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When the winter weather clears, it is time to get out the summer sporting equipment. After being stored all winter, it will need a good cleaning even just from sitting, or maybe to remove last year’s residual dirt or grease before you put it up for the winter. As with anything, the better you take care of it, the longer it will last and the better it will work. Let’s start with fishing equipment.
Many people take pride in their fishing equipment, so if you have a bamboo fly rod, you will have to be careful and keep an eye on the varnish to see if it shows evidence of cracking. Also, avoid letting it get or stay wet. You have to watch that the glue joints don’t dry out. Use a mild detergent and don’t let it stay moist very long. Use steel wool to clean the corrosion off the metal ferrules and reel seat. But most of us are dealing with a rod made of fiberglass or graphite, and to take care of them is really easy. Just wipe it down with a wet rag or dust it off after use. If you have an old one with scuffmarks, use car wax. Keep it in a hard case if possible; that way it won’t get marked up in the trunk of your car.
Fishing reels see a lot of action, so you need to keep them dirt-free. Also, you need to keep the reels free of salt, grit, and sand that corrode and grind away at the working parts. If you go salt water fishing, rinse your rod and reel after each use. If you ever drop your fishing reel in the sand or in dirty water, open it up and flush it out before using it again. Then after you get home, take apart the reel and wash the parts in solvent. Make sure you wipe the entire thing dry and lubricate as needed. Afterwards, put it back together. Once a year before you put it away for the season, take it apart and clean with solvent with a final year-end lubrication. While it is apart, check the gaskets and the seal on the gear box to make sure they are not worn out. You should have instructions that came with it so you know what kind of gear oil and grease to buy. But if you have lost the instructions, go to a sporting good store and ask what to get. Most dealers can supply reel cleaning service.
Empty your tackle box carefully and wipe off everything with a wet cloth before replacing it in its section. Don’t forget to wipe out the inside and outside of the tackle box so it doesn’t retain an odor. Let it set open for an hour or so to thoroughly air out before restocking it. Replace worn items before they break when you reel in the big one.
The next time you head for the nearest lake or stream, you will be glad you took time to clean your fishing equipment, which will make the event more enjoyable and less messy.
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