open water bass..

[mainbutter]

I'm tired of the cold.

Is it may yet?

[zepman]

Count me in on this one. Tonight I brought out all my 3600 boxes and started going through all my tackle and soft baits. Received the BassPro Catalog a week or so ago and I'm ready to start reloading for the Spring...it can not come fast enough.

[delmuts]

"I'm tired of the cold."

Amen to that! I finished cleaning and greasing reels this morning. Then check the guides on all my rods ,and cleaned up the cork handles. Did inventory on plastics, cleaned up some lures and put a clear coat on them . Just trying to past the time til ?????

[Deitz Dittrich]

LOL, for the love of god, its -22 degrees!!!!! I dont think the sparkle rocket machine is getting wet any time soon.. 8-(

[katoguy]

del, what do you use to clean up the cork?

[TonkaBass]

yeah del, I used to remember. It's either rubbing alcohol or Hydrogen peroxide, that much i'm certain of.

[Fluker]

kato / tonka,

I've heard that alcohol might have negative affects on cork. Maybe dry it out? I'm not 100% certain. I've used warm, soapy water and a rough cleaning pad before. That will get the thick stuff off. Then I used some fine grain sandpaper. Works pretty well.

Fluker

[Fluker]

By the way... here is some "optimism" you can try and believe in. The Avg Daily Temp according to weatherchannel.com for Rochester is 19 degrees Jan 8 - 17. On the 18th it's 20 degrees and goes up from there.

So, OPTIMISTICALLY thinking, on the 18th, we're on the uphill slide of winter! Is a long, slow sloping hill, but it's uphill none the less.

[RK]

Hiya -

Geez - cleaning reels and tackle boxes already? You guys need to pace yourself. If you get all that stuff done in January you'll be ready for the loony bin about mid-March I haven't even totally unpacked from my last open water trip yet - my boat bag is still sitting on my office floor, although I think there might still be a sandwich in there, so I've kind of been avoiding it.

About cleaning rod handles - Simple Green and either a stiff-bristle brush or a kitchen scouring pad works pretty well, then 400 sandpaper. Alcohol or any solvent is murder on cork - dries it out and it gets brittle, plus it can sometimes loosen the filler that is in almost all cork, so it falls out and you end up with leper rod handles... When it comes right down to it, cork is really a stupid material to use for rod handles - heh.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[delmuts]

I just go over them with a light grit sand paper. Then wipe it off with a wet rag.

[Cecil]

I send them to Deitz and he cleans them. Funny...I never got last years back....

[delmuts]

RK ! I shamefully have to admit that my little Ranger never touched the water this last season! With all the high water problems we had here at the start of summer, then just a busy schedule, i never got it out. So i'm ahead on that game. Plus i don't have tons of lures/plastics to sort through, and only a doz. rods and reels.

[Ray Esboldt]

I don't know that I have ever cleaned up a cork handle. Why do it?

Of course, anyone that has seen some of the ancient stuff I use knows why I don't really give a hoot anymore about its appearence.

And, I am sick of the cold, snow, wind (I only like wind in July), and other general yuck of winter. Can we have a nice day for once please?

Man, I sound like a crabby old man.

[Wayne Ek]

Ray, we do it because we are suffering from boredom. Just like sitting at the computer at 09:50 AM on a Saturday morning when you could be out standing on the ice catching fish. LOL

[Ray Esboldt]

I see...

Dittrich and I are going to give the ice a go tomorrow. Sounds like it's going to be halfway decent tomorrow.

[Wayne Ek]

If you and DD hit the ice today I hope it was nice. This morning it was 20 degrees when I let the dogs out, but windy.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Over here on the east side, we didnt get that worm, but we didnt have the wind either..

[TonkaBass]

thats good news Fluker!