Spring checklist - what’s on your list?

[Zodiac fisher]

Curious what everybody does in terms of winter/spring maintenance on their saltwater boats and fishing gear to get ready for the summer season.

My list includes:
- fresh line on reels
- oil/grease up reels
- check net for any rips/XL holes
- new leaders on pre-tied rigs
- wash and polish boat
- test electronics, lights, downriggers ect
- check safety gear against Coast Guard check list including expiry date on flares and fire extinguisher, flashlight batteries, ect
- ensure fishing license with salmon stamp purchased and on on boat, with a pen in a Ziploc
- check tire pressure on trailer tires and test lights
- ensure trailer insurance current
- grease trailer bearings
- engine service if required and at a minimum check fluid levels, battery charge, fuel filter
- go fishing!!

 

[ab1752]

All that plus c tow membership, tools, spares...

 

[Trophy]

Ditto...plus
- polish spoons
- replace rusted/weak hooks, sharpen all hooks
- check/oil flasher swivels

 

[scott craven]

1) Ask DFO to open Chinook salmon retention
2) everything else will be fine.

 

[Aces]

Curious what everybody does in terms of winter/spring maintenance on their saltwater boats and fishing gear to get ready for the summer season.

My list includes:
- fresh line on reels
- oil/grease up reels
- check net for any rips/XL holes
- new leaders on pre-tied rigs
- wash and polish boat
- test electronics, lights, downriggers ect
- check safety gear against Coast Guard check list including expiry date on flares and fire extinguisher, flashlight batteries, ect
- ensure fishing license with salmon stamp purchased and on on boat, with a pen in a Ziploc
- check tire pressure on trailer tires and test lights
- ensure trailer insurance current
- grease trailer bearings
- engine service if required and at a minimum check fluid levels, battery charge, fuel filter
- go fishing!!

Don’t forget to shake your fire extinguishers as the powder cakes and then it won’t work when you need it

 

[Strait shooter]

Fire extinguishers have to be recertified yearly

 

[tubber]

+ check inflatables for expired cartridges
drop leg to lube bolts even if the impeller is okay
Go through all your gear to confirm that you already had a bunch of the stuff you just bought.

 

[barkerfam]

Get the US/Canada border open

 

[pescador]

Trailer- Re-torque trailer lug nuts to 85 lbs before trip to Westcoast, fill up grease in bearing buddies. Adjust front bunk height up an inch to get better pulpit clearance when I launch at Gold River.

Boat-load test battery bank to ensure condition will tolerate another season. Strip and wax boat. Fill small dings with Marine Tex. And all the other **** mentioned above. And.....Load up with gas while it’s cheap

 

[RogersonCrusoe]

Boat: Pressure wash and wax the exterior to get the winter crud off.
Sand down where the sides meet the floor and put a vinyl kickstrip to feet from kicking through the paint and slow a couple of rotting spots
Kicker Steering mod (currently have an acutator attached to the motor with rope)
Lures: Tie leaders!
Other: Re-tie snubbers on DRs and remove a few feet from each line

 

[John Ingram]

Wait until July 31st to get my license as I now only have the month of August and maybe a bit of
September to get all of my salmon for the year.

 

[Aces]

+ check inflatables for expired cartridges
drop leg to lube bolts even if the impeller is okay
Go through all your gear to confirm that you already had a bunch of the stuff you just bought.

That last line.....yeah

 

[sasqman]

All of the above, plus gel coat repairs and changing a few switches and wires............. but most importantly building a bar for after water cocktails and beers.

 

[RiverBoy]

Get the US/Canada border open

Our health minister says that isn’t happening anytime soon. USA is just too volatile right now.
then there’s the covid thing down there. Heyooo!!

i think Dr Bonnie Henry had quoted a possible target date of late June for a re-open , but she said “ it’s not in the best interest of Canadians right now.”

we’ll see

 

[tinboatrobb]

I hope the border is closed until September at the earliest. Way to loosey goosey with this situation down there.

 

[Zodiac fisher]

All that plus c tow membership, tools, spares...

C-tow looks like a great program, fortunately have never needed a tow (yet) but there is always that nagging worry given I only have one engine (75 Yamaha) which I troll off as well (no kicker). May invest in a membership. Thanks for bringing this up.

 

[Foxsea]

Good points on here.
One thing I do the first time out in the spring is to clean the VHF radio connections and do a radio check to Coast Guard on 83A. Even though it will receive, the radio draws a lot more current on transmit so good connections are important.
Also carry a First Aid kit and check the trailer tire pressure before rolling.

 

[Gong Show]

I have to replace the manual pump faucet in the sink.
That cold snap was harder than my little cabin heater could handle.
First time for everything, just another thing to remember for this winter!

 

[chromatose007]

Just spent $300 on reel maintenance and more on some sweet level winds
Now I got to worry 'bout Wu-flu?
This sucks man! No guiding this season looking like...

 

[Newf]

Fire extinguishers have to be recertified yearly

Is this for a certain size or type? I have a couple of small ones on my boat and have been checked on the water a couple of times. They look at the gauge to see if it's in the green and have never said anything about the age of them. They are 4 or 5 years old.