Actually, the fish might like it. What I'm talking about here is tweaking your tackle...such as baits that have gotten banged up over the years...with fingernail polish and restoring them to their original glory. The mention of RuPaul was just a gimmick to draw you into the story.
As noted by Wired2Fish writer Shaye Baker, "There really is a lot you can do with nail polish when it comes to fishing."
"Too many times," continued Baker, "an angler finds a bait that dips, darts, dodges, or dances perfectly and is tempted to wrap it in bubblewrap instead of throwing it. What you should do is just add a clear coat of nail polish to help protect it and repeat that process multiple times as the paint does start to wear down or chip each time."
As all lady anglers know, there are all sorts of clear nail polishes available. Home-repair do-it-yourselfers, however, probably need to compare it to the paint aisle at the hardware store, where you have high-gloss, semi-gloss, satin, and the whole lot. You have a choice of picking one that makes the bait shine, or one that's flat and lets the true colors of the bait pop.
That first scratch on a favorite bait could be likened to a scratch in the gelcoat of a new boat. More than one new boat owner has said he/she has considered going ahead and putting a scratch on their boat as soon as they get it...before they even drop it in the water the first time. "Just get it out of the way, so I don't have to dread it any longer" seems to be the mindset. Most, though, don't go that route. Instead, they wait, knowing that the dreaded first scratch eventually will happen.
As with those baits, a little nail polish can actually provide a very cheap solution for a small scratch in the gelcoat. A quick swash overtop of it with the perfectly colored nail polish will make it nearly unnoticeable. There are countless colors of nail polish on the market now, and a good portion of them contain glitter that will blend extremely well with the metal flake in gelcoats.
For deeper gashes, the ones that make you drop to your knees, nail polish still can help ease the pain a little. Granted, there will be some occasions that require the assistance of a full-fledged gelcoat-restoration specialist. But while you're saving for one of those costly repairs, a little nail polish in the right color, along with a clear coat, will at least keep your eyes from being drawn to the gouge each time you look at your boat.
Besides these uses, nail polish comes in handy for customizing everything from lead heads to hard baits of all shapes and sizes. Add to that things like clear coating the thread of a repaired rod guide. If you put your mind to it, you can come up with all sorts of reasons to raid your wife's or significant other's makeup bag. Just remember it might be wise to ask before helping yourself, though.
Truth is you might be surprised if you only knew how many of your buddies have used a little Maybelline to keep their fishing gear looking shipshape.
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