Fishing opener

It’s finally here! This week is the fishing opener.  I’m definitely looking forward to taking Marsh man out bass fishing. He enjoys books with fish in them so I can’t wait to see his face when we pull one out of the lake this spring! Fishing is one of my favorite spring and summer past times- I’m here to share some tips to keep you feeling good as you wake up from winter hibernation and head out to the lake. 

My number one piece of advice is to stay aware of how you’re sitting as you patiently wait with your line in the water. Slouching is never a good thing whether it’s while you’re sitting at the computer or while you’re in a boat fishing. When we slouch forward, typically our head comes forward and our shoulders round forward which puts a lot of additional stress not only in our mid back but also our low back too. The best position to sit in while fishing is actually reclined slightly to counteract the weight of the pole. 

My next advice is to not sit for too long in one spot. As you’re casting, try to move around the boat or shoreline at least every 30 minutes. I’m personally too antsy to sit in one spot for too long- I have to get up and move. But if you have a favorite spot, sometimes it’s easy to forget how much time has passed. While you’re out there overhand casting- try to use good form. Using too much of your shoulders can lead to muscle strain and rotator cuff issues along with upper back and neck strain. The goal is to keep your arms closer to your body and have your fishing pole do the work. Once you hook the big one, don’t lean over the boat or towards the water— you want to engage your core and keep a strong upright form. This again will reduce strain to the rest of your muscles. 

Lastly, stay hydrated out there. While coffee and the occasional adult beverage go great with fishing, humans are made up mostly of water. What your body really needs is some H2O. A good goal is to drink half your body weight in ounces every day. We need even more water on a hot day. (Even though we’re all still dreaming of summer weather.) 

Good luck this spring! Can’t wait to hear everyone’s fish stories and can’t wait to make some lake memories with my little guy!