Fri, Apr 21st, 2023 - 9:31am
November 16, 2020 - 9:46am | By James McCarty
The Flag Outdoors Expert Steve Carney has your weekly Outdoors Angle right here!
It's coming! The cold weather is here and the ice will be forming within a couple of weeks. Now is the time to make preparations for the ice season by organizing your equipment. It's no fun to have to scramble at the last minute before an ice event.
Most importantly, anglers should spool new line on their reels mainly because the wear and tear from last ice season is tough on monofilament. Spooling fresh line will give you confidence in landing walleyes, northerns and crappies without the mystical line snap. I use 6.lb test on crappies and 8 .lb test for walleyes. Many anglers prefer 2 and 4 .lb test for panfish but I like 6 .lb in case I tie into an accidental walleye. 6 .lb monofilament can handle just about anything that swims if you use fresh line and have your drag set right in the middle setting.
If you are a gas auger fan, be sure and change the crankcase oil before the season and make sure the blades are sharp. If not, replace them or have them sharpened. If you are using an electric auger, make sure your main battery and backup battery are fully charged and operational. The same goes for your electronics. Make sure the battery is charged and the outer wiring is in proper position.
A quick check of your portable shacks is important especially if you had some visitors (mice) during the off-season. Lubricate the posts with a silicone to assure the spines will open and close during very cold temperatures.
Those that plan ahead and equip early are the successful anglers. Break downs or failures on the ice are not acceptable. Rock on!
Steve Carney is The Flag WZFG Outdoors expert. He can be heard every Thursday morning at 8:05 on AM 1100 WZFG. Check out his weekly podcast on am1100theflag.com and hear his Outdoors Angle reports every Friday on AM 1100 WZFG. You can also visit stevecarneyoutdoors.com for more information.
