Archive for April 5, 2012
Keep’n Sharp for More Catches
The first several days in Florida were filled with time spent searching tackle shops and mainstay fishing “holes” that have been successful in the past. Having not been there in quite some time, species and techniques change along with the seasons.
The weather was just “Florida” beautiful, but the stiff breezes clouded the water on both the Peace River and Charlotte Harbor.
My reliable back up spot was the neighborhood lakes. The lakes are full of many salt water species that get flooded in from the Charlotte Harbor through huge inflow pipes during storms. So there is always a good chance to catch something.
On Sunday evening, I hooked up with dozens of small snook using a Rapala X-rap saltwater artificial. Just before dark, I latched on to a monster snook. Played him several minutes but he broke free.
Not thinking about the sharpness of treble hooks, I again fished the same lake the next evening. Hooked up dozens of times but not one catch. I checked the sharpness of the hooks and sure enough, I found them to be dull. Went home, replaced the hooks and “bingo” – success.
Lesson learned, after every trip where you have caught many fish, check those hooks. Good advice, you should think about changing them often.
Replacing the hooks and snap rings is a simple and quick process. A smart tip is to use a treble hook one size larger than the older one. This small change increases your hook up significantly.
Until next time, Tightlines
NCsaltaire 