Things are quite different in my life, as it is for most others. Not fishing and being able to report on what I learn is basically what I do, so I am doing what I can to keep you engaged in some way with fishing. I hope you appreciate my efforts. Also, the travel ban has me doing all my Commission meeting via Skype and Zoom. It’s awkward but we are getting things done. What I miss is the interaction with fellow commissioners and staff and even more important the ability to receive public testimony in person. I want to remind everyone that there are many ways to communicate with the commissioners and department staff. Just because we are not traveling to your area to hear from you in person, it is important that we hear from you on the various issues we are addressing.

Like everyone else I am trying to fill my time being productive in one way or another. I have my boat already loaded with walleye gear and the batteries are on trickle charge. So, for now I am going to attack my garage and try to clean up the mess I have created out there. I tend to grab what I need and then throw it somewhere when I get back and grab what I need for the next trip. It gets to be a real jumble. The photo at the top of this week’s column is of a small corner of my bench and cupboard. What mess.

My wife is convinced that I won’t need to buy any fishing gear this year. I will find enough stuff that I forgot I had to get me through the season. My brother-in-law gave me some cool storage bins that are still empty. These will really help. I will also start going through my tackle boxes and cleaning them out as well. I have some leaders to tie, and I also need to put my walleye leaders in order and even my kokanee leaders. I have some good storage systems for them and once I have them all loaded up I am good to go for a long period of time. I will let you know what I use and see if they may help you, too.

I am putting the finishing touches on my Spring E-Letter. In this issue, which is number 50, I did a very lengthy article on kokanee fishing on Lake Chelan. I wrote another on Billy Clapp Lake that talks about the good rainbow, kokanee and walleye fishing that can be had there.

I talked about how much I like using Kokabow Fishing Tackle on Lake Chelan, and it occurred to me that since I am talking about getting tackle organized I should mention the really cool storage bags I have for my blades. These are made by Mauk Fishing Stuff. I have known the owner Mike for quite a while and met him at one of the Brewster Salmon Derbies years ago. He was making clear plastic and Velcro items that would hold Super Baits then, and now has expanded his line a wide variety of stuff that works great for keeping your tackle in order.

The one I use for my Kokabow blades can also be used for other kinds of kokanee or trout blades. It is made of heavy-duty, clear plastic and nylon and is stitched together to hold 20 of the large blades. It all folds up and closes with Velcro so it is very compact. It’s perfect for this type of gear.

I have that pretty much wrapped up my next E-Letter and it is ready for final editing. It is a monster, with lots of detail in this one. If you aren’t getting the free quarterly E-Letter and would like to sign up, just go to my web site Home Page at FishingMagician.com. and click on the E-Letter button on the top left hand side of the page. It’s pretty simple and you will be added to the list and get the free E-Letter every time it’s sent out. You can unsubscribe at any time.

With time on my hands to get my tackle organized, I wanted to share with you the device I use for my walleye leaders. They are pretty simple, and there are a couple of companies that make them. The idea is that you anchor the leader by its end, and I usually have a swivel on the end of my leaders, and then wind them on the “tube”. Each tube holds 12 to 15 leaders. I have five of them that all fit in the top of my tackle box. Everything from naked Slow Death Hooks to spinners all go on the tubes. See the photo on my Facebook Page, too.

Here is another installment in my tackle organizing series. This time I am showing what I use to store my bottom bouncer weights. It is a very handy, Velcro-closing bag, that holds a ton of these weights on wires. I have bottom bouncer weights from 1/8^th ounce to 4 ounces in this bag. This was a gift from my fishing buddy and guide Brian Neilson of Moses Lake, and between the two of us it has years of use and will get many more. If you look at the photo on my Facebook Page, along with this storage bag I also show some measuring tapes and a small, plastic storage box.

I am constantly frustrated by hearing reports of fish of a certain size being caught. Then, when I get these same fish, Lake Chelan kokanee for example, they are always an inch or two shorter. I don’t keep a scale in the boat, but I use these tapes to measure fish and leaders and are in every tackle box I put in the boat. In the small storage box at the bottom I have a variety of swivels, plug snaps, slider rigs, rubber beads and clippers. It’s always in the boat for tying what I need.

Well, I hope these storage methods give you some ideas about how to keep your gear separated and in order. In addition to getting things organized I will be going through my tackle and replacing old line on reels, getting them lubricated and get them on the appropriate rods.

I will have some more tips and tricks for you next week.