Boat Ramp Wars

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I know this is a shore based fishing resource page but sometimes it’s nice to change it up a little. August means boat season is heating up so it’s a great time to talk about boat ramp etiquette.

Proper boat ramp etiquette means preparing your vessel away from the water, taking turns in order, and clearing the active lane immediately after launch.

Follow these key rules to keep traffic moving safely: prep in the staging area, launch without blocking the ramp, and park your vehicle properly.

Before You Reach the Ramp

  • Do your prep work early: Put in your drain plug, load your safety gear, take off tie-downs, and test the engine while parked in the prep or staging area.
  • Wait your turn: Line up in order and do not cut in front of others who are waiting for their turn at the ramp.
  • Use courtesy lighting: Dim or turn off your vehicle’s bright headlights if you are launching or loading in the dark so you do not blind other drivers.

On the Ramp and Dock

  • Never block the ramp with gear: Do not load coolers, extra passengers, or gear onto the boat while it sits on the ramp. Do all final loading after the boat is in the water and moved away from the active lane.
  • Clear the ramp fast: As soon as the boat is off the trailer, one person should move the boat to the courtesy dock or idle out into the water while the driver pulls the vehicle away.
  • Share dock space: Tie your boat securely using short lines at the end or side of the dock so you do not hog space and block other incoming or outgoing boaters.

Parking and Retrieving

  • Park in designated spots only: Leave your truck and trailer inside the proper marked stalls, taking up only a single space so you do not block turning lanes.
  • Reverse the process on retrieval: Get your vehicle ready in the staging area before pulling down to load the boat back onto the trailer. Pull the plug and drain live wells in the designated cleanup area away from the ramp to stop the spread of invasive species.

Courtesy goes a long way between boaters. Never know they might even share one of their favorite fishing spots.

Until next time – Captain Tony

Know Your Knots

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When anglers talk about their fishing gear, secret locations and special techniques, they seem to ignore one of the most important parts of their system. The fishing knot. Most anglers are very complacent about knots. They typically will just tie them and forget them. Usually, they are tied once and unless they change a jig head or add a line, these are good for the day, a week or longer.

But little do most anglers realize that the knot is the weakest part of their fishing gear and should be re-tied periodically.  And if they are not tied correctly, they could cost the angler not only their catch but the gear and rigging.

There are dozens of different fishing knots used by anglers. But there are only several that are actually needed.  They fall into three categories: line to line, line to tackle or gear “tight”, and line to tackle or gear “loose”.

Let’s talk about the first type: line to line. Knots that work best for tying line to lines are 1) double uni-knots, 2) simplified blood knot and 3) albright knot. These are all very easy to tie and will perform well in most circumstances. The first two are used on lines of equal diameter. While the Albright knot can be used on equal or unequal diameter lines.

The second type of knots is the line to tackle “tight”. Knots that hold the line to the tackle are a single uni-knot, Palamor knot, improved clinch knot, and snelling knot. Each of these knots are suitable for securing the tackle to the end of the leader.

The third type of knot is the line to tackle “loose”. This category contains a doppler loop knot, double surgeon’s knot and spider hitch. These knots allow anglers to create loops or a loose connection that will give the hook or lure more action.

There are many more knots to choose from such as Bimini Twist and FG knots. Braid, monofilament and fluorocarbon respond a little differently to these knots. So each one has a place on your list. This is only a sample list of the most popular and frequently used knots so it’s important to learn which one works best.

Want to learn more about knots? There are dozens of YouTube videos for great “how-to” videos to give a hands-on demostration.

Remember knots are the weakest link in your gear set up so it is imperative that you re-tie your knots at least daily. And while you are inspecting your knots, it could also be a great time to check the condition of your other components and connections.

Until next time – Tightlines – Capt. Tony

Your Tackle Bag

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Here’s another tip for the summer angler.

Two of the most guarded secrets an angler keeps is their favorite fishing spot and the contents of their tackle bag. While secret fishing spots are frequently shared only to close friends, their tackle bags contents can be held stealth for years.

To guard that secret, most anglers will quickly retrieve gear from their bags away from spying eyes. It’s probably no secret to the contents of a typical tackle bag but serious anglers can be a little funny on their favorite and probably the most reliable lures and techniques.

The tackle bag, as a general rule, should only include items you will need on the current fishing trip. But lots of anglers, including this author, use the bag sometimes as a storage box for everything they possibly could ever use even if it doesn’t work on every trip. While a great place to store gear when not in use it’s especially not one to drag out on each trip.

Tackle bag contents will vary depending on the target species and fishing location. Let’s look at my suggestions.

Standard contents should at least include a collection of sinkers, hooks and terminal rigging gear. Don’t go wild, just a few are needed. Store more in your vehicle tote box.

Also several types should include some two hook bottom rigs, one or more Carolina rigs, bluefish rigs and finally some pompano rigs. Extra leader materials can always come in handy. I use Fluorocarbon for clear water and monofilament when the water is a little cloudy. I always carry several sabiki rigs for catching your own baits.

You should also carry a small bait knife, plastic cutting board, finger nail clippers, and pliers, tape measure, and fish grippers.

Several rags will help steady a fish to remove hooks – but remember, if holding a fish with a rag make sure it’s wet. Dry rags can wipe the protective slim off a wiggling fish quickly.

The bag should also include a variety jigging gear with a variety of lead heads, various soft swim baits, and several different got-cha plugs or top water hard baits. A bottle of attractant, such as Procure, will help enhance the artificial smell similar to real bait fish. I sometimes even spread some procure on my fresh baits. Can’t hurt to enhance the scent.

A tackle bag will not be complete without “fish-bites” or some type of artificial baits.

This list is definitely not complete and inclusive but it should give the new or occasional angler as least a start on filing that tackle bag with basic gear.

Of course, there is always time to load it, so full of the angler’s special & most reliable gear, which like the author, can act more like a storage bin than a tackle bag.

One tip: Put extra gear that will not be used that day in a rubber-made crate in your vehicle. That way, the gear won’t load down you bag but if needed it’s just a quick walk back to your vehicle.

Until next time – Tightlines. Capt. Tony