By Marty Dixon/Staff correspondent
It has been a week or two since you last heard from me, and I can honestly say that I have very little in the way of a fishing report. The weather has been cold and the water moving and muddy. You may have heard of Austin Powers Man of Mystery. Well I am Marty Dixon, Fisherman of Misery.
So far over the last month, I’ve endured a stomach virus, the flu and most recently, kidney stones. To say the least, my fishing availability has been few and far between. I may have fished one hour in the last two weeks. Between wrestling with The Hurricane and Finster and fighting off being sick, there has been little to no water time.
The weather has also played a factor in the lack of fishing, it’s been rainy and cold whenever I’ve felt good. Quite frankly, I no longer do well in the cold. Super Dave wanted to fish during the one day that I felt good, but I had to pass since he wanted to get out that morning in 30-degree temperatures.
Even if you cannot or would rather not to get out on the water during this time of year, it is a good time to reevaluate everything. I’ve used the days I’ve felt good to go through tackle and reorganize and throw out. This time of year is a good time to tear everything out of your boat and go through every piece of tackle. I have now labeled all my boxes and bags using a cheap label maker I picked up at Office Max. With all my plastics, I went through each bag and got rid of stuff I wasted money on because it looked pretty.
I’ve long said that most fishing tackle is for fisher-men, not the fish. We get in a tackle store and lose it buying things and colors because it catches our eye. We then get on out the water and use said tackle for 10 minutes before returning to our old standards. I tried to lighten the load of junk in my boat. I was partially successful but still have too much stuff that I always think I will find a use for, such as that banjo minnow and helicopter lure.
Another thing to do is oil up all the reels and reline. I ‘ve been rearranging all the non-fishing items in my boat with the aim of getting all the tools in one place. Putting jumper cables in the boat and making sure I have a few extra fuses, along with some nuts and bolts and zip ties and various odds and ends. Another add ed thing to do is clean out the live well out. I use Dawn, vinegar and hydrogen per-oxide and then run water through everything.
Doing all these type things should make you more efficient on the water and make it easier to locate everything when your fishing. With any luck, I’ll be venturing out on the lake soon if I can stay well long enough and get some suitable weather for these old bones. Until then, stay warm and tight lines to all
Marty Dixon is a 1982 Sardis High School graduate and retired high school educator and coach. He was head coach of the Gadsden State women’s basketball team from 2015 to 2019. He and his wife Texann live in Gadsden. He can be contacted at fishn4funin02@yahoo.com and the Neely Henry Bass Fishing page on Facebook.
Casting on the Coosa – Under the weather
