FISHING EQUIPMENT CARE
RODS
* Avoid at all times to knock the rod against hard surfaces. Small scratches and nicks may cause
rod breakage.
* After fishing, rinse your rod and dry it with a soft cloth before putting it back into the sheath.
* Better not put a rod wet with seawater back in its sheath, as you will contaminate it with salt. If this
cannot be avoided for transport reasons, wash the sheath thoroughly as soon as possible.
* Never stow a rod in its tube. This can trap humidity and cause corrosion of the guide rings. This
is especially recommended for cane rods.
* At least twice a season or more frequently when fishing in saltwater, inspect the rod rings with a
magnifying glass or slip a wad of cotton through them. Small scratches will hold some cotton… and
also damage the line that goes through the ring. These rings should be replaced immediately.
* Check to see if water seeps under the wrappings and corrode the guide ring legs. Once rust is
seen, the ring should be replaced immediately.
* With cane rods, inspect the varnish regularly: if water can penetrate under the protective layer, it
may cause the bamboo to rot or the strips to become unglued.
* Wash the rod with lukewarm soapy water and a soft sponge. An old tooth brush will remove the
dirt from the guide rings and reel seat.
*Getting the cork grip to look like new again is easy. Take some very fine, waterproof sandpaper
(the one used for car paint jobs) and a bar of ordinary hand soap. Wet the rod grip and
sandpaper thoroughly. Apply soap on the sandpaper and gently rub the grip. Be careful not to
scratch the rod itself or the reel seat. Rinse, let dry and admire the result.
* Small holes can be filled with natural coloured wood putty or with a mixture of cork filings and
wood glue.
* Once the rod is clean and dry, spray it with plastic renovator or furnishing spray. You can apply a
very light coating of fine oil on the reel seat.
* Avoid sticky ferrules by rubbing some parrafin (or candle wax) on the male ferrules.
* The best way to stow a rod over long periods is to hang it in its sheath on a nail or clothes
hanger inside a wardrobe. This is especially true for cane rods: leave a cane rod leaning against a
wall for a long period and you will discover it will be slightly curved.
REELS
* Avoid dipping your reel in water as much as possible and certainly in saltwater.
* Don't knock the reel against rocks, boat decks, hard floors etc. Small scratches and dents
expose bare metal which will corrode.
* On a boat always place the rod butt (and reel) on a damp cloth, so it will not slide and scratch.
* Never drop the reel in sand! Sand grains are very hard and can scratch the inner housing,
damage drag disks and even ball bearings.
* On a moving boat, make sure the reel is not exposed to spray. The power of the spray can force
sea-water deep into the reel where it will attack the ball bearings.
NOTE: even though a ball bearing housing is made from stainless steel, the balls themselves are
not. A corroded ball bearing will heat up and seize - in the middle of the fight with your fish of a life
time.
* Immediately after fishing, rinse the reel under a LOW pressure tap. Remove the spool, shake off
excess water and leave it to dry before reassembling.
* Back home after a saltwater fishing trip, and before putting the reel away for a long period, give it
an in-depth cleaning: remove fly line and backing, scrub carefully with hot soapy water to remove
salt crystals, rinse and dry with a clean cloth.
NOTE: reels should NOT be soaked for long periods. One, because the fresh water will not
dislodge salt trapped in the tightly wound backing. Two, because water will penetrate in the ball
bearings and cause rust (remember they are neither waterproof nor stainless). Soaking can also
distort the cork drag plates and cause a jerky drag.
* Apply new grease and lubricate according to the manufacturer's instructions. Apply a light
coating of oil or car polish on the housing. For those who fish year-round in saltwater, in-depth
reel maintenance should be done at least 4 times a year.
* Always loosen the drag completely when the reel is not in use.
* Don't stow a reel in its pouch, better to put it on shelf inside a cabinet.
FISHING EQUIPMENT TIPS
DRAG SETTINGS: The biggest mistake made by anglers is to have their drag set improperly. Most
manufacturers recommend that your drag be set at one-third of your line's test weight. This means
that a reel holding 15 pound test line should have the drag set to let out line at 5 pounds of pull.
To set your drag run the line out through your rod's guides, tie a loop in the end, then use the
hook on a fish scale (the tool, not the fish body part) to pull on the line. When the weight shown on
the scale is one-third of your rated line weight, the drag should be letting out line. If not, adjust the
drag until it does.
