Sam Anderson
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When it comes to Americana, fishing ranks right up there with baseball and apple pie. In fact, readers like you ranked fishing as one of your top three favorite pastimes in a readership survey Truckers News conducted last year.
Besides my family, the two things I enjoy most are the trucking industry and fishing. I’ve been fishing professionally for more than 20 years and actively fish the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail Super Pro Series. Last year, I ranked among the top 20 world walleye pro anglers. I’ve also conducted more than 300 fishing seminars around the country and Canada. When I’m not in a boat, I’m on duty as president of Bay & Bay Transportation.
In the months ahead, I’ll be writing a quarterly column about fishing from a trucker’s perspective. For now, I’ll touch on a good topic for the changing season:
Winterizing your boat and trailer
To many of us, fall marks the beginning of getting your boat ready for winter. It’s not a complicated job, but there are some basic guidelines to follow.
Boat checklist:
- Clean out forgotten food items, water bottles, sunscreen and anything else that attracts rodents or could freeze.
- Try removing stains and spills. Touch up rust spots or damaged areas.
- Follow your owner’s manual for winterizing your engine. Of course, fogging the engine is necessary. I also like to change the lower unit oil and spark plugs for the upcoming year.
- Drain live wells and make sure the bilge area is dry.
- Check all batteries.
Trailer checklist:
- Be sure the trailer rests correctly on the hitch ball.
- Check the safety chains, winch and strap for weak links.
- Inspect all electrical connections.
- Be sure the boat is resting on the keel rollers or skid plates properly.
- Inspect tires for proper inflation.
- Check the ball bearings for grease and be sure to put the dust covers back on properly.
- Test the trailer’s brake lights, signal lights and brightness.
Keep this checklist stored for next spring. It will come in handy when getting your gear ready for a new season.
Sam Anderson is a professional walleye angler and president of Bay & Bay Transportation, a regional trucking company based in Minneapolis.
