 One
of the most important features of successful fishing is
having clean, fully functional fishing tackle and equipment.
Let’s begin with rods and reels. These are your most expensive
tools and need to be maintained regularly especially when
demanding total performance.
All line guides should be checked with a Q-tip gently
twisted inside each eye. If the cotton wool catches on
any of the inner rings, they should be replaced as they
could cut your line at a crucial point during fish retrieval.
If using fishing rods that are sectional, the joints should
be checked for stress cracks. These fine hairline cracks
appear near the joints and run along the length of the
section. If found, take the complete rod to your local
tackle store for repair. These repairs are usually quite
inexpensive and certainly less than the purchase price
of a new rod.
 Check
cork constructed handles for separation (often occurring
near the section where the reel grip is located or where
the handle meets the actual rod). This requires glue and
a vice, or similar grip, to hold the pieces together.
If in doubt, again, take it to your tackle store for repair.
When all is well, wipe the rods down with a damp cloth
(do not use a detergent). Dry the rods carefully with
paper towel and, if the rods are sectional, take an old
piece of soap and wipe the outer and inner sections near
the joints. Try leaving a light coating of soap on them
ensuring a tight join when the sections are reunited.
It also makes separation easier at the end of your fishing
day.
Fishing reels are fairly simple to maintain. When removing
the screws, make sure you lay them and other components
in the order they were removed and replace them in the
same order. If a picture of the reel from the manufacturer
is not available, I draw a rough sketch and lay the pieces
next to the drawing. I then know where everything goes!
There is nothing worse than finding a piece of the reel
after closing it up!
When the reel is open, the gear or gears are exposed.
Just like an engine, these need lubrication. I use WD40
or light grease. Apply a generous amount inside the gears
and handle area. When closing up the reel, do not over-tighten
the screws; this can affect the performance of the reel.
Wipe off any excess oil or grease and again clean the
outer casing with a damp cloth and dry with a paper towel.
Now is a good time to change your line. I know so many
people who use the same line year in and year out. It
is a bad habit and will eventually let you down.
Weekend anglers should remove old line every 3 months.
If fishing in a professional environment, you should change
the line every week. Although everyone has his or her
preference, I sometimes change line daily. Remember the
awesome responsibility given to your line. Changing the
line is better than a break and loss of a trophy fish.
Now, let’s look at clothing, tackle boxes, bags and their
contents.Regardless of weather, proper outdoor
attire is of vital importance. I have fished on warm summer
days and suddenly been caught in torrential downpour.
Recently, on the U.S./Canada border, I was caught in a
thunderstorm. By the time I found shelter, I was in the
first stages of hypothermia! So, a rain suit is a must.
A small inexpensive jacket and pants will protect you
until you can find shelter. Be warned; it could save your
life. If you own an old suit, check the seams for tears.
If found, patch them or replace them. There are several
kits on the market for suit repair (they can be used for
waders also). The kits can be found in most marine outfitters
and, surprisingly, in some pool supply stores.
The bags and boxes used for tackle should be clean and
dry. After a long season, I empty the contents, wash the
inside of the box or bag and dry it. Next lubricate the
zips on a bag with light oil- WD 40 is perfect for that
purpose. When working with a plastic tackle box, an old
toothbrush gets into those hard to reach places and gives
the box a thorough cleaning. Lubricate the hinges with
more WD 40. Next I place the fishing tackle back into
the box and check that all hooks are sharp. Blunt hooks
will lose you fish. I was once fishing in a BASSMASTER
tournament where I lost 3 big smallmouth bass before realizing
my hook was not sharp! Make sure there are no pieces of
line still attached to a lure. Leaving pieces of old line
on a lure can waste precious time, especially when changing
a lure after a fishing situation has changed. I have found
that an old pair of nail clippers is the best tool for
the job.
Weights and smaller items should be stored correctly in
dry containers and tools should be cleaned and polished.
With conservation and catch and release in mind, vital
seconds will save the life of a fish if your hook remover
or pliers are in working order.
If you find your lures need some attention (i.e. paint
chipped or broken/blunt hooks), go to a local hobby store
and buy small tins of enamel paint for about a $1.00.
Be sure it matches your favorite lures. It will give them
a new lease on life. Hooks can be easily replaced with
a split ring divider and a pair of long nosed pliers.
Again these tools are readily available in hardware and
hobby stores.
Always replace spinnerbait and buzzbait skirts at the
end of the season. I see so many people take them out
of their boxes and find the skirts “glued together” because
they were stored wet and the rubber emulsified in the
damp tackle bag or box. These are now readily available
due to public demand in all good tackle stores. Just slip
off the old one and replace it with the new skirt.
Replace your fishing line. I have said this many times
before and it is worth repeating. Line will become brittle.
It will also retain memory if left on a reel too long.
You will lose fish and ruin a day’s fishing if you do
not care for the most important item that connects you
to the fish!
Finally, remember to store all rubber worms and similar
in plastic bags, keeping colors separate. The substance
of most rubber baits will react to hard plastic boxes
and “burn” the two when they touch resulting in a nasty,
sticky mess and a ruined tackle box.
Tight Lines!
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