geartalk

Boat Trailer Lights: Troubleshooting Problems

If you own a boat trailer long enough, you’ll have some issues with the lights… 

Just last weekend, while hooking up one of my boats, none of the lights decided they wanted to work: no brakes, no blinker, nothing was working. (This very trailer worked flawlessly two days earlier.) I scratched my head for a moment and immediately found the ground wire. Sure enough, it had become disconnected from the trailer itself. Problem solved.

Here are five relatively simple fixes to common trailer ailments that could save you time before you drag your boat trailer to a mechanic, or worse, cancel or delay a fishing trip.

None of the lights are working #1

Check the fuse box in your car or truck. This has saved me many times. Pro tip: carry three or four extra fuses in whatever size you need for that specific circuit at all times. I’ve had trips where a fuse popped multiple times.

None of the lights are working #2

Your 4-way plug connector has gone bad, or the contacts are incredibly dirty. I also carry a spare one of these in the glove box for troubleshooting. If none of the lights are working, clean the metal connections with a toothbrush and electrical contact-cleaner spray (or really anything you have around). Many of these actually have a small LED inside that lights up when connectivity is present. I like these, because if the LED is not on, it’s almost always a bad unit.

None of the lights are working #3

As mentioned above, a disconnected or damaged ground wire has been the problem with more trailers than I can remember. When all seems lost, double-check the ground connection on both the adapter and, more importantly, the trailer itself. In a pinch, I’ve taped it to the trailer or gotten creative with anything conductive to make the connection, until I can fix it properly. The ground can look different on all wiring harnesses and trailers, so try to familiarize yourself with which wire is the ground, and hopefully, avoid any headaches moving forward.

One light not working #4

Generally, this issue is caused by a bad bulb, if you’re using older incandescent-style bulbs. Familiarize yourself with blinkers and running lights and make sure to carry a few of each in your car. You can also try cleaning the connections with very fine-grit sandpaper and seeing if that works. Sometimes that’s all it takes. Beyond this, consider replacing the old incandescent bulb housing with newer LEDs. 

Lights working intermittently #5

This is the worst of all situations and not necessarily an easy fix, but it can be, if you’re lucky. Typically, this means there’s a damaged wire somewhere. Sometimes, the fix is easy to see and you can slice and patch a broken wire, but many times the wires are internally frayed, and you’ll never see the problem. My suggestion is to replace the entire system. Often, this is a blessing in disguise, as you can replace older incandescent lights with a newer, more robust LED system.

Raging Bull: You’re Standing on Fish

A number of years ago, I did a short piece for Field & Stream on trout fishing guides and their favorite tactics and techniques.

Their input was diverse, and everyone seemed to have a different point of view, which was perfect for the story, but when I asked them about their number-one pet peeve, the answers were nearly uniform:

“Anglers don’t look where they walk.”

“People forget to look at the water right in front of them.”

“Most folks forget to notice that some of the best trout are right near the bank.”

In other words, you’re standing on your fish, stupid. Based on my own part-time guiding experiences, I have to agree, the absolute number-one frustration is to set up an angler in a good run, show him/her where to go and what to do, then go downstream to help a partner, then return to see him/her planted chest deep in the middle of the run where the fish were…

When approaching the river, don’t take anything for granted. By dashing out into the middle of a run, the only thing you guarantee is that any fish that were there will be gone. Look before you leap. Take your time. Who’s wearing a stopwatch? Big Daddy might be tucked right under the bank in front of you, but you’ll never know that if you barge right into the water like a raging bull.

Ten Fly Fishing Smallmouth Bass Tips

Fly-fishing tips for your next smallmouth bass adventure.

Leave your 4x tippet at home. We’re going to battle in structure-ridden haunts and sometimes heavy current–your trout leaders aren’t going to cut it here. Smallmouth are rarely leader shy, so beef up with a good abrasion resistant (10-pound-plus) leader.

Slow your retrieves, embrace the pause. Retrieving a streamer shouldn’t be a race. Sharp, erratic movements, followed by a long pause, allows you to “hang” your streamer and this will drive most smallies wild. Be ready for your fly to disappear on the hang.

