I did something very bad in 2008. It bothered me for the entire year and I will be sure to not let it happen again. I failed to put fresh line on my spinning reels at the beginning of fishing season. I thought about this on every cast throughout the year.

With each cast, I wondered if I would hook a fish that the line was too weak to handle. During the course of a fishing season, many factors come into play which can affect the strength of line. Sunlight, grit, stretch, twists and nicks from walking through multiflora rose thickets can decrease your lines durability.

Luckily for me, nothing happened last year, in response to this careless behavior. I can guarantee that it will not happen again. I don't know about you, but I really do not need any additional things to worry about. Put new line on your reels.

Now is the time to prepare for upcoming spring activities. Things will go a lot smoother if you have done your preseason work. You will be ready when the real action starts. This is the time to go through your numerous gardening, fishing and hunting catalogs. You have plenty of them stacked up somewhere, don't you? I like to try something new in the garden each year. I grew pumpkins last year, just so they could be stolen. Thieves will never get another one from me. Lesson learned.

Visit your local garden supply store and purchase your seeds now, before the mad spring rush. How is your peat pot and potting soil supply? Buy these items now, they are usually out of stock when you really need them. Now is the time to clean out or hang new bluebird and tree swallow nest boxes. The birds will be arriving soon.

Spring gobbler season is just around the corner. Are you ready? This is the time to get some new turkey calls and learn how to use them. Did you misplace your head net or gloves last spring? My turkey vest has not changed much through the years. I am not a gadget person and there are no magic turkey calls. Find something that works and stick with it. Learn to reproduce turkey vocabulary. While hunting in the high Alleghenies last spring, I ran into an old turkey hunting buddy. He now resides in Florida; I hadn’t seen him in about 15 years. He wanted to see what kind of callers that I was now using. There was a look of disappointment on his face when he said “That’s the same stuff you had the last time I saw you.” Again, find what works for you and stick with it. Just in case you are wondering; I carry a couple of inverted V diaphragm callers, a Scott Basehore Box Call, a Lonnie Sneed Slate and a couple of water bottles.

It may seem as if it will still be a long wait, until spring. But, it will not be as long as it has been. Prepare for spring activities now and you will have more time to enjoy them later.