AVOID TANGLES ON YOUR SPINNING REEL: Spinning reels often get bird's nests and tangles,
which are usually caused by one of three mistakes. The first is putting the line on the reel
improperly. The line should go onto the reel the same way it comes off the spool, taking advantage
of the curve the line has memorized from being stored on the spool. Lay the spool FLAT on the
ground (do NOT hold it vertically) and start winding the reel. If tangles begin, turn the spool over.
The tangling should stop and your reel should be tangle free for the future, as long as you don't
make the other two mistakes. The second mistake is to overfill the spool. Spinning reels should
never be filled past the front spool lip, or too much line will come out during casting and -POOF!-
you'll have a big mess of tangles. The third most common mistake is to crank the reel while a fish
is taking out line. While it's OK to crank a baitcaster while a fish makes a run, a spinning reel is not
designed for such a mistake. During the fish's run, cranking a spinning reel literally twirls the line
around and around, twisting it up like a rubber band and resulting in lots of kinks and tangles.
FILLING CASTING AND CONVENTIONAL REELS: Improper filling of casting and conventional
reels can lead to tangles, just like on a spinning reel. Again, it is important to put the line on the
reel the same way it comes off the spool. This time, the spool of line should be vertical, with the
hole horizontal and perhaps with a pencil through it. The line should be coming off the top of the
spool, NOT the bottom. Fill the spool to the fill line, which is a painted or etched line on the spool,
and you're done.
SETTING CAST CONTROLS ON CASTING REELS: There are 2 primary methods for adjusting the
cast controls on casting reels. Try them both and stick with the method that works best for you and
your reel. One method is to adjust the control so that it just barely stops the reel from falling when
you push the casting button. To do this, loosen the cast control a little and push the button. The
lure should start falling. Quickly adjust the cast control until the lure stops falling. Remember to
make small adjustments. The other method is to set the control so that there is no overrun when
the lure strikes the deck. To do this, push the casting button and let the lure fall to the deck. If the
spool keeps turning and lets the line overrun, adjust the cast control and try again. Make small
adjustments until the spool stops the instant the lure hits the deck. With either method, you will
need to re-adjust the cast control when you change lures, especially if the lure is a different weight.
CASTING A CONVENTIONAL REEL WITH NO CAST CONTROLS: Some people are afraid to try
using a conventional casting reel with no cast controls because they fear that they will end up with
bad line tangles. However, anyone can learn to cast a conventional reel with a little practice.
Conventional reels are typically very rugged, simply made and have a lot of line capacity, so
anglers targeting large, strong fish often use them. To cast a conventional reel, push the casting
button or lever drag, place your thumb against the line on the spool, swing the rod from behind
you to about a 45-degree angle in front, let go with your thumb for a split second, immediately
touch the thumb gently against the spool to keep the line from overrunning and tangling, and
apply more pressure as the lure touches the water. The extensive use of the thumb has led many
instructors to describe experienced conventional reel anglers as having an "educated thumb."
Anglers who take the time to practice and educate their thumbs will broaden their skills and may
find that they enjoy the strength, simplicity and line capacity of a conventional reel.
CASTING A FLY ROD: Beginning fly anglers should learn the roll cast, the pick-up-and-put-down,
and the shooting cast. For all 3 casts, it is helpful to think of oneself as standing in the middle of a
clock, facing the 9, with the 3 behind, the 12 overhead and the 6 underfoot. The roll cast uses
about 20 feet of line and is very good for casting in tight spaces, especially with trees or bushes
behind. The angler slowly brings the rod slightly to the side and up to the 1 o'clock position, then
quickly pushes the rod forward to the 9 o'clock position. The result is that the line rolls past the
angler's side and forward out onto the water. The pick-up-and-put-down uses about 20 to 30 feet
of line. With the line spread out in front, the angler brings the rod quickly up to the 1 o'clock
position. The springing action of the rod flings the line out behind the angler. The angler pauses
just long enough for the line to straighten out behind in mid-air, then quickly brings the rod forward
to the 10 o'clock position. The springing action of the rod flings the line out in front of the angler.
The angler then lowers the rod to the 9 o'clock position as the line settles onto the water. The
shooting cast is essentially a pick-up-and-put-down cast, but the angler has extra line pulled off
the reel, part of which is held in the non-casting hand until the rod reaches the 10 o'clock position,
at which point it is allowed to shoot forward as the line springs forward and unfolds in the front
cast. For more distance, some anglers like to move their shoulder toward the rear in the back-cast
and move the shoulder to the front in the front-cast, while still following the 1 o'clock to 10 o'clock
pattern. A tug on the line during the back cast and again at the beginning of the front cast (called
a double-haul) can put a little more spring in the rod to fling the line a little harder and gain more
distance. It is wise to practice casting on a treeless lawn without having a fly tied to the line. It is
also wise to both practice and fish with protective sunglasses.
POLARIZED SUNGLASSES: All anglers will better protect their eyes and be able to see
underwater fish better with good quality polarized sunglasses. Polarization cuts surface glare due
to the alignment of particles in or on the lens, which can actually help an angler see underwater.
Since polarization makes sunglasses special, glasses that are polarized usually bear a special
label when they're on the rack. However, not all polarized sunglasses are created equal. The
better polarized sunglasses have a ground-in polarization that results in a top-notch, optical quality
lens with no distortions. Cheaper polarized sunglasses only have a sprayed-on polarized finish
that results in lens distortions that will cause eyestrain and can even damage the eyes. Like
polarization, optical quality lenses are special, so if they're optical quality there will usually be a
special label or information in the accompanying tag or pamphlet that says so.
Copyright© 2006 BobberStop.com
RODS
* Avoid at all times to knock the rod against hard surfaces. Small scratches and nicks may cause
rod breakage.
* After fishing, rinse your rod and dry it with a soft cloth before putting it back into the sheath.
* Better not put a rod wet with seawater back in its sheath, as you will contaminate it with salt. If this
cannot be avoided for transport reasons, wash the sheath thoroughly as soon as possible.
* Never stow a rod in its tube. This can trap humidity and cause corrosion of the guide rings. This
is especially recommended for cane rods.
* At least twice a season or more frequently when fishing in saltwater, inspect the rod rings with a
magnifying glass or slip a wad of cotton through them. Small scratches will hold some cotton… and
also damage the line that goes through the ring. These rings should be replaced immediately.
* Check to see if water seeps under the wrappings and corrode the guide ring legs. Once rust is
seen, the ring should be replaced immediately.
* With cane rods, inspect the varnish regularly: if water can penetrate under the protective layer, it
may cause the bamboo to rot or the strips to become unglued.
* Wash the rod with lukewarm soapy water and a soft sponge. An old tooth brush will remove the
dirt from the guide rings and reel seat.
*Getting the cork grip to look like new again is easy. Take some very fine, waterproof sandpaper
(the one used for car paint jobs) and a bar of ordinary hand soap. Wet the rod grip and
sandpaper thoroughly. Apply soap on the sandpaper and gently rub the grip. Be careful not to
scratch the rod itself or the reel seat. Rinse, let dry and admire the result.
* Small holes can be filled with natural coloured wood putty or with a mixture of cork filings and
wood glue.
* Once the rod is clean and dry, spray it with plastic renovator or furnishing spray. You can apply a
very light coating of fine oil on the reel seat.
* Avoid sticky ferrules by rubbing some parrafin (or candle wax) on the male ferrules.
* The best way to stow a rod over long periods is to hang it in its sheath on a nail or clothes
hanger inside a wardrobe. This is especially true for cane rods: leave a cane rod leaning against a
wall for a long period and you will discover it will be slightly curved.
REELS
* Avoid dipping your reel in water as much as possible and certainly in saltwater.
* Don't knock the reel against rocks, boat decks, hard floors etc. Small scratches and dents
expose bare metal which will corrode.
* On a boat always place the rod butt (and reel) on a damp cloth, so it will not slide and scratch.
* Never drop the reel in sand! Sand grains are very hard and can scratch the inner housing,
damage drag disks and even ball bearings.
* On a moving boat, make sure the reel is not exposed to spray. The power of the spray can force
sea-water deep into the reel where it will attack the ball bearings.
NOTE: even though a ball bearing housing is made from stainless steel, the balls themselves are
not. A corroded ball bearing will heat up and seize - in the middle of the fight with your fish of a life
time.
* Immediately after fishing, rinse the reel under a LOW pressure tap. Remove the spool, shake off
excess water and leave it to dry before reassembling.
