one-hour wader repair

F I S H I N GT A C T I C SB Y M A R K H I C K S
ONE-HOUR
WADERREPAIR
ffi
-l GETTHE EYES
L You must have polarizedsunglasseswith
optical-qualitylensesin amber or green.A
full-brimhat preventslightfrom reflectingoff
the insideof the lenses.
FII'ID SPAWNINGCOVER
Look in these olaces:the backs of sheltered creeks,coves,and boat canalsthat receive ample sun; pea gravelin creek arms and
coves on the deeperends of reservoirs;
sandy,open spots in vegetation;at the base
of stumps and the roots of lily pads; in
flooded cover wherethe bottom is hard.
sPoT THE F|SH
?
..t Zip aroundspawningareaswith your
electricmotor on high speed while lookingfor
beds and fish. Any bass that darts off its bed
as you approachwill be hard to catch. One
that glidesaway but returnsshortlywill be
more receptive.The easiestmark is a bass
that stays on its bed as you zoom past. Note
the oositionof catchablefish and sneak back
within castingrange 10 minuteslater.
CAST BLIND
When you return,stay out of sight and
cast blind to the unsuspectingfish. A 3%-inch
Texas-riggedtube with a %-ouncesinker
fished on spinningtackle and 8-pound-test
often draws a strike on the first toss.
(
srGHr-cAsT
r/ lf you don't get resultswithinfive minutes, move just close enoughto see the bass.
This confirmsthat it's still there and lets you
see how it's reactingto your lures.Sometimes
you've got to show a fish severaltypes to find
42
FIELD&STREAM I APRIL
2OO7
the one that trips its trigger.Come armed with
soft-plastictubes, worms, lizards,and craws
in varioussizesand colors.
]
PATCH KIT MATERIALS
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Alcohol
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f TWITCH
|o Cast beyond the bed, ctragyour lure into it,
and twitch it without pulling it out. A1/q-io thounce bulletsinkerabovea swivelor bead
allowsfor more aggressivetwitching,which is
maddeningto a bass.
ry TWrrcH AND JUMp
I Oraga plasticbait with a%a- to l/a-ounce
sinkerto the far edge of the spawningspot
and twitch it untilthe bass stads moving its
tail and pectoralfins, a sure sign that it's irritated. Then suddenlyhop the bait into the
middle of the bed to spark a reflexstrike.
O| BAIT AND SWITCH
O Wh"n bass pay littleheed to regularbaits,
twitchinga bulky 1O-inchsoft-plasticswimbait can rousethem. Once the swimbaitexcites the bass, cast a smallerlureto the fish.
BE PATIENT
O
J lf a bass won't stay on the bed with your
boat in sight, drop your lure into its centerand
back away downwindwhile peelingoff line.
When you're far enoughaway that the fish
can't see you, anchorand wait. Yourtarget
will eventuallymove off with your lure.
{A
LETTHEMGO
lt | _. ..
ILf
Fishingfor bass on beds is a strictly
situation.Playthem
catch-and-release
quickly,handlethem carefully,and get them
back into the water unharmed.You want to do
this everyspring,don't you?
$liff0j11
[t]$iLr{}fid
th0Aquil{il1fil.
[$f{$NJ
pakrh.
Woman's
nylons
for^ .fldxible
Klli{olo cutlho{lr{ir$,
\/Oilrhandfroiiltheglil0
ilrtflX$kr\iet0pr0hrcl
Athlelic
tapet0 hoklthepatchin place.
DON,T LET A LEAKY bOot bE thE ENd
of your day. Canvas, rubber, or
breathable waders usually r6quire
24 hours to repair, but toss this
emergency patch kit in your vest
and you'll be back on the water
after lunch. Note. this fix won't
allow moisture to escape, but will
a square inch of nonbreathable
*rou KEER
material kill you?
'$
Clean the area around the hole with
an alcoholswab.
I
Close the tear with a strip of tape on
the insldeof your waders.
Q
Cut a patch from a woman's nylon
stocking to cover the hole.
Q
tr,lixt part Cotol-240 accelerator
with 3 to 4 parts Aquasealusing a
colfee stirrer or brush.
Q
Spread the mixture around the tear,
extending the glue % inch beyond
the oatch size.
I
Place the patch in the mixture and
lay it flat over the tear.
@ epp[ a light additionalcoat of glue
on top, and lay the waders flat to
dry for one hour,