I’m just about ready to go. The long offseason is nearly over, and we’re packing everything up to head south to get the season underway. I’ve been in the shop getting the boat and tackle ready but have also found a way to fit in some final hunting trips before we really get to business for the year.
Jen and Fischer snuck out at the end of deer season, and Fischer shot a buck in Ohio they had been watching for three years. It was non-typical, with five points on one side and a big spike on the other. That one made a whole bunch of summer sausage, but it was more about seeing Jen and Fischer accomplish that together.
We also took a goose hunt on Fischer’s birthday, the last day of goose season. We managed to bag 16 of them and turned them into a whole mess of goose jerky to use throughout the year; it was a fun way to end the season.
The main thing is to get my Xpress X21 Pro LE and Yamaha 250 SHO ready for the season. Wieda’s Marine in Kentucky rigged it for me this year. They rigged my Minn Kota Ultrex, Quest Raptors, my Humminbird Apex graphs and Impulse Lithium batteries. The boat is set up and ready to go: I’ll just need to break it in and dial everything in before we start at Toledo Bend Reservoir.
I’ve been packing up the tackle, and in doing that, I realized I have some new partners to announce this year. I’m loading Seaguar Line on all of my new Ark Fishing Gravity 7 reels and rods. As for the rods, I’m using mostly Invoker Tours this year, but I have a few Essence and Reinforcers in the lineup as well.
I’ve also been stocking my lockers with tackle. All the Ark Tungsten weights and Z Series hardbaits have been organized in boxes and placed in the lockers. I’m excited to be saying that I’m working with NetBait, BaitFuel and Snag Proof this year.
Like so many of us, I’ve used NetBait products going so far back, that it’s almost surreal to be wearing that logo and endorsing those products. Snag Proof was started as an Ohio company, and it’s a brand I’ve been familiar with my whole career, so it’s really cool to work with them too.
BaitFuel has been available for a couple of years; I bought a bottle early on and observed significant results. I really saw a difference at smallmouth tournaments when I used it. What I found to be best was to soak the soft baits in it overnight before going fishing, and I really believe it helped me get more bites.
We’re leaving home in a couple of days for Signs Designs in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., where they’ll wrap my boat. Then, we’ll head to Grosse Savanne to finalize the boat’s setup, break in the Yamaha, and dial everything in. Of course, I’ll work on knocking the rust off, catch a bunch of bass, eat some great Cajun food and get ready for the season.
It’s almost time, Toledo Bend is right around the corner.
