"If fishing is interfering with your business, give up your business." Sparse Grey Hackle Well, we have another ninety-two degree day with lots of sunshine and little, if any, sea breeze to keep us cool. It's a typical afternoon around the area lately. If you pass by any of the area's piers, docks, and shorelines, you'll see absolutely nothing. No fishermen. They are all hiding from the heat of the day. But who can blame them? It's hot out there. In the hopes of getting some of you out fishing again in the middle of the day, I thought we'd give you some ideas on how to stay cool and hydrated while you wait for that big one to bite your line. Stay hydrated - The most important thing to remember about being out on these hot days of summer is to have plenty of water to drink. Your body can become overheated and dehydrated very quickly at these temperatures. Sweating is your body's natural way of trying to cool the body. Because of this, it's very important to keep your fluid levels up. Coolers with plenty of drinking water is as important on these hot days as your rod and reel are. Also, according to one of our local fishermen who is also a doctor, water is the key to replenishing your body fluids. Drinks with sugar or alcohol can actually do more harm than good. While a cold beer taste and feels good going down, it can actually dehydrate you more than you are. Shade - Keeping out of the sun can slow the dehydration process and make the day much more comfortable for you. Light-weight hats are a must for keeping the sun off of your head and face. Some of you may laugh at seeing people wearing those large straw hats, but they work really well. While baseball caps are worn by many, they fail to keep the sun off of your neck and ears. Try one of the new fishing hats, with the light-weight material on the back and sides to shade you. If you are fishing a pier, a bungee cord and beach umbrella are great to have. One or two anglers can sit in comfort and fish under the heat of an afternoon sun. If you are out in a boat, put up the bimini top to shade you during the afternoon. The new long sleeve t-shirts work great for keeping the sun off of your arms. Sunscreen - A severe sunburn can ruin your day or even your vacation. Getting sunstroke can be make it that much worse. Lather on sunscreen to protect your skin against sunburn. It seems that every year they are coming out with a new recommended level of sun protection that we are suppose to use. It wasn't that long ago that we were suppose to wear a number 10 sunscreen to protect ourselves. Now it's number 50 and 60 that we need to have. Regardless of the number that you choose, protect your skin against sunburn by applying sunscreen in the recommended amount and at the recommended times. So now, armed with these helpful hints, I expect to see the shorelines and piers loaded with anglers fishing during the hot afternoons. Your favorite spot is almost guaranteed to be waiting for you without all the crowds. Stop by the Bait House to pick up all of your ice, drinks, sunscreen, and bait for your afternoon of fishing. We also carry the new fishing hats I mentioned earlier. The fish are still out there in the heat of the day waiting for you. I can be emailed at Jim2988@msn.com and as always, Good Luck Out There! Jim can be found daily at the Bait House - Clearwater Municipal Marina, phone 446-8134
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