We decided that we would plan for spring whether she wanted to cooperate or not.

After all, it was one week away from the statewide trout season opener and the word was out that some fish were starting to hit on the local lakes!

That was all the incentive that I needed as I put fresh line on the reels, made plans to pull my boat out of storage and checked my aerators out for serviceability. I found a deal on new aerators, but the old ones were still making bubbles and keeping crappie minnows lively!

The replacement equipment will keep and eventually they will get used. My wife has a word for all of my backups, she calls it clutter! I just like to be ready for a Plan B and when it is needed I am on it!

Finally, I received my collectible 2018 fishing license button, however I had to send it back as it was damaged on the face of the button. The backing pin pushed a bump out onto the face and as a collector I wasn’t accepting that work.

The PFBC office in Harrisburg closes at 4 p.m. — which I think is too early — so I needed to call them during the next days’ business hours. I had to send back the damaged button, which cost me three-fifty, and a note explaining what happened to it.

I thought that they should have sent me a note explaining what happened to it! Dealing with the PFBC Headquarters and the USPO on the same day makes a guy want to go fishing on some stream far, far away.

I was looking over my assorted fishing rods and reels to check out their serviceability and who would be the rod and reel to start out the first day of trout on April 14. I picked out a reel for my wife to use and put fresh line on it.

I had one problem, she was busy and I needed someone to hold the spool so that I could transfer the fishing line properly onto the reel. There is an art to putting fresh line on a reel. If you do it wrong, you will have a miserable day of tangles and bird nests when you should be casting and retrieving smoothly.

I came up with a brilliant idea (my words) and pulled a long screw driver out of the tool drawer. All I had to do was secure the screw driver to something and the spool of fishing line would roll off the spool and onto my reel as I retrieved it. I looked about and I spied the bird cage of our Zebra Finches.

They are little guys, so their cage has to be fairly tight with the wire bars and a screw driver would fit in the corner of the cage perfectly.

I started to level wind the line onto the reel and it went smoothly except for one problem, a strange clacking noise when the spool made a rotation. The finches went to the other side of the cage and started to raise the roof with chirps and whistles … I finished my job and they were sore at me the rest of the day.

I think they have finally forgiven my intrusion and are back to their normal happy selves. I like the little guys and wouldn’t want a strained relationship with them over fishing line!

Adventure planned

A sportsmen’s adventure is being planned for this spring!

Some of the old gang is talking up an adventure on one of several area trout streams. We could head up to either Oil Creek, Sandy Creek, Sugar Creek or the Neshannock. The creek isn’t important but the outing is important.

We are rounding up the Beaver Boy, Jimbo. Elroy, Uncle Gene, Merk and the Professor for the holiday. I have a big batch of sausage, peppers, buns and all the fixings for a fishing and sandwich fest!

We have a propane griddle and the makings for a great day no matter how far we might get away from civilization. The camaraderie and potential laughs will make this a memorable day.

The last time we had such a cook out on a fishing expedition, I set my boot on fire by having my foot too close to the campfire. I had put silicone on them to really waterproof them. I guess that silicone dressing on a boot is highly flammable, I had to dunk my boot and foot in the creek.

Pretty cold and wet blunder for a snowy April day. Those boots never were the same after that incident … we refer to it as the silicone boot incident and it still gets a few laughs from the youngsters.

Family time

Speaking of youngsters, this is best time of the year to drag them away from their games, phones and cable to get in some family time.

Invite a buddy or two with them and they can start their own traditions. The streams are freshly stocked, pack some lunches and get the kids out of the house for some fresh air!

Remember it’s really not important if you catch a bunch of fish … it’s more important that it’s finally fishing season!

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle