Prepare Your Fishing Gear for the
Winter by Tim Shamess
As an angler, one of the things I least look forward to is preparing
my fishing rods and tackle for storage over the long winter to come. Last year I put my
gear in the basement and basically forgot about it. I guess I was hoping there would be
one more fishing trip, unfortunately I had no such luck.
One simple step is to re-spool your line. Fishing line deteriorates
from exposure to the sun and constant stretching from hook sets, snags, and fighting fish
all take there toll. If you do not feel it is necessary to change the line, then at the
very least you should check your line for any nicks, cuts, or abrasions, and of course,
line twist. If you detect any problems, make a mental note to change your line next
spring.
 With a soft
cloth, lightly clean the line that is in the water the most. I have the space in my yard
to hook the line to a pole and then I then walk off the distance of my average cast, plus
a little extra line, just to be sure. This may sound extreme, but you will be surprised at
the amount of dirt that comes off the line, I am sure it will help preserve the line. To
remove any grease and grime, you may want to use a commercially available line cleaner.
Check your reels for any damage that may need repair. With your
fishing season over, this is a good time to rake your reels in for repairs. Give your
reels a thorough cleaning and good lubrication. You may want to store your reels in
plastic bags; the large size Zip-Lock bags are great to keep the dust and dirt off your
reels. Don't forget to loosen off the drag; this will relieve any strain on the gears and
springs inside your reels.
Give your rods, and especially the handles a good cleaning. Use a
mild soap solution, no perfumes in the soap, though. I had a cork handle that for the
first of the season smelled like flowers. I may have even been transferring the scent to
my line and lures. Don't forget the area behind the reel; dirt always seems to work its
way into this area.
Using a Q-tip, clean the eyes of your rods. This is often overlooked, but think about
how many times your line passes through the eyes of your rod on only one fishing trip; now
multiply that by the entire season! Watch for any cracked or bent eyes; this is the time
to replace or repair them. Try not to store your rods by leaning them against the wall;
your rods may end up with a permanent bend.
"You should store them straight up and down;" says tournament angler Kevin
Laframboise, "Just like fishing line, a rod can also develope a memory." A
friend made a fish shaped rack for me as a Christmas present. It is a two piece setup. The
handles of my rods sit in holes on the bottom piece; the top piece holds my rods in place
in small slots with foam padding to protect from scuffing.
Give your tackle box and lures a thorough cleaning using only water
and a little elbow grease. If you need to use soap, keep it very mild and unscented;
remember fish use their sense of smell to feed and that fresh, spring fragrance may still
be there in the spring. Check for any damaged hooks, swivels, and snap rings; anything
rusted should be replaced and all old rusty items beyond repair, discarded.
Your plastics can deteriorate with time and can leave a sticky mess in your tackle box.
Keep them stored in Zip-Lock bags. One spring I opened my tackle box, only to find it
looking like a bag of hard candies had melted inside; the residue was extremely sticky and
hard to remove. Store your tackle box in a dry area where it will not be susceptible to
condensation and dirt. Remember that bug spray will turn your plastics to mush faster then
it takes to swat a mosquito.
With these few simple steps and you can rest easy. Though the boating season may be
coming to an end, you can now turn your attention to the upcoming ice fishing season. Your
fishing gear will be ready to go when old man winter releases his grip in the spring.
In this issue:
Choosing the right fishing line.
- Preparing your gear for winter
Featured Fish Recipes
- Lodge Classifieds
Featured Outdoor Products
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