# "Reel Time"



## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

*Bay Flats Lodge on San Antonio Bay
By Captain Chris Martin*

January 6, 2014

*Submit your best Outdoor/Hunting/Fishing Photo!*

FireDisc GrillsÂ® has teamed up with Bay Flats Lodge this month of January. Bay Flats Lodge will be giving away a full day of fishing during the month of February 2014 for 2 anglers, includes overnight lodging and all meals. Additionally, FireDisc GrillsÂ® will be giving away a FireDiscÂ® grill full of Accessories, Apparel and Gear! A $1,300.00 value! Winner will be announced at the end of the month!

http://www.firediscgrills.com/campaigns.html

*The Details*
Another duck season is almost over, and we will soon be focusing all of our attention on nothing else other than fishing. For those who have not fished over the course of the past few months, now is the time to make sure all your fishing gear is in working order, as there is nothing more frustrating than being out on your first trip of the New Year and discovering that your equipment doesnâ€™t work as good as it did last time you used it. If you left your reel loaded with line that hasnâ€™t been used since September or October, make it a point to strip all of that old line off and replace it with fresh stuff before hitting the water again. The line could have become weakened to the point of breaking very easily simply by sitting dormant for such a long period after being previously exposed to the saltwater elements. Plus, by now, the line has more than likely taken on a spiraled memory that you probably donâ€™t prefer to have to deal with during your precious time out on the water.

*Do Your Homework*
As to the mechanical portion of the reel itself, make sure there are no grinding noises presented when rotating the reel handle. Such grinding reflects the presence of fine particles of dirt, salt, or other debris trapped within the guts of the reel. If you donâ€™t feel comfortable enough in disassembling your reel in order to clean its internals, then now would be the time to solicit the services of a local professional cleaner. Some of the larger sporting goods stores like Academy often offer reel cleaning, as do a lot of the smaller and individually-owned tackle shops located all along the coastal regions of Texas. But do yourself a favor and shop around before handing off your reels to just anyone who claims to know what theyâ€™re doing. You paid a lot of money for your reels, so do what you can to make sure youâ€™re leaving them with someone who is going to clean them properly and who will be honest in letting you know if new parts are needed.

*Breakdown 101*
If you arenâ€™t an old-salt at reel cleaning, but feel as though you have enough confidence to break a reel down in its entirety and get it put back together successfully, now would be the time to test your skills â€" most fishing reels consist of many parts and it is easy to reassemble them incorrectly. A general rule-of-thumb shared with me by my dad many, many years ago is the importance of remembering to only apply grease to all moving parts and surfaces, and to only apply oil to the other non-moving parts. If you donâ€™t feel as though your reel truly needs a complete cleaning, you can always simply open the side plate and lightly grease the gears and bearings. When you remove the side cover youâ€™ll be able to see where the grease goes. Just clean the old grease off the surfaces with a small instrument like a Q-tip or small pin, and then gently re-apply new grease, keeping in mind to not use too much grease â€" a thin covering is all that is needed. However, if your reel hasnâ€™t had a thorough cleaning in quite some time, or if you recently (accidentally) submerged your reel in the water, you probably should consider cleaning the whole reel. Completely dismantle all the parts and then soak them in a container of some type of cleaning fluid like mineral spirits. Afterwards, rinse the parts with fresh water and allow them to dry completely. Inspect the bearings and gears for any possible wear or damage, and replace them if necessary. Reassemble all the parts, remembering to (once again) lightly grease all of the moving parts.

*Don't Forget*
We hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season, and we want you to remember that this yearâ€™s annual Bay Flats Lodge 2014 Winter Fishing Special is going on now http://www.bayflatslodge.com/2013-winter-fishing-special. Itâ€™s a time during the months of January, February, and March when you and your guests can fish at the Lodge and receive our standard fishing package at a tremendously discounted rate. Remember to practice CPR, â€œCatch, Photo, and Releaseâ€, whenever possible on trophy Trout and Redsâ€¦Guide Chris Martin, Port Oâ€™Connor/Seadrift region.

*www.BayFlatsLodge.com
1-888-677-4868*


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## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

*We work for you*

Tell your boss "We refuse to have another boring meeting." Trust me, he or she will listen, especially if your a top producer.

Imagine this kind of meetingâ€¦arrive at 11: 30 for a wonderful sit down hot lunch, break, meeting until 5 pm. Happy hour and appetizers, and dinner. Wake up to a hot served breakfast, break, meeting starting at 8. Hot lunch served, shortly afterwards the fishing guides pick you up for an afternoon fishing trip. Return for appetizers and happy hour with dinner. Wake up next day, do it all over again.

We're very flexible in our schedule. In other words, we work for you.

Captain Chris and Deb Martin.


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## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

*More pics*

Really starting to see more widgeon show up, especially with the cold front.


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## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

*A few more from past few days*

Thanks

Stay warm!


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## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

*Reel Lines II*

Contrary to popular belief, some of the places that a lot of us may consider to be good trout water, like some of the more typical grass flats that are between three and six feet deep are not always good places to spend a lot of your time when youâ€™re looking for one of your career-best trout. Of course, you could be fortunate enough to stumble upon a big sow as she happens to be moving from one hangout to the next, but that level of odds probably isnâ€™t worth staking your fishing reputation on, if you know what I mean. In order to recognize better results with the larger, trophy-size trout (the â€œbig gals"), you must first realize that these larger trout tend to act, and react, like a completely different family of fish over that of the smaller and less-mature trout.


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