Preparing to fish for "The World Record Shoal Bass"

How do you prepare to catch the world record shoal bass ? Well you don't really but what you can do is be as prepared as possible as I always do any time I go fishing. I am not a very organized person in my personal or business life but when it comes to fishing I probably take it to the extreme. Part of the fun to me is getting prepped the night before a fishing trip spending hours making sure my boat and tackle are well organized
and ready to start fishing the moment I arrive at the river.

This year when I decided to focus my fishing efforts on catching a record I decided right from the start that I needed to get my vehicle, gear and tackle ready for the challenge. So I wasted no time getting things ready.

First order of business was my vehicle..Getting the old truck ready was top priority. Last year I had put many miles on the old girl and I knew that this year would be even more as I reached out farther in my search for the big one. I went thru  the usual maintenence and on my truck..Oil and filter change, lube, air filter, general touch up, fluid top off and just a overall check to make sure everything looked ready to go and a good clean up.

Next item on the list was my kayak..My kayak had been through some major wear and tear during the 2010 season so I went over it with a fine tooth comb..There were some issues with the seat that needed some repair and adjustment for comfort..The drag chain needed some repair and also needed to be re wrapped. Basically a tune up so to speak and a little TLC was needed to get the ol Drifter ready to get back on the river.

Now on to the really important stuff.
Rods and reels.These guys take alot of abuse when fishing rivers and in kayaks.. A whole lot more than if you were fishing from a bass boat so it is important to maintain them or you could find yourself in trouble if you hooked a big one and a reel locked up or rod malfunctioned..All of my rods and reels were dismantled and cleaned thoroughly..Rods were inspected for any cracks or damaged line guides and replaced if necessary..The reels were each taken apart and cleaned and lubed with a quality grease and of course new line was installed on all of the reels.

Then comes the tackle box..
This year I totally dismantled my tackle box and reorganized. Over time you tend to accumulate a bunch of unnecessary tackle that you never really use. All of my tackle was reorganized by category of bait so that the items I needed would be easy to locate..Each tackle tray was dedicated to a particular type of bait..Top water baits in one box, Jigs in a jig box, flukes in one and swim baits in another...All of my worms and worm hooks and weights were placed in a dedicated side pouch...Crank baits in a box of there own and a wallet type separator was dedicated solely to spinner baits and buzz baits organized by skirt color.

The final list of items are just as important and not to be forgotten by anyone fishing for a record or just kayak fishing in general. First aid kit and dry bag with extra dry clothes was restocked with any missing items..
Sun glasses,PFD,Sunscreen all on board..And most important if you are fishing for a record is a good set of scales with extra batteries and a measuring tape. And of course don't forget the camera and extra batteries to record your catch.

Will all of my preparation increase my odds of catching a world record fish ?
Probably not but you never know and being prepared sure makes for a better
fishing experience and an enjoyable day on the water.
Fish on my friends...I'll see you on the water.
WJ

\