Proper Fishing tackle repair and maintenance will keep your gear in good shape for a long time. Every time you use your fishing tackle, wipe it dry afterward. Use fresh water to clean any equipment used in salt water before drying.
The four types of reels (closed spinning, bait casting, fly casting, and open casting) need oil regularly. Follow the oiling guidelines in your manufacturer’s directions. If your reel is not working properly or malfunctioning, send it to the manufacturer or take it to the tackle shop for repair.
Mono-filament line can be damaged in several ways: small kinks, suntan oil damage, gas or even insecticide. Always run the line from one reel to another while looking for irregularities that could weaken the line. Dab a small amount of line cleaning fluid to help look for the bad spots. Throw away lines that are weak. Keep all braided line out of heavy moisture areas to prevent it from rotting.
If you are regularly using your rods, disassemble them once a week and clean the ferrules with nail polish remover. You can can repair wear in a bamboo rod by applying 2 – 3 coats of spar varnish and rubbing it with felt. Let each coat cure for 24 hours before applying an additional coat. If you have a boron, graphite, or fiberglass rod, you will only need to varnish the winding thread that keep the line guides in place. Remove and replace any nicked guides or frayed thread.
Hook sharpening consists of pulling the point across a fine stone. Make sure the barb is up on the hook when sharpening. Scarred plugs can be touched up with epoxy or enamel paint. Fine steel wool will keep spinners and spoons shiny.
