Do these 6 things before WINTER hits

December always marks the end the open-water fishing season here in Iowa. A lot of anglers have their boats put away and the tackle and fishing poles haven't seen daylight for awhile. This may be a big mistake, and you will want to get some of those things back out soon. No, not to go fishing, it is ice fishing season now, but to help you get off to a good start next spring. Here are 6 things you should do now before it is too late.

#1- Take the line off of your reels (leave about 1/3 of the old line on) = FRESH line in the spring ***see video below about old line

#2- Loosen your drag on your reels = longer life to your drag

#3- Zip up bags to plastic lures = better scent and prevent dryness

#4- Keep tackle indoors = prevent mice from destroying

#5- Replace any rusty hooks, sharpen dull hooks

#6- Make a wish list- What do you need before the spring???

These are a few things I try to do each and every winter.  They don't take very much time, unless you have a lot of hooks to replace which takes quite a bit of time.  These 6 things will help you get off to a great, and fast start this spring as the ice melts away.