Most anglers that have ever fished a crankbait have experienced the aggravation of loosing that "special" bait that seemed to out fish all others. Commercial lure retrievers, while effective, are cumbersome to use and more frequently left in the boat storage box than used to dislodge a lure. One of the most effective lure retrievers I have ever used is a simple, inexpensive devise known locally as a "pocket knocker". It is made by taking a "bell type" lead weight (1/2 to 1oz.) with a swivel molded in and attaching the small end of a "snap" to the swivel. You now have a "pocket knocker". The next time you snag a lure, (of any kind), simply lock the larger part of the snap on your line and drop it down to the lure. A simple "jiggle" will dislodge the lure 95% of the time. If it does not, use your traditional retriever to save both lure and knocker

Attached five or six feet of 3/8th link stainless steel chain to 30 feet of light anchor or ski rope. Tie the rope to the aft cleat and drag the chain through the vegetation. This will allow you to use the trolling motor to move in a general direction and maintain control of the boat. Two of these will decrease your speed much more, and your speed may be varied by the amount of rope you have out. Placing one on the front and rear cleats on the same side will give you a side drift, which is excellent for drifting live bait over vegetation

Here's a simple and effective way to get your trailer back on the ramp once you've backed it off the end. First unload your boat if it is still on the trailer. Ask someone to operate your vehicle and explain the following procedure to them before you start. Be sure to tell them you only need to move a couple of feet or so and do it slowly. Take your anchor out and approach the submerged trailer from the rear. Drop the anchor over the rear frame between the inside of the rear frame and the rear axle. Let the anchor sink and then pull it slowly to you until the rope slides up the frame. Once you feel the weight of the anchor, try to work it as close to the center of the trailer as possible and lift the anchor until you feel it catch on the frame. Tell the vehicle operator to move forward slowly as you lift straight up with the anchor rope. The tires on the trailer will provide floatation and you should be able to lift the trailer high enough to clear the frame and allow the driver to pull it back on the ramp. Remove the anchor, park the vehicle and go fishing. A mushroom anchor will not work without a lot of effort. A Chene or Navy anchor work best

Ever lose a hat going down a lake? I purchased a hat clip and have not lost one yet. All it is a piece of heavy string with a clip on both ends. One goes on the hat and the other goes on your shirt collar.They run about $3.00

Alot of anglers have lost fish by not checking thier bait and line.After several cast take a few minutes to check your line next to your bait by running your fingers down the line to check for stretching of the line. So make sure to check for any wear on the line if there is any take a few seconds to cut and retie the bait so you don't lose the big one