How to store Fishin' Gear Offseason

[chefjim]

Givin' 'er up for the winter? Here's how to take care of your fishin' gear so it'll be ready in the Spring.

Hooks, metal lures, etc.: Store them in your tackle box or in little hinged plastic boxes, but just before you do, spray down all your stuff with WD-40. It'll keep anything from rusting or oxidizing. Besides, when you use the stuff in the Spring, almost all fish are attracted to the scent of WD-40 anyway.

Rods: Keep them straight. A rod leaning up against something putting a bend in it for a long time will make it permanently bent. Also, keep them in the dark. Finishes on rods are photochemically reactive, and will fade and peel from light.

Reels: Clean them. They might have dirt or sand in them. Take the line off, because you know you'll replace it before you use it again anyway. Hold the reel (just about any kind) under a warm faucet and rinse out whatever you can. Better yet, if you want to live on the edge, remove a side plate or a gear cover and rinse some more. When you're finished with that, shake them well and then spray them inside and out with WD-40 to keep corrosion away. *WARNING! WD-40 is great for this, or to help clean as a solvent, but don't think that it will work as a lubricant. In the Spring, reels should be serviced and lubricated. Also at this time, replace any parts that are worn or broken, or take it to a "REEL GUY" somewhere to have them do it.

You have to figure out when the end of your season is, because it's different for everyone. There's a few maniacs out there (like me), that fish year round, so you just have to pick a time every six months or so. Like everything else, the better you take care of your stuff, the longer it'll last and the better it'll work when it comes time to use it again.....

[Sinker]

Chef, good stuff. Gotta question fer ya. If a rod has already been permanently bent, can ya laen it th other way like ya can an ax handle? Will they come back?
Somethin a tightwad like me figgered out; put yer little metal thingys in a mason jar ta spray em. Ya don't waste yer overspray, and ya don't git WD-40 all over th place, too! It will eventually evaporate, but ya can keep dippin more stuff in th jar, insteada sprayin th can dry. (My apologies if ya own stock in th WD-40 Company)
I got 2 old rods that have wood in th handles. I plan ta rub em down with linseed oil. If it's unavailable, I majine veggie or corn oil would be better than nuthin.
They also got those little rubber ends on 'em, an a little Armorall now an then'll make'm last a long time.

[chefjim]

"Chef, good stuff. Gotta question fer ya. If a rod has already been permanently bent, can ya laen it th other way like ya can an ax handle? Will they come back?"


Yup. Don't overbend 'em the opposite way though. Just put somethin' heavy on top (maybe borrow the Sears and Roebuck Catalog from the little house out back) so they're straight and give 'em a month or two.
Also good points about keepin' up the wood and rubber parts....

[naturelovr]

Chef...
thank you for sharin' your expertise with us......

[gonecatfishing]

Good sound advice for all of us.....I try to hang my rods where they hang stright. The 10,12 and 14 footers is a little harder to do....

[WVsnowflake]

Ok I got one fer ya... Da just gave me a Bamboo pole, ( I think it is a fly pole) that was my great grandads, he got it in Japan, Well it is in a box but through the years the box is a little worn, the pole and stuff have never been used. How can I keep it from cracking or deteriorating? I'll take a pic tomorrow and post it ta show ya and maybe you can come up with somethin fer me...

[gonecatfishing]

There isn't anything that I know of to keep it from cracking. It is one of nature's most durable materials even with the cracks....

[WVsnowflake]

We got all kinds of bamboo growing in front of the house... would make some nice poles !

[gonecatfishing]

Are they very tall? Most you find anymore in the store is about 12 foot and in 3 pieces.Not like the ones when I was a kid...Some of those were about 20 feet long and the butt about as big around as a 50 cent piece.

[gonecatfishing]

Could tell some stories about a cane pole ,my first car and a couple of childhood friends when we were kids. Do something like that today and you would go to jail..

[WVsnowflake]

Some are quite tall Was sposed to take pics today of them but it rained all day will try tomorrow if not rainin... dad made my boys "jerk" poles when they was lil fellers.. shoot the poles were taller than them ! LOL

[Sinker]

When I's a kid th carpet stores would git bamboo poles as center reinforcement ta rolls of new carpet. Thats where mine came from. 12ft long, 1 inch at th butt; seemed like a mile!

[gonecatfishing]

Sinker ,We would go behind to the rear of the stores and see if there were any set out back..That was before the cardboard tubes were used....A long time ago..

[famfish]

Nov 16, 2008 4:10:30 GMT -6 Sinker said:

When I's a kid th carpet stores would git bamboo poles as center reinforcement ta rolls of new carpet. Thats where mine came from. 12ft long, 1 inch at th butt; seemed like a mile!

I sed the babboo poles tomato poles and a gold post to kick footballs through! We were in the carpet business so we had alot of them!