Let the rings clear when fishing topwater. After landing, or between pops, let your popper sit until the water rings clear. Most anglers move their topwater flies far too quickly. Your patience is often rewarded.

Ditch your trout lines. Turning over big bulky streamers or poppers is crucial, and you need a front-heavy fly line to do that, while also handling the heat of “bassy” summer days. I like the Scientific Anglers Amplitude Bass Bug Fly Line or the Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Infinity Warm Fly Line (save 10% on SA lines with a Flylab membership).

Mending isn’t only for trout fishing. The amount of strikes I experience following a mend is notable. Mends can be used to help flies get deeper, change direction, or prevent drag–all of which help bass eats.

Fish structure, which doesn’t always mean the bank. Anglers are often programmed to cast tight to the banks (on repeat without thought). A great way to break the mold is to target mid-river drop-offs and trees.

Learn a “Bass Set.” I often describe this to new bass anglers as a hybrid between a strip and trout set. When setting the hook, pull the line as you lift the rod tip. If done correctly, it should burn the hell out of your stripping finger. Stripping guards or vet tape are highly recommended.

Let them eat the popper. Here on the Wisconsin River we have replaced the age-old dry fly saying of “God save the queen” with “Cheese curds and beer” before ripping the hookset on a big bronzeback.

Get tight fast. After setting a hook on a smallmouth, you’ll want to gain as much line as possible before that football-sized fighter digs in. I tell my clients to follow your hookset with three big strips, like you’re trying to break the fish off–this is where 10-pound leaders earn their keep.

Use the fighting butt. If you’re fishing a fly rod without one, you’re probably under-gunned. Bend the rod hard, digging the fighting butt into your hip region to leverage one of the hardest fighting fish in freshwater. Here in Wisconsin, we regularly use 7- and 8-weight fly rods.

‍Kyle Zempel is a business owner, fly-fishing guide and photographer living in the rural driftless hills of Wisconsin. In 2013, he founded Black Earth Angling Co. and has pioneered one of the most unique smallmouth fisheries in the world on the Wisconsin River. He’s also a Flylab Pro and will be helping us with warmwater fly-fishing insights.

BONEDALE FISHING REPORT #10

THERE’S NO WORD ALONG THIS RIVER I CAN UNDERSTAND OR SAY

Out west some folks still fish with guns. I know I did as a lad. My brothers and I fished with spear guns, fondue forks, snagging hooks and when given the opportunity, a twelve gauge pump. Zane Mirfin tried to get his father to appreciate the fly rod on the waters around Nelson, New Zealand, but as far as I know he still prefers the twelve gauge. It’s still sight fishing, which counts for something. We’re mostly in the business of harvesting Whitefish out of the Crystal, but I’m not above killing trout. Last week Santini, Kevin Hurley and I went up to Harvey Gap to fish for big Pike. Kevin landed a thirty-five pounder, but he’s dedicated. We tired of hucking big fur bugs on 8-weight Reddingtons, even though we boiled a couple of big fish as I cranked a Barracuda tube, while Santini stood at the ready with the bug. After an hour, he switched to a giant Rapalla, which produced a scrappy stocker Bow. I haven’t kept a trout in this valley for years, but the usual rules of engagement were quickly thrown aside. My 98 year-old stepdad deserves a few more fish before he stuffs it. We caught several nice Crappie, but Kevin being younger and without fish-killing roots, kept intentionally losing them to avoid the stringer. Late in the day a big orange Midge came off, which made for good dry fly fishing, and we released almost everything to help fatten up the Pike and Muskie. Afterwards, the great Santini and I went to Dinkel Lake and posted up at the inlet and smacked a number of fish on Tim Heng’s Autumn Splendor. We held the local population at bay, then called it a day. There’s nothing quite like springtime in the Rockies. P.S. SEND SWAG.

Live from the WORLD HEADQUARTERS

Kea C. Hause esq.

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Casting for bluegill and bass in some ponds along I-70 near Rifle, CO. Photo: Copi Vojta