OutdoorNebraska

54 Nebraskaland • December 2019 Sawyer Haag of Chadron pulls gear from the ice after an afternoon of fishing at Walgren Lake State Recreation Area. PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAAG That fi rst trip is usually much more enjoyable if I've taken a li le me in the previous weeks to make sure things are ready to go. Just by taking a look, I can usually spot a few items that became dilapidated in the off -season or worn down toward the end of the last season. One of the fi rst things I look at is all of my rods and p-ups. While it's a good idea to replace line on all reels, any jigging rods with light line are defi nitely candidates. A er all, if you have only two-pound line to begin with, any nic ks or weathering is going to cause it to break with the lightest of resistance. Once you've checked the s cks and string used for catching fi sh, check the tool you use to get that line to the water – the auger. If you have a gas power drill as I do, hopefully you've started it and let it run periodically throughout the off - season. That simple step is the best way I've found to keep the carburetor from gumming up. At the start of the season, I always drain the gas and put new in it. It also might be me to replace blades – especially if you have a hand-powered model. Any electronics you use, such as fl ashers and underwater cameras, should be tested along with their ba eries. Next, I give what's inside the tackle box a good inspec on. Now's a good me to sharpen hooks and e leaders and swivels to small jigs so you don't have to do it with cold fi ngers while fi shing. I also like to spend an evening or two building fail- safe quick-strike rigs of treble hooks and steel line for those toothy northern pike. I buy bait locally when it's available, but it seems my suppliers don't o en have waxworms on the shelf by the me that fi rst trip comes. That's why in late November I search the Internet and place an order for live waxworms – the old trusty staple bait of ice fi shermen. It's wise to look at the long-range forecast for their delivery route before ordering to make sure they'll arrive without freezing, or, heaven forbid, roas ng to death. Once we get all of our stuff in order, hopefully Mother Nature will gi us the four inches of solid clear ice required for walking on to it. To check it, it's best to give it a series of whacks with the spud bar and measure the thickness as you walk. If you don't have that four inches, stay home and prep your gear. Preparing for Ice

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