Photo by Ron Sinfelt.

Unless they've drilled holes in solid water, many walleye anglers across the country will have found the winter of their discontent to have been a long one.

But now that March is approaching, faint signs on the weather map are beginning to indicate that Old Man Winter may soon start to relinquish his icy grip on the walleye belt. And with the slow but steady approach of spring, hope springs eternal that enjoyable fishing lies just around the corner for anglers now afflicted with a serious case of cabin fever.

So as walleye season begins to approach in your neck of the woods, how can you go about catching a limit of tasty 'eyes?

Well, not so fast, my fine fishing friend! Before you actually hit the water in search of some hard-fighting walleyes, some basic maintenance and safety issues need attending to.

But, hey, don't take my word for it -- ask Mike Gofron, the 2001 Mercury Professional Walleye Tournament Championship winner, and one of the all-time leading money-winners in the sport of professional walleye angling.

"It's something that I do every year prior to getting out on the water for the first time," he said. "We all want to get out there and just go fishing, but going through a checklist and a safety routine is really important. If you forget a key item while you're on dry land, that becomes critically important when you're out rolling on the water."

Gofron, the 2005 Johnsonville Brats Angler of the Year, advises anglers to start with the portion of their rig that will be tested first on the way to a favorite walleye lake or river -- the trailer. "What I do every year is make sure that my bearings are greased," he stated. "If there is a low tire on my trailer, I will not only fill it with air, but I will bring it down to a garage and have them check it out. The reason? Well, there's some reason that that air leaked out."

Once the trailer has received a once-over, the three-time winner on the In-Fisherman PWT tour moves his inspection on to his boat's motor package. "Make sure that you check your lower unit oil," said Gofron, who has also snagged 1999 Angler of the Year honors. "If there is a sign of oil in the prop area dripping on the lower part of the motor, I would take it to the local marine dealer." The Illinois pro added that such a symptom probably indicates a defect not in the expensive lower unit but rather in a comparatively cheap seal -- but an angler needs to be sure.

Now is also a good time to check the oil. "It's more important to change your oil out before you winterize the boat," Gofron offered, "but it never hurts to check it and change it if necessary going into spring."

As a pro angler, Gofron depends on his motor performing like a champ all year long, but especially during the stormy days of early spring. A visual check of the all-important propeller will go a long way towards ensuring that.

After checking the trailer, the motor and the prop, the PWT pro advises, anglers should continue their spring boat checkup by inspecting the boat's safety features, including U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices.

"Make sure that you have all of your life jackets in the boat," Gofron said. "A life jacket is critical. If you go in the water, it's still very cold and if you go in, you'll only have a few minutes before hypothermia sets in."