Making sure your boat and gear are ready for the rigors of ice-out fishing this spring is well worth the effort. Tom Roth / For Lakes Region Weekly
Our winter was an odd one, to say the least. Bitter cold then uncharacteristically warm with only a few good snowstorms. Ice fishing on Sebago was brief, but good. Local snowmobiling wasn’t much at all and it looks like mud season is here. But don’t despair, March is the month to get ready for that magical time of the year: open-water fishing season.
Tom Roth is a freelance outdoor writer who lives in Raymond on the shore of Sebago Lake. He has been fishing and hunting in this region for more than 30 years and is a Registered Maine Guide.
Probably nothing gets me more excited in the outdoor world than ice-out fishing. Well, maybe cool, crisp fall days behind a dog. But we’ve got a few more months for that. Now is the time to prepare for that ice-out date, which seems to get earlier and earlier each year.
As soon as the days get longer, I make sure my fishing boat is ready for service. That means uncovering it, cleaning it, restocking it with all the tackle and accessories that I normally carry and, finally, tending to the motor. While I change my oil and the lower unit fluid before storing it for the winter, some of you do this in the spring. In any case, it is a must-do if you expect your fishing boat to serve you through the season. An oil change all but guarantees a long life, but the lower unit fluid maintenance is more important. While fishing, bits of mono line can easily make their way into the prop and slice the seals on the lower unit. The only way to know this for sure is to drain and replace the fluid. If the fluid comes out milky white, you have water in your lower unit. Time to get the seals replaced. Don’t neglect this, as the leaking oil pollutes the lake and spells disaster for your gearcase.
While I don’t have to do any motor work this spring, I still like to throw the rabbit ears on the motor and get it running to ensure my batteries and charging system are all functioning as they should. While my batteries have been sleeping soundly in the house all winter and are kept on a trickle charge, a battery left outside all season may need a full charge or even replacement.
And while my trailer sees only a few trips until the boat is docked on Sebago, trailer maintenance is a critical component of spring boat care. Check the springs and axles, make sure the tires are properly inflated (including the spare) and make sure those hubs are greased. It’s also a good time to check the trailer wiring and lights. I have a nagging short somewhere in my wires and I hope to fix that this spring.
Once I know my boat is ship-shape (pun intended), I turn to my tackle. Guiding clients puts a strain on my gear, so all reels get opened up, lubricated and get fresh line. I spend my winter nights tying up trolling bait harnesses, as these seem to last for only a few fish each. It’s also a good time to organize the tackle box, pull out the trash and shop for replacement lures, if needed.
A few hours of work on your boat and gear is a great way to spend those early spring days. Before you know it, the ice will be out and you’ll be on the water. Time spent now can help ensure you don’t have any downtime with gear or vehicles.
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