Читать книгу Fishing For Dummies - Greg Schwipps - Страница 37

I once wrote an article for an In-Fisherman magazine publication, and in it I sang the praises of my foul-weather bag. The cartoonist who provided the accompanying illustrations drew a large man hugging his foul-weather bag to his chest, a heart floating over his head. Okay, I can admit it: He got it exactly right. I would gladly wear a t-shirt proclaiming, I Heart My FWB. And you will too once you make your own. Here’s how to make a foul-weather bag that will win you over:

 Buy a waterproof packsack, available at most tackle shops and from big companies like Cabelas or Bass Pro Shops. The ones I like feature a roll-down top that buckles shut. It doesn’t need to be large — about the size of a loaf of bread would do, but mine is about the size of a small office wastebasket. It should be waterproof and submersible.

 Stuff it with clothes and gear you might need, should the weather change or an emergency erupt.

 In my FWB: rain gear, knit hat, gloves, fleece pullover, matches, socks. The rain gear (jacket and bibs) stays near the top because that’s what I use most often. The fleece and the hat have kept me warm on many fall and spring nights.

It can be kind of a hassle to drag along the FWB at times, especially if you’re traveling on foot and walking a good distance. If you know you’re going to be out for only a short time, and the weather has little chance of changing, leave it behind. But when it doubt, bring it along. You’ll be glad you had the extra clothing when you get cold or wet, and you’ll find that the waterproof bag protects your gear if you don’t need it. Once the bag is packed, I never need to dry out the clothes or repack it. I just put it aside, and it’s ready for the next trip. If I have worn something from the FWB, I simply put it back dry and folded tightly.

I carry gloves on every fishing trip, but I don’t bring them for the weather. My gloves are those lightweight cloth gloves dipped in a rubberized compound that are ideal for gardening and other outdoor work. As it happens, they work great for handling big fish like catfish with sandpaper mouths. You can buy gloves specifically for fishing, and they’re all designed to help you handle fish easier. Note: You still don’t want to grab a fish by its sides with dry gloves or hands, as this will remove the slimecoat — the protective layer of slime that covers a fish. (Wet your gloves and hands first.) And most of these gloves aren’t meant to protect your hands from the teeth of pike or some saltwater species. But they will keep a fish’s sandpaper teeth from filing your hands.