Combating the woes of winter downtime

[cannistp]

It's the dead of winter in MA and I'm sitting here wondering what I can do to pass the time until the fishing season picks up again.

I've tied more than my share of flies, made some nice sausage, picked up a nice shotgun for winter skeet/hunting; however, there's nothing like a nice long Saturday of fishing for whatever.

Does anyone have any suggestions for beating the anticipation of the fishing season in MA or New England in general?

[Fin Addiction]

Tough one....I got out trout fishing with the long wand this past friday right before the front moved in....Did wonders for my mental health which I have been advised needs some SERIOUS TREATMENT:brow
I'll hit the show this weekend with a few friends mainly for the camaderie and for some new ideas for flies...I'll also do a few fly tying demonstrations etc....Lots to do on the boats but they are wrapped and won't be unwrapped till April....
My suggestion is to just stay busy, respool, clean, organize and watch a few good fishing videos with good company and before you know it you will kick yourself for not being ready earlier cuz the fish are here!!!
:-%

[Strat]

Why not take a trip down to the farmington for some trout fishing?

[Ray]

I spend some time over the winter getting ready for April. Right now I'm tying flies mostly. I need to do an inventory of my non FF stuff too. I try to make a trip to the tackle shop once a month and get a few things on the list. This way I'm not scrambling to the shop the night before a trip spending $100 on stuff. $20 here, $20 there, and I'm all stocked up come spring.

Here's a few suggestions for winter projects;

1. build a rod
2. build an epoxy turner/dryer
3. build a fly tying table
4. build a indoor, vehicle, boat rod rack
5. teach someone fly tying
6. read
7. build some plugs
8. prepare leaders or rigging
9. write checks to RT moderators for membership (it was worth a try --125-3 )

Of course this comes second to all the painting I need to catch up on.

[Chuckster]

Build yourself a new rod. Build...not buy.

[Ray]

The rod building is fun. Once you get the reel seat and grip fitted correctly it's pretty straight forward with a little mechanical inclination. Sage has some great resources.

I was hoping to build a 12-weight this winter but the wedding budget noose is pretty tight --124-3

[cannistp]

I was hoping to build a 12-weight this winter but the wedding budget noose is pretty tight --124-3


I feel your pain on that one. I've got the same squeeze going on in preparation for the Spring... :eek:

Rod building does sound like an interesting project, but just in passing, it looks like some of the resources have quite the tag attached to them...

Certainly something to put on my future projects list once that noose is loosened.

[Ray]

I wouldn't say the resources needed to build a rod are not much. For eaxample I build a set of felt-lined wood V-blocks and a thread tensioner for $20.

I've spent about $100 plus the cost of the blank to build a few rods. I imagine you can spend less and more than that.

I do not use a electric rod turner to wrap or dry the flex coat. I do the wrapping by hand and turn the sections every 20 minutes or so as it dries. If you start the flex coat application at the larger end of each section it will continue to get turned as you coat the other smaller sections. I do this because I noted that the less flex coat that applied, the faster it sets up and doesn't require constant turing.

[Pauper Piscator]

Apparently it is the coolest, funnest, agro-est, totally most radicalest thing EVA! Even decrepit old Santa Clause types can learn to do it! --125-3

[Slappy]

When does fishing season end/slow down?

Nobody told me. :eek:

There is plenty of fishing to be done year round. Open water opportunities are everywhere right now because of the lack of ice. Stripers are caught year round in rivers and salt ponds and warm water flows all over MA (don't ask exactly where though! ;) ) Perch and crappies are available plus the trout already mentioned. Carp are one of the most spectacular game fish on the planet. :rolleyes: Big fish of all kinds come through the ice every season.

With the warm winter and good fishing this year, I haven't gotten very far on my rod building projects. And I haven't caught a fish through the ice this year!