There is a lot to be done before you splash the boat opening morning. Here are a few projects to get out of the way.

1. Sharpen those hooks: Most muskie lures do not come with broadhead sharp hooks right out of the package and you can improve your hook-up ratio significantly by using a small file or commercial hook sharpening tool to get those hooks sharper. Dull hooks probably cost more anglers fish than anything else.

2. Check your rod guides for cracking: Small cracks in your rod guides can prematurely wear your line or worse yet cause you to break off the fish of a lifetime. A simple test is to run a Q-tip run thru the line guide. If it hangs up you have a bad guide ....and there is still time to get it fixed before the opener if it is.

3. Check you net for holes: Thrashing fish can really tear up a net so check and repair. Better yet consider upgrading to the new coated Fin-Saver style nets if you have not done so already as they are way easier on the fish than conventional models.

4. Make sure your line and leaders are ready to go: The new superbraid lines can last for years but when they show signs of fraying it is time for new line. Use 80-100lb test for best results as thinner line can dig into itself under load and cost you a fish or cause you to backlash frequently. Leaders are inexpensive but many anglers skip here foolishly....steel leaders that have kinks should be replaced, the new Flourocarbon leaders in the 100 to 150lb tests have been well recieved and are a good option for most applications. Make sure your snaps are heavy enough and have some type of cross-locking feature so they won't spring open under load.

5. Do a little scouting: While you cannot target muskies till opener now is a great time to get out and look at different spots on your favorite lake. Take a good map or GPS unit wth mapping software and poke around..... bring a crappie rod and make an outing out of it. Keep your eyes open when you are in the shallows as large muskie's can be seen recovering from the spawn all spring....if we have a cold late spring they may still be close by when the season opens.

There will be a lot more Muskie discussion to come...after all we have the whole summer ahead of us.