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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.”
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