Between inventory and revision of the equipment, analysis of the weather conditions and water levels as the fateful date approaches, we all have our little rituals. And the closer the date gets, the more the technical choices are refined and these preparations become more precise. Here are a few tips to help you make sure you don't forget anything and get ready for the opening.
1) Take inventory of small equipment
It is always better not to wait until the day before the opening to realize that we are missing some small equipment. Sometimes it's been a few months since we've put our sinkers, hooks, trout lures, nylons and fluoros in the closet. A complete inventory of our indispensable accessories is therefore necessary.
February, when most fisheries are closed, is the perfect time to check that everything is in order. Although for most anglers, there will always be something missing. A quick trip to your favorite retailer can even be an integral part of opening preparations.
2) Reviewing your equipment
For a majority of cautious fishermen, it seems unthinkable to go to the opening with a line mounted last September! And indeed, it will always be wiser to carry out a complete check of the equipment that will be used during the first sessions of the year.
Inspection of the different elements of the fishing rods, rings and ligatures... Dismantling of the reels and cleaning, with a little grease and oil to take care of the reel. Attention should also be paid to the nylons and braids that fill these reels, to eventually replace them if we perceive a suspicious wear.
3) Monitor conditions a few days before opening
The D-day is approaching. Depending on the region and the weather conditions, the routes can change in a few hours, which can call into question certain certainties.
If an analysis of the weather conditions is essential, it is often by going to the water's edge that the fisherman realizes the situation. A winter storm can also have profoundly modified a course that you thought you knew by heart. It is better not to be surprised in the early morning of the most important day of the year!
4) Anticipate which techniques might be most effective for the opening
For some of us, the choice of the spot and the opening technique remains unchanged over the years. For others, on the contrary, it is important to be able to adapt to the winter conditions and to modify the approach tactics accordingly.
According to the observations of the rivers and the profile of the targeted routes, the preparations are refined on the material, the choices are specified on the technique which will be privileged in the early morning of the second Saturday of March...
5) Don't hesitate to question yourself on D-Day
In spite of all the meticulous preparations undertaken for several weeks, the results may not be there on opening day. One of the qualities of the fisherman is to know how to question himself when a session does not turn out as expected.
The trout are shunning the swimmer fish and lures on which (almost) all hopes rested? A small rod and a few red worms could save you the fishing party if you made the wise decision to involve them in this first day of the year.
Unless it is rather a nice streamer, against all expectations and against what you had imagined, which decides a nice fish to attack... While it had disdained your teignes on all these drifts...
