CABIN FEVER

By Mike Sides

For the Salisbury Post

You are looking out the window as the rain freezes on the trees. You turn back into the room as you spot your 21 rods leaning in the corner with all your line spooled off on the floor.

Since going green is so popular these days, you gather up the line and place it in your recycle can, you realize that "cabin fever" has definitely set in.

Hunting season is over and memories of last year's glorious season begin to flood in. It is too cold to go fishing, so you begin to dream about the good days you had this past season.

So what do we do now?

Maybe you start the task of respooling your prize possessions in the corner or perhaps you begin replacing the rusty hooks on your over abundance of crankbaits. Maybe you could even put new skirts on your jigs and spinnerbaits. As you scratch your chin and think of this old routine you follow every year, you wonder — what more can I do?

Many people develop hobbies that relate to fishing, so there is something to do for your cabin fever. Some anglers learn the craft of lure making. There are many ways to make lures. Pouring your own soft plastic baits like worms and lizards is one way to create less space in your tackle box. Pouring lead to make weighted hooks and jig heads is another.

Some skilled fishermen cut out their own crankbaits out of balsa wood or cedar and creatively paint the lures as well as their fellow anglers old crankbaits.

To take a look at some of our own locally painted lures, you can go to http://www.get-tha-net.com.

Other anglers learn the craft of rod building. Replacement of eyes or cork handles on their casting and spinning rods are included in this procedure. Building custom rods to an angler's specifications is also a popular challenge.

Tournament directors and anglers this time of year spend their time searching for sponsors, new teams and finalizing schedules. Another good way to help cope with cabin fever is to visit the saltwater and freshwater expos that are prevalent this time of year, along with boat shows.

With high-tech GPS and sonar systems on the market these days, anglers can hook their units up to home computers and study the waypoints and maps they plotted in 2011 to be better fishermen in 2012.

Maybe you would rather just sit in front of your new high definition TV for shows like WFN, eat popcorn and dream on.

So what do you do? Here is another idea: the 2012 Piedmont N.C. Division of the Fishers Of Men National Bass Tournament Trail has released its schedule for 2012 t is:

March 10th, Belews Creek; March 24, Lake Wylie; April 21 Lake Norman; May 12, Badin Lake; June 16, High Rock Lake