Daiwa reel & Trash Cleanup

We had a couple of Daiwa Sweepfire reels, they've very inexpensive and not a great reel, but when you're taking the family fishing or you've got friends in town, it's nice to have a few extra setups that work. Both reels had broken bail springs but were otherwise in good shape. I dropped an email to Daiwa informing them of this and asking where I could purchase replacement springs. They sent me a couple free of charge. When buying a new reel, there are a lot of things to consider, its casting, its reeling, its durability, but the company who makes it is also a factor, and Daiwa is ok in my book.

The reservoirs are as low as they're going to get (we hope) and now is a great time to recover bits of garbage from popular fishing areas. At Groundhog the other day we saw a Grebe with a piece of mono coming out of the area between its wings, we can only assume there's a hook holding there. This kind of thing, while it is probably purely accidental, makes my stomach turn. It also gives the anti-fishing nuts at Peta ammunition to sway public opinion away from fishermen. Going fishing this weekend? Please bring a trash bag and fill it. There is a lot of line out there, and that's what gives critters the most trouble. There are powerbait jars everywhere (dare I say that the kind of person who relies on chemical bait made in a giant factory is also the kind of person who leaves trash everywhere?) and there are also cans and bottles. This year to date I've found several really nice lure bodies that need nothing more than some new hooks, so this kind of work can be rewarding. I'm not asking anyone to go and make a day of picking up trash, just go fishing, the trash will be there.