Bow River Blog – Page 51 – Is Your Fishing Resource For Spin Fishing The Bow River

Apr 24

Fishing Reel Maintenance Tips

By Mike Robertson in Ask Mike- Tips & Advice

Tackle Maintenance Tips (Part Two)

Spinning Reel Basic Maintenance

Next on the list of things to do before we take out our gear to the water this spring is to make sure all of our spinning reels are working properly and smoothly. I have over ten reels that I use or I let my clients use while they are on a fishing trip with me. It is critically important that not only I, but my customers are completely satisfied on their fishing trip with me. There is nothing worse than a bad reel that ruins a client’s day and keeps them from ever coming back to fish with you. This is where checking your gear becomes extremely important.

So let’s begin with the basic lubrication and preventative maintenance tips for your spinning reel so you can have a great, hassle free day out on the water. To start out, wipe down the reel/reels with a damp cloth or rinse them with a moderate spray of clean water. Now remove the handle of the reel. Most new reels have a dust cover on one side of the handle so go ahead and remove the dust cover also. Twist the dust cap off by turning it counterclockwise. Look into the reel and if you see any bearings or bushings, give them one or two drops of oil. Then oil the handle knob and replace the handle back into the reel.

I prefer to use Ardent Reel Butter oil for this application. Reel Butter Oil is high-performance synthetic oil developed by Ardent specifically for fishing reel components. Ardent Reel Butter Oil is a 100% Full Synthetic product with specially engineered additives to provide superior, long-lasting lubrication for any model fishing reel. Applying Reel Butter Oil to ball bearings, spool shafts, and other wear points in your favorite reel on a regular basis will ensure a smoother, quieter, and high-performance experience. Reel Butter oil will not gum up or react with old lubricants.

The next step is to loosen the screw that holds the bail wire to the bail arm. Now place a drop of reel butter oil where the line roller turns on the shaft, or if you see bearings supporting the line roller, place one drop of oil on them. At this stage it is a good idea to examine the line roller to see if there are any groves in it that could cut your line or cause a weak spot in the line. If no groves are present, tighten the screw back to firmly hold the bail wire to the bail arm.

Now you can loosen the screws that hold the bail and the bail arm to the rotor of the reel. Place several drops of oil to the pivot points and then tighten the screws back up. Move the bail and forth and small distance by hand to evenly distribute the oil and gauge the strength of the bail spring. Now remove the spool and check the lip of the spool for deep scratches or gouges that may cause the line to fray or cut the line all together. Now you can place several drops of oil where the main shaft enters the pinion gear and turn the reel handle a few times to work the oil down into the shaft. Once the oil is ant the base of the shaft, replace the spool.

You can now finish the maintenance of your reel with a light spray of silicone spray and then wipe the reel off with a clean lint free cloth. Your reel is now ready to use for the upcoming fishing season. It is important to have your reels working as they did out of the box or better. You can repeat these maintenance steps every two months depending on how much you are out on the water fishing. A reel that performs well everyday will keep you happy and will help that reel last much longer.

Apr 20

Fishing Tackle Maintenance Tips

By Mike Robertson in Ask Mike- Tips & Advice

Tackle Maintenance Tips (Part 1)

Spring has arrived in some parts of the world and it’s time to take out those dusty fishing rods and give them a clean up. These tips should help you get the most out of your gear this season. As we all are aware, fishing rod maintenance is the key to getting years of enjoyment out of your equipment. There are several things you can do extend the life of your fishing rods. The first thing you should avoid is knocking your rod against hard surfaces. This is especially important if you are using a graphite rod as graphite is brittle by nature. A nick in a graphite blank will eventually cause the blank to fail. What you can do is wash the rod with luke-warm soapy water and a soft sponge. I like Sunlight soap for this as it cuts grease as well. Use an old tooth brush to remove dirt from the guide rings and reel seat. This is especially important if you have used your rod in salt water. After you wash the blanks immediately rinse the blank off with fresh water and dry the rod off with a clean soft cloth.

In addition to the first spring clean of your rods, several times a season you can give your rods a more through cleaning and adding a few key steps to the process mentioned above. You can add a coat of wax to the rod blank to restore its original factory coating. If you own a two piece rod you can add some paraffin or wax to the male portion of the ferrule to stop it from sticking together. Be careful here with how much wax you apply as you do not want the rod to come apart during a cast from using too much wax. Use just a little wax to start off.

It is also a good idea to clean the cork handle of your rod as this is what you are holding onto when you fish. Dirt and hand oils build up year after year and these need to be cleaned to maintain a proper grip of your fishing rod. I like to use wet sand paper to remove these particles. Use 1500 grit paper and wet the handle down before you sand the cork handle. Apply some liquid hand soap to the handle and proceed to sand the handle of your rod. Once sanded, rinse with fresh water and let the handle dry overnight. It is also a good idea to check your guides for imperfections at this time. Use a Q-Tip and check the inside of the guide for any nicks. Nicks will cause your line to fray and become weak possibly resulting in a lost trophy. If the Q-Tip leaves any fibers behind, wet sand the inside of the guide using the same 1500 grit paper until the nick is removed. Test the guide again with a cotton swab to make sure you have completely removed the nick in the guide.

Stay tuned here for part two of tackle maintenance tip’s coming next week.

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Apr 16

Fishing The Bow River With My Good Friend Dwayne Parsons

By Mike Robertson in Gone Fishing

North Meets South

A few years back now I met a person from the United States, Sandpoint Idaho to be specific. His name is Dwayne K Parsons. My writing skills were weak at best and I needed a lot of work and help in the writing department. I could fish no problem but when it came to writing about it there was a great deal to learn. By chance this man from Idaho was a writer/editor who wrote for popular fishing magazines in the U.S. He was gracious and offered me his help by editing my unrefined chicken peck’s I called articles. Wow did I ever learn a lot from him in those early days of writing articles for my Blog. I remember him asking me why all the words in my article were piled jointly into one huge disorder of words. It took me back to basic high school English classes.

After working with me for numerous months and helping me with my entries, I was off to a slow start. For me it wasn’t so much about the writing it was more about the fishing and sharing with the world my journeys on the Bow River and elsewhere. Man things sure do change. I realize now to stay around for a long time you need to add content that captivates the reader. Articles that bring the reader with you through written word’s, to the river you are fishing that day. The main intent now is to share my experiences and bring you with me wherever I fish.

I finally met my writing mentor this past Friday night when I met him at his hotel room here in Calgary. We shook hands and greeted each other before we sat down on our computers and shared a few hours doing business for our new website seen at www.youronthehook.com. We planned strategies on who we wanted to interview in the 2011 fishing season and then it was off back home to sleep as we were fishing the Bow River the next day. I picked Dwayne up the next morning at his hotel and then we were off to Policeman’s Flats to jump in Todd’s boat for a rip up and down the murky stained water of the Bow River. We all piled into the Zodiac and burned down river for some Bow River Brown Trout. I wanted Dwayne to catch at least one or two big bow river trout to make his outing a memorable one. We entered a slow deep hole and Dwayne fired his lure into the top of the hole. A few tweaks later and Dwayne was into a huge Brown Trout. He battled hard but the fish battled harder and got off at the boat as we were just about to net the trout. He did however land a few nice rainbows and a Rocky Mountain Whitefish to end his day.

I asked Dwayne how he liked the river and he stated “I will be back for more very soon”. I am grateful Dwayne was able to make it to Calgary and fish with me on the Bow River. What a great day! I am sure this will be the first of many fishing trips together with the southerner. Fish on Dwayne, fish on!

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Mar 25

A Man And His River!

By Mike Robertson in Friday's Fishing Flashbacks

The Journey To Serenity

The alarm clock rings at five in the morning, the sweet sound of music tickles the ears and then you are up and at it. For a trout fisherman who is eager to make the river, five o’clock is no big deal. The knowledge of that first fish gets you motivated like no other type I know of. The river is like a good old friend who welcomes you inside every time you step on its doorstep. That warm feeling of being home overwhelms you. Being away from home too long leaves you unsettled, but once you come home to the river, you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you belong here! The fish are but just a bonus, like having a grand desert after a good meal.

Your heart begins to beat quicker and your fingers tingle with anticipation. The river has a way of bringing you that particular feeling. After a few moments your heart settles and you begin to breathe deeper inhaling that sweet fragrance of pine and cotton wood which overhang the banks of the river. The water is glowing with the first light of the sun touching the dancing pyramids that flow along the far bank. As you glance to your right a deer spooks and bounces through the foliage away from you into the rising sun. Vapor rises from the river as you unzip your back pack and fetch your first lure. Before you tie up you recess and take in the scenery, the city sure does not look this beautiful! Then you recommence your knot, synching it up tight to the split ring making sure to wet it before it closes firm. You check it and make sure you are good to go.

Once the lure is hurled, you loosen up and hone in on the line. You watch that line like a hawk and feel the lure pulsating in your hands. The lure then hits the bottom and quickly grabs your full attention. Just the bottom you think but wait that might be a fish. You stop the lure a few seconds and resume your retrieve, hoping to unite with that first fish but nothing happens. A few more casts in that location and no action. A short walk up the river bank to another location where you view a seam that cannot be passed up. The lure runs down the river bouncing over the shallow shelf and then into the deep water beside it. Sha-bang that first fish can’t resist; a brown trout surfaces before diving back down to the river bed to shake the lure out from its toothy jaws. Not this time as the fish is scooped up in the soft rubber net and carefully admired.

You have now found that sweet spot in the river as another fish has taken that bait. One after another you find victory. Finally after six fish have been landed the fish discontinue their feeding frenzy. It is wise to move along to another piece of real estate and investigate again. The hunter is on the prowl to find his prey. Knowing how to dissect a river is an important piece of the puzzle and an art form in itself. Once you know how to read water you will be rewarded with some colossal fish and your journey will be productive.

It does not really matter if you catch one fish or one hundred, you are home and home is where the heart is. You never want to leave and make sure you are never away for long. The fish seem to call you back. In all seasons and in all temperatures, no one can keep you away. The journey for serenity at last ends when you come home!

The Late February Thaw

Merry Christmas And Happy New Year 2025

Bow River Winter Fishing Tips

That’s a Wrap on the 2024 Bow River Season

Bagels, Browns And The Bow River

Fishing Reel Maintenance Tips

Fishing Tackle Maintenance Tips

Fishing The Bow River With My Good Friend Dwayne Parsons

A Man And His River!

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