* Back home after a saltwater fishing trip, and before putting the reel away for a long period, give it
an in-depth cleaning: remove fly line and backing, scrub carefully with hot soapy water to remove
salt crystals, rinse and dry with a clean cloth.
NOTE: reels should NOT be soaked for long periods. One, because the fresh water will not
dislodge salt trapped in the tightly wound backing. Two, because water will penetrate in the ball
bearings and cause rust (remember they are neither waterproof nor stainless). Soaking can also
distort the cork drag plates and cause a jerky drag.
* Apply new grease and lubricate according to the manufacturer's instructions. Apply a light
coating of oil or car polish on the housing. For those who fish year-round in saltwater, in-depth
reel maintenance should be done at least 4 times a year.
* Always loosen the drag completely when the reel is not in use.
* Don't stow a reel in its pouch, better to put it on shelf inside a cabinet.
FISHING EQUIPMENT TIPS
DRAG SETTINGS: The biggest mistake made by anglers is to have their drag set improperly. Most
manufacturers recommend that your drag be set at one-third of your line's test weight. This means
that a reel holding 15 pound test line should have the drag set to let out line at 5 pounds of pull.
To set your drag run the line out through your rod's guides, tie a loop in the end, then use the
hook on a fish scale (the tool, not the fish body part) to pull on the line. When the weight shown on
the scale is one-third of your rated line weight, the drag should be letting out line. If not, adjust the
drag until it does.
AVOID TANGLES ON YOUR SPINNING REEL: Spinning reels often get bird's nests and tangles,
which are usually caused by one of three mistakes. The first is putting the line on the reel
improperly. The line should go onto the reel the same way it comes off the spool, taking advantage
of the curve the line has memorized from being stored on the spool. Lay the spool FLAT on the
ground (do NOT hold it vertically) and start winding the reel. If tangles begin, turn the spool over.
The tangling should stop and your reel should be tangle free for the future, as long as you don't
make the other two mistakes. The second mistake is to overfill the spool. Spinning reels should
never be filled past the front spool lip, or too much line will come out during casting and -POOF!-
you'll have a big mess of tangles. The third most common mistake is to crank the reel while a fish
is taking out line. While it's OK to crank a baitcaster while a fish makes a run, a spinning reel is not
designed for such a mistake. During the fish's run, cranking a spinning reel literally twirls the line
around and around, twisting it up like a rubber band and resulting in lots of kinks and tangles.
FILLING CASTING AND CONVENTIONAL REELS: Improper filling of casting and conventional
reels can lead to tangles, just like on a spinning reel. Again, it is important to put the line on the
reel the same way it comes off the spool. This time, the spool of line should be vertical, with the
hole horizontal and perhaps with a pencil through it. The line should be coming off the top of the
spool, NOT the bottom. Fill the spool to the fill line, which is a painted or etched line on the spool,
and you're done.
SETTING CAST CONTROLS ON CASTING REELS: There are 2 primary methods for adjusting the
cast controls on casting reels. Try them both and stick with the method that works best for you and
your reel. One method is to adjust the control so that it just barely stops the reel from falling when
you push the casting button. To do this, loosen the cast control a little and push the button. The
lure should start falling. Quickly adjust the cast control until the lure stops falling. Remember to
make small adjustments. The other method is to set the control so that there is no overrun when
the lure strikes the deck. To do this, push the casting button and let the lure fall to the deck. If the
spool keeps turning and lets the line overrun, adjust the cast control and try again. Make small
adjustments until the spool stops the instant the lure hits the deck. With either method, you will
need to re-adjust the cast control when you change lures, especially if the lure is a different weight.
CASTING A CONVENTIONAL REEL WITH NO CAST CONTROLS: Some people are afraid to try
using a conventional casting reel with no cast controls because they fear that they will end up with
bad line tangles. However, anyone can learn to cast a conventional reel with a little practice.
Conventional reels are typically very rugged, simply made and have a lot of line capacity, so
anglers targeting large, strong fish often use them. To cast a conventional reel, push the casting
button or lever drag, place your thumb against the line on the spool, swing the rod from behind
you to about a 45-degree angle in front, let go with your thumb for a split second, immediately
touch the thumb gently against the spool to keep the line from overrunning and tangling, and
apply more pressure as the