Getting Ready for 2012

Well, its the time of year that we all dread.  The cold is setting in, and you know spring is right around the corner, but it never seems to come soon enough.  What do you do?  Here are a few tips to ensure that your 2012 season is a season to remember.

Get Involved
This is always easier said than done.  Many of us have hectic schedules that don't always allow us to get out and relax on the water, as well as get involved.  However, there are some simple things that you can do to help the sport grow and prosper, while allowing your schedule to maintain the time that you need.

•  Check out Heroes on the Water.  You can either volunteer on a normal fishing day to take out veterans in your area, donate to the national organization (allows chapters to grow or come to fruition), or talk to your employer about HOW.  
• Support your local Kayak Fishing Organization.  Remember that site that you always lurked on, gathered information to increase your chances for success on your next trip?  Chances are there are a number of people behind the scenes keeping the latest information flowing, organizing events, and donating to groups like how on the behalf of their membership.  To help ensure that these things continue, show your support and get involved.  Involvement is as simple as attending meetings or outings.  You may just find that the information that you get from these events is better than anything you could get from a website.

Get Ready

• For those of you who fish throughout the winter, this is the time to start any new rigging for the year.  Im sure that I am not the only person who has installed something just to find that once I have my winter gear on, I am unable to access that great new product like I could in the summer.  Ultimately, I do not fish with that product throughout the season.  If you measure and look at new rigging now, you will be able to use that new tool throughout the year.
• Maintaining your equipment can be a daunting task.  Who really wants to spend the day replacing rusted troubles on a mirrorlure?  Well, if you are watching the game, or stuck indoors searching the web, you have the time do do something as simple as this.  Other things to look at are flipping/replacing line from the previous year, servicing rods and reels that might have had issues throughout the year, or organizing your tackle.  These are all simple things that can make that first trip of the year a success or a failure.  For me it seems that the first trip has a major impact on the remainder of the year.

Start something new

• In 2011, I started a fishing log.  I tried a number of things from spreadsheets, to programs, to notebooks, but I never really kept up with any of them.  That was until my family sent me a fishing specific journal from Fishpond.  It is nice, has just the information I need, and the quality of the product encourages me to keep it up to date.  These journals really come in handy when you are trying to plan around that annual run of Bluefish, or an EPIC Croaker bite.
• In 2012, my new start for the year is to have at least one trip each month where I only fish from the fly. Just as my journal has helped make me a more complete fisherman, I am hoping that dedicating the time will make me a more complete bugslinger.

Some Housekeeping

• For those of you looking for a guide in the Tidewater region of VA, check out my good friends Mark and Kris Lozier with 1st Landing Kayak Fishing Services.  Both are quality people, and Mark is one of the most complete fishermen I know.  Their website is www.1stlandingyakfish.com
• Check out the Tidewater HOW Chapters blog at www.how-tidewaterchapter.blogspot.com.  There are going to be some very exciting announcements with the chapter and HOW in general in the coming months.  Don't miss a thing and follow them.  As I wrote about earlier, this is yet another way you can stay informed, and even your periodic visits help.

Finally I want to thank the staff at Hurricane Kayaks!  I must say that they have a product that I have no problem fully getting behind.  Not only that, but the staff are some of the friendliest, and most knowledgeable people you would ever want to meet.  Check them out at www.hurricaneaquasports.com.

Until next time...