The changing seasons and onset of winter months mean different things to different anglers. Some use it as a time to put away their fishing stuff and swap it for hunting gear, others in northern climates are forced to winterize and store their boats, and others need to bundle up a little more for the next fishing trip.
No matter which of these categories you fall into, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit pro Bill McDonald advises you to take this time to prepare your boat for colder weather. He takes steps to perform preventative maintenance on his boat, outboard, trolling motor and trailer. McDonald also works to clean and maintain his rods and reels and check up on his tow vehicle to make sure it is ready to go for the next season.
Putting the Boat Away
If you plan to store your boat for an extended period, McDonald says now is the perfect time to take care of some maintenance items, so it is ready to go when you are.
"I like to top off my boat and make sure the gas tanks are completely full and then add an additive like Lucas Safeguard Ethanol Fuel Conditioner with Stabilizers," he said. "Doing that will ensure that your gas is treated and you won't get added water forming since the tanks are full. I'll also start the engine and make sure some of the treatment gets through the whole fuel system."
McDonald also likes to take this time to check his lower unit on his Mercury Outboard and will change the lower unit oil himself with Lucas M8 Synthetic SAE 75W-90 Marine Gear Oil.
Since he's giving the boat a once-over, he'll also get out the grease and check for anything he feels needs it.
"I'll use the Lucas Red "N" Tacky Grease lithium grease for all of the joints on my trolling motor, zerk fittings on the motor, and any moving part on the boat," he added.
While doing this, he'll also take a look at his rods and reels, clean the rods, wipe them down with a cleaning product like Lucas Oil Slick Mist, and work on maintaining his reels.
"It's easy to find information online about the best way to grease and oil your reels," he said. "Lucas has it all for reel maintenance and it's a great thing to do when it's cold out and you are inside watching the football game."
Tow Vehicles
McDonald always likes to add a fuel additive like Lucas Safeguard Ethanol Fuel Conditioner with Stabilizers but says it's imperative during the colder months.
"I always make sure to treat my fuel for anything with an engine," he said. "I'll also add some Upper Cylinder Lubricant because it's like a tune-up in a bottle and will make your engine run much better."
Depending on the mileage of your tow vehicle, there are also specific products for high mileage, according to McDonald.
"For trucks and other vehicles with high mileage, the Lucas High Mileage Fuel Treatment is great and was specifically designed to get back some of that lost performance," he added.
Trailer Maintenance
The boat trailer is one of the most overlooked items on a boat and McDonald says now is the time to take a look at it and make sure your wheel bearings are ready to go and if it's equipped with surge brakes, he advises to check the fluids.
"It's pretty easy on most trailers to check the brake fluid levels and sometimes you just need to pop the cap and take a look at the levels," he said. "All trailers are a little different, but Lucas makes a Lucas DOT 3 and DOT 4 Brake Fluid if that's what you need for yours."
The wheel bearings are also something to check and depending on your boat trailer, it's something you can do yourself pretty quickly.
Electrical Items
McDonald is a fan of using dielectric grease to protect his electrical connectors on both his boat and tow vehicle.
"It will help protect them against corrosion, and I always add it if I know I won't be using my boat for a while and not towing something with my truck," he said. "I also add it anywhere two cables come together for my electronics. I think it really helps and you'll actually get a better reading on your electronics if you do that."
Taking care of your equipment may not be the most glamorous or fun part of fishing and boating, but it is essential. Bill McDonald has learned that a little extra effort goes a long way and can save you money in the long run instead of more costly repairs.
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