Outer Banks

Never Too Late

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Iā€™m as guilty as most anglers at this time of year. The 2025 fishing season has been over for months and I have to admit, most of my gear continues to sit idle on my garage rack. But with the 2026 season just around the corner, itā€™s time for us to complete those off season chores. So put down your remote and letā€™s get to it!

First, a complete evaluation should be done on your rod and reels. Look for damage, any minor cracks or even corrosion on either the rod seats or guides. Next, removing the reel from the rod will allow you to do a thorough examination and allow for cleaning. Check the butt, reel seat, guides and tip. A good cleaning and applying an anti-corrosion spray might be all you need.Ā  If everything checks out, move on the reel.

The reel should be thoroughly cleaned and oiled. Replace any damaged or worn parts. The drag washer should also be checked. These rarely wear out, but itā€™s good to just check them anyway. An easy way to check is to tighten down and pull on the line. Make several adjustments and if it pulls drag, itā€™s good.

Next, gear. Many types of lures and hard bait hooks may not survive more than a year so close focus on these items is imperative. Rusty rings, tangled lines or damaged components can result in potential loss of the catch. Sometimes itā€™s cheaper to replace the entire lure unless itā€™s your ā€˜go-toā€ catching machine. Then itā€™s an easy decision to just replace the hooks and rings. One tip: go with a single hook replacement if possible and try to get away from those treble hooks. Makes for an easier release.

Tackle boxes and bags habitually get cluttered over the season with many of those ā€œI must have thoseā€ gadgets or maybe the ā€œfavor of the monthā€ lure. And even gear attached to leaders that were quickly changed out and too valuable to discard.

Your best option is empty the bag, sort through whatā€™s salvageable and toss the rest.

Sinkers, loose terminal tackle, swivels, extra leader materials should be placed in separate containers for easy access next season. I like to use old plastic medicine jars or even z-lock baggies.

Pliers, scissors, line cutters, fish grabbers should be cleaned or at least organized in its proper place for quick access in the spring.

Remove all batteries on any electronic gear such as bait bubblers, night lights and bug zappers. It is good to look for battery corrosion. Sometimes you can clean the acid but best to replace it completely.

Knives should be cleaned, sharpened, oiled and placed in a sheaths for protection. I typically only keep a bait knife in the bag and leave the filet knives for cleaning fish.

Large items such as coolers, cast nets, pier carts, cutting boards, rod holders and other large pieces need a good flushing, wiped off and stored properly. A mixture of beach and water does wonders in removing stains.

Finally, all metal surfaces should be coated with rods, reels or other gear with an anti-corrosion protectant. Using a good protectant oil is well worth the expense.

Remember, the off season is the best time to find and replace worn or defective gear or equipment. Ā Because most anglers have their own special fishing collections, I am sure we missed something but thatā€™s what the offseason is for.

It is imperative to address those issues before they cost you that trophy species next year.

Couple things to keep in mind when organizing and cleaning out gear. Salt water is not your friend. Anything that came out of the box should probably be replaced. Once corrosion starts itā€™s contagious to everything else.

Until Next Time ā€“ Tightlines ā€“ Capt. Tony

Member of the Club

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Lately, we have been hearing about local fishing clubs having difficulty attracting both new and young members. Here is my recommendation on joining a club.

Fishing clubs can be the best way for a new angler to learn about a local fishery. It can be very frustrating when an angler moveĀ§ to a new area and has to start over. But it might be a little more helpful to find that fishing buddy who can show them the best locations and proven techniques in the new area.

But what typically happens when anglers move into a new area? They try winging it on their own. They may eventually give in and stop into a local tackle shop. They might pick up a new rod and reel, grab some bait and then hit the first and possibly the easiest spot and hope for the best. Good start but still not the consistency they need.

Now they may even fall back and attempt to use their personal ā€œit worked up northā€ gear. They will soon realize that this gear will not hold up for this type of fishing. There is a good chance they may catch something and possibly have a good time. But once they get past that stage, they may ask themselves, now what? Will they continue to return to the tackle shop for advice and keep tempting fate fish or bite the bullet and find a fishing buddy who can show them the ropes?

Well, thatā€™s where a fishing club comes into play. A fishing club can take that new or even experienced angler to the next level. As with every hobby, using certain techniques that if utilized properly will make the activity more successful and even a lot of fun. And this workĀ§ the same way with fishing. Make it a habit doing things right the first time and good times will follow.

Joining a fishing club will give those new anglers that competitive edge. And with the access to a host of knowledgeable and experienced members and the support and camaraderie found there, the angler will find it to be a win-win proposition.

Membership is not just one sided affair though. This commitment in a fishing club takes work. Each member is asked to participate in a number of activities all of which makes the club successful.

There are periodic meetings, assorted committees, picnics, awards dinners and of course tournaments. These all take volunteers to make it happen.Ā  But the rewards are worth the effort.

Most fishing clubs meet monthly sometimes for just a few hours. Typically, there are several partĀ§ of each meeting: Club business, speaker, committee reports and open forum.

Fishing clubs are the best opportunity for an angler to expand their skill level. It can open many doors typically not usually available to the casual angler.

If you are looking for something new and exciting, joining a local fishing club is time well spent and is definitely worth your effort.

The Outer Banks has several types of fishing clubs looking to add new members. Several choices are: Cape Hatteras Anglers Club, Outer Banks Anglers Club and the Nags Head Fishing Club. If you are looking for new friendships and a place to learn new techniques, then check them out.

Until Next Time ā€“ Tightlines – Capt. Tony

Starting off Strong

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We have just entered a new year and it gives us another chance to get it right. So letā€™s start off this year strong.

Resolutions on New Yearā€™s Day sometimes get the revelers into trouble. Some anglers commit to outrageous goals that are usually forgotten just hours later. But what if you made a resolution that could improve your fishing for the entire year. Well, here are several ideas that might be worthwhile to consider and I believe most times might just help to make you a better angler.

The first resolution is never allow your gear to be neglected. During the season, make maintenance a standard process. At the end of your trip, rise off any gear that was subjected to the environment, especially salt water or air. Lures, jigs and terminal tackle should be cleaned and put in its place. Old bait should be thrown away and not into the water. Maintained tackle and fresh bait catches more fish so start fresh each day.

Next one is do your homework ā€“ now, during preseason and all year.Ā  Your homework might include studying the areas that you might want to fish in, the seasonal species that you plan to target and any new techniques or gear that will give you an advantage. The learning process should be continuous.

One more is getting to know and make frequent visits to your local tackle shops. Each year, representatives visit these shops and look forward to sharing new innovative ways to catch fish as well as the new products coming on the market. These tips and techniques are a valuable resource for both new and experienced anglers. Donā€™t miss these opportunities in your community.

Next, go to school ā€“ learn more. Look for stand alone seminars or classes at boat shows. I canā€™t stress enough how valuable it is to hear it directly from the experts. Over time we begin to lose our best angling techniques. Even professional guides hire another guide to watch their techniques and make recommendations. I have a good friend who has fished for over twenty years professionally and he even hires a guide annually to evaluate his skills.Ā  We are never too young or old to get better at what we do.

Another is the internet. If you search the web, you will find many seminars and fishing classes which are available both locally, regionally and web-based. Most in person classes are in convenient locations. You can also pick up great tips going to boat shows. I have found that professional anglers, fishing club members and boat manufacturers can be a fantastic resource. Donā€™t forget the web based programs, while not local, contain many skills you can use anywhere. No excuse not to be able to improve your skill set.

My final resolution is to always ā€œKeep it Simpleā€ when fishing. Never overfish your skill set or knowledge. Try to learn one skill each outing.

Also, use your experience to teach others. Over the past several years, one of the best parts of my fishing trips for me was helping someone catch their first fish.

So one recommendation that we should all try to keep this year is to “Take a kid fishingā€. Thatā€™s one resolution that will make memories for them and a difference in you.

Until next time – Tightlines – Captain Tony