Do it or Lose it

In 27 years writing this page, I don’t think I’ve ever written a column like this — matter of fact, it’s not really a column: It’s a wake-up call (in a very nice way, of course).In every course of life, there are winners and losers: people who excel and those who are lazy. But no matter how much money you have — or don’t have — great anglers, wherever they’re fishing, know that the fish of a lifetime could show up on any given day. But you’ve got to be prepared.Enter my checklist. This list of to-dos is for everyone, including myself. So let’s get to it.Rods: Whether spinning, fly or trolling rods, check guides with cotton balls for burrs; roller guides should be disassembled, lubed and reinstalled from time to time; connecting joints of spinning and fly rods should be inspected with a magnifying glass; and always check rod butts for ...