Some People Lose That Lovin' Feelin'...

I just wish I could lose that naggin' feelin'. This past Wednesday, for example, I posted an article titled "Little Things Mean a Lot," which detailed a couple of tools (Rapid Line Guide and Rapid Line Clip) available to help anglers manage their fishing line. As I was putting that item together, something kept nagging at me, but it wasn't until this past weekend, as I was digging around in some old tackle in the garage, that I discovered why I had that nagging feeling.

My only hope is that I can remember this incident for the next time my wife goads me about "always hanging onto so much junk that you know you'll never use again." Anyway, here's what I discovered while rummaging around in the garage.

My first find was right out in clear view. All I had to do was open my eyes a little bit and look around. There in front of me was one of those tiny red and white slip bobbers. It still was attached to an old 5-and-a-half-foot rod with a pistol grip (OK, so I do hang onto some relics too long) that has been laying in a rack along the wall of my garage for a very long time.

In any event, that slip bobber was my "ancient" answer to the Rapid Line Clip I wrote about in that aforementioned blog post. When I used those little bobbers on all my rods back in the day, fellow bass clubbers used to rib me something fierce. They always facetiously accused me of "conveniently" using them on all my rod tips so I could fish live bait during tournaments.

The other item from my past that I ran across in the garage this weekend was a crochet hook. It served only one purpose for me: to pick out backlashes in my braided line (and it worked pretty well, as I recall).

However, I suggest to you that it also could be used in exactly the same manner as the Rapid Line Guide is intended to be used: to prevent line from retracting back through all the rod guides in the event that you accidentally happen to drop it during a respooling operation.

Now, in the interest of fairness, I also should point out that Bass Pro Shops advertises what they call a Baitcast Pic that is designed specifically to help fishermen get rid of frustrating backlashes. This two-piece tool can be unscrewed and screwed back into the handle for safety, and it easily fits into tackleboxes and bags.

I have one of these tools and have been known to use it, especially on some really tough backlashes, but I'm not too fond of it. My experience has been that the sharp point often nicks some of the braid and immensely weakens its holding strength. I've even lost a few fish as a result of nicks I didn't realize I had until it was too late. But, then, who knows? Maybe I'm just a bit more of a klutz than most folks. I do know that, on more than one occasion, I've been likened unto "a bull in a china shop."

Please let me make one thing clear here. I'm not advising anyone to run out and buy any of those Rapid Line Guides and Rapid Line Clips. Neither am I urging you to rush out and buy a handful of tiny bobbers, a couple of crochet hooks, and/or one of those BPS Baitcast Pics. Instead, I'm just providing some different options, leaving the ultimate decision up to each of you to decide for yourself what is right or wrong.