heading out and as we got past the ‘No Wake’ zone I eased the throttle forward. Just about the time the boat got on plane the motor over-revved. The prop had spun out on its hub. Not having the trolling motor onboard, we had to paddle to the bank. I then had to hike back to the truck, go back to the house and retrieve another prop. Although it wasn’t the correct size and pitch it did allow me to putt back to the dock. If I had it with me it would have saved me a lot of time and aggravation.

  * Remove the prop on your trolling motor and clean off the gunk and old fishing line from around the shaft. Check the electrical connections to make sure they are clean and making good contact. Lube control cables and all pivot points.

  * Check all hatch locks and lube if necessary. Also check and lube the hinges.

  * Check to see if the bilge pump and live well aerators run. Most of these will come apart so you can clean the gunk off the impellers.

  * Check the hoses to the bilge and the live wells for cracks and splits. You don't want to fill the boat as well as the live well the first time you hit the on switch.

  * Check the steering and throttle cables for rust, kinks and bends. Make sure they work and operate smoothly and don't bind. Adjust as needed. Lube as necessary.

  * If you didn't use fuel stabilizer in your fuel tank, drain it and clean the tank. If you have a mounted tank just drain or siphon out the gas. Use caution while doing this. Dispose of the old gasoline properly. Drain the fuel lines and the bowl on the carburetor. Check for leaks, corrosion, or loose fittings in the engine’s fuel system. Install a new fuel filter.

  * Change the oil in your motor's lower unit if you didn't drain it in the fall. If you drained it, refill per the engine manufacturer’s specifications.

  * Lube all the places on your motor according to the manufacturer.

  * Check the lights and instrumentation.

  * Give the interior a good cleaning. After washing the vinyl components, treat them with a vinyl protector. Empty the storage compartments and vacuum them out. You will probably find some stuff you don't need to carry (i.e., dead crickets, dried minnows, etc) or find some things you need to replace. (i.e., sun block, WD-40, etc.) Don't forget to vacuum out the live well.

  * Examine the hull of your boat, both the interior and exterior, particularly if it is wooden, for any apparent damage or deterioration. Fix or replace anything you don't like.

  * Wash and polish the hull and motor. If your hull is fiberglass and it is faded, use a good polishing compound and buff it out. Follow up with a good wax. If your hull is unfinished aluminum like on most pontoon boats I highly recommend a product called Toon Brite. I’ve used it for the past couple of years on my pontoon boat and it works great! You simply spray it on, let it work a minute or two and then rinse off. The more seasons you use it, the easier the hull cleans up. I then follow up with their aluminum polish. You can find products specially made for boats at your local marine dealer or from mail order/internet outlets like Cabela’s, Overton’s, or Bass Pro Shops.

  * Check your PFD’s (life jackets) and replace them if they are dried out, cracked or split. I’ve added a little flag to a couple of my jackets that the kids wear while tubing. The flag attaches to the straps and folds down into a small pocket on the front. When you fall off the tube or skis you simply pull a small strap and the flag pops up over the shoulder. The bright colored flag helps to alert boats to the presence of a person in the water.

  * Check your fire extinguisher and emergency equipment. (i.e., whistle or horn, hand bailer, flares, etc.) Replace as needed.

  * Restock your first aid kit. Replace any expired medications and first aid ointments. If you don't have a first aid kit, get one. And get one with a hook removal gizmo.

  * Examine your towables tow ropes and ski ropes for wear and tear. If they look or feel frayed, replace them. Also check the cleats, eyes, etc. on the boat where they attach and make sure they are securely fastened. Replace any cracked or broken components.

  * And last but not least, take a boater safety course. There are many accidents each year that can be avoided if folks just know the ‘rules of the road’. Many states offer them on-line so you can study at your leisure. Also many insurance companies offer discounts on your boat insurance if you successfully pass a safety course. If that’s not incentive enough I don’t know what is.

  Nothing ruins a trip more than a problem you could have prevented in the first place. But there are always going to be unforeseen things that can happen. So just relax and go with it. The main thing to remember is having fun and staying safe on the water. – James Burns