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March is
a restless month for me.
The ice-fishing season is winding to
a close while the open-water season is still
weeks away.
Even with the turkey hunting season on the
horizon, I have some free time on my hands, and this year I plan
on using a portion of
it to get my fishing equipment
(rods, reels, tackle boxes, lures, etc.) organized and in tip-top working condition.
Before hitting your favorite honey hole this
spring, don’t
forget to invest a little time and energy on retooling your tools
of the fishing trade. For me,
the fishing season can be a whirlwind affair, with my hectic work and travel
schedule, and I sometimes neglect my equipment -- even though I have the best
intentions to the contrary.
Simply put, March is a good month for a preseason
fishing gear tune-up, a sort
of calm before the storm.
Jim Brooks is an assistant manager with Outdoor World Rod and Reel Repair, a
division of Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri. Over the years, Brooks has
repaired countless reels, with countless problems.
“Before the season, I tell all anglers
to break down their reels as far as possible and clean and lightly
lubricate all moving parts,” said Brooks. “This
is the best medicine for a reel that’s been on the shelf for several
months.”
Brooks said you never want to spray cleaning
solvent or oil directly into the reel. That can have an adverse
affect on some reel bearings.
Rather, spray
some solvent on a cloth and rub the parts down with it. Apply the oil the
same way.
“Some anglers make the mistake of using grease rather than oil,” said
Brooks. “You never want to do that; grease is a conductor for dirt
and other grim, and that can turn into a big problem if you’re fishing
in cold weather.”
Above all, Brooks said, read your owners manual
when you buy a new reel and follow the directions to the letter.
“Some reels
come with their own lube oil now,” Brooks said. “Make sure
you use that brand. Whatever the manufacturer calls for, we use it in
my shop.”
Saltwater reels need a little more tender loving
care, said Ken Chaumont of Stanley Jigs. Chaumont, who is also
a consultant
for Rat-L-Trap, is
a diehard
saltwater
angler and advises anglers to clean their reels after each trip.
“You don’t want to take out a garden hose and spray it directly into
the reel,” he said. “That often forces the saltwater deeper
into the gears and other internal parts.”
Instead, Chaumont uses
a mixture of Dawn dish soap and water and puts it into a common garden
sprayer. He then applies the mixture to the
outside of the
reel, which, he says, rids it of saltwater residue. “Once you
apply the soap, just give it a very light rinse with fresh water,” he
said. “I even
use the soap mixture on parts of my boat to remove the saltwater.
It really cuts the salt.”
Rods also take their fair share of
abuse during the fishing season. Make sure to give each rod a thorough
inspection before the season
begins.
Pay particular
attention to rod guides, which are typically made of ceramic. A
cracked guide can cut your line in a matter of seconds.
An easy
way to search for a crack is by running a cotton swab around
the perimeter of the guide. If it sticks or gets caught, you
know
you have
a problem in the
making. To clean the guides, apply some rubbing alcohol to the
cotton swab and run it around the perimeter of each guide. That
will get
rid of any
build-up that accumulated from last season.
In addition, it is also
a good idea to purchase a rod case for your favorite stick. A
rod case reduces the general where and tear
on
your rod, especially
when you’re traveling. You don’t want to accidentally
break-off a rod tip, right? Many rod manufacturers like St. Croix
and others sell their rods
with rod cases. That’s especially true for high-end model
rods. Make sure to ask for one when you make a purchase or check
out Plano Moldings web site
for their selection of rod cases. www.planomolding.com
Al Mohr
is a rod tester for St. Croix Rods. He’s also the company’s
resident Muskie expert. Part of his spring maintenance repertoire
is checking his lures for cracks and other imperfections and seeing
that all the hooks are
sharpened and ready for action.
“If one of my trouble hooks are rusted,
I replace them on the spot,” he
said. “Otherwise, I just sharpen them. Muskies like sharp
hooks.”
Once the hooks are sharpened, he organizes
all his lures by lure type in clear plastic storage containers
made
by Plano. “I like to have my lures organized,
because when I need a certain type I don’t want to spend
a half an hour looking for it,” he said. “I don’t
have a tackle box per se. I just take all the plastic containers
and stick them in a duffle bag. It works
real well.”
For his rods, he cleans the cork handles with
a piece of fine-grit sandpaper. “The
handles can get pretty nasty from all that Muskie slime,” he
said. “Besides,
I like to have all my equipment looking good before the season.
It seems to work better that way.”
