I was just curious how those of you in the Northern part of the country stay in tune with your equipment (casting, etc) during the winter months?

Personally I have somewhat of an obstacle course set up in my basement. I have several targets set up at different distances and angles from my casting area. I also make tunnels that simulate casting under docks or low hanging cover.

This keeps my short game on point but it doesn't help my long casts at all. I guess when you live up where the water is hard for 4 months of the year, you just have to expect to be a little rusty in the Spring.

LOL I work on getting reaction strikes by pitching baits (with no hooks of course) towards my kitten named Hank Parker.

JT Bagwell

I usually keep busy all year round.I live in Southern new jersey,so our lakes do freeze but the ocean doesn't. As far pitching goes If my basement ceiling was high enough,I problay could manage some practice,but If that rod is in my hands you better beleive I'm going for the real deal.

As far as casting in the winter months I don't do anything.  It just gives me more reason to go early in the spring as I try to regain what little touch I have.  Most of my winter fishing time is spent cleaning and organizing my tackle about 20 times.  

As far as casting in the winter months I don't do anything. It just gives me more reason to go early in the spring as I try to regain what little touch I have. Most of my winter fishing time is spent cleaning and organizing my tackle about 20 times.

I do this as well only thing is soon as I  head out with it everything winds up all over the place.This I need to work on.

You've described everything I do.

In the off season i try to weed out the lures that i either never used or never caught me fish. I also try to reload on the stuff i am running out of and go over past tournaments to try to figure out what to do differently. I also try to read up on new stuff and map out how to apply it to my fishing. If i really get cabin fever i head out to the warm water lakes and try out the topwater bite.

I recently taken up fly fishing, its nothing like bass but atleast i get out to the water.  But i pretty much do what everyone does, clean, organize, buy more, organize.....  Its started pretty early this year, already bought new tackle bag and 2 new St. Croix rods.  I also try to learn new things, i get the bassmaster mag and spend alot of time talking to you guys on here.

??? Thanx JT.....! I always thought I was crazy when I would do these things in the winter....I use coffee cups to flip and pitch to and try not to make the cup ping when the lure hits the bottom of the cup.....Also, CAT fishing is a great winter time sport I practice on a regular basis. I taught my cat to run when he grabs the lure.....My wife has a small dog that gets pretty competative when I flip my lure on the palor floor......Just remember to use the practice lures that have no hooks....!            ;D

I take the hooks off some of my broken crankbaits and   cast them to various targets in my backyard.

I live in MA and the ice over can drive you crazy so I pratice alot to keep in tune. I like JT's idea though with that set-up. JT if you could give a detail of what you have on your set-up that would be great thanks

In my obstacle course I use the lids from laundry soap bottles. They are smaller than cups and require more accuracy.

I place them in various locations in my basement (which is pretty much just one big room). The targets will be in places such as between the dryer and the garbage can, between the dryer and the washer, underneath my wife's sweater drying rack and things like that.

Then I also have a tunnel that I made from cardboard boxes (boxes on each side and then boxes that form the top). At the end of the tunnel is another one of the laundry soap bottle lids. That is my target.

Hope that explains it all a little better.

JT Bagwell

Thanks JT. Wow you dont fool around on your targets LOL.

my off season work out now in cludes waiting for JT to go nutts when he breaks a rod on the cealing of his basement.

LOL

Won't happen!!!!

I have hit the ceiling before but usually it's not very hard. Since I developed my little practice zone, I have probably made several thousand pitches, flips and roll casts. I pretty much have it all under control these days.

JT Bagwell

I drill lotts of holes and work on getting a case of bucket butt and verticle jigging on lite tackle

D. Taylor, I thought I was gonna be the only one who ice fished!

I have lately been painting old lures like spinnerbaits/crankbaits, and mixing/matching blades and stuff. Also organized the tackle box (cuz it badly needed it) and bought lots of tackle...

And a lot of times I will go flip around to various things in the backyard.

Rich

this week the ice looks to be finally safe enough for me to stroll out there in a month and a half ill be getting the boat ready

I have a little platform I've built in my back yard. I cast under the trees and around them. I've also set up targets like you have JT. I use old tupaware bowls and anything old for my targets. I live in Washington where it only snows if the moons align right.

I've never tried to practice in the off season. I just read every thing I can about fishing, over and over again. I used to play with the cat untill it hooked itself in the mouth on an un-attended rod last summer. Someone bumped the rod, knocking it over and the cat grabbed the inline spinner in it's mouth, and tried to run away, setting the treble in it's upper lip with the weight of the rod. I struggled to remove the hook for about 5 min, all the while being bitten and scratched by a very disturbed Mr. Gray. I plan to do some open water fishing for walleyes this week below the dam here since it is no longer -5 outside, which should keep my casting skills up to par, and also keep my bottom type feeling sixth sense in full swing.

if I had room in my house I would do just that JT...lol  I can always use the practice of pitching.

i set up a target in my living room and pitch and flip to it, also i read and watch as mush fishing as i can.

When's the off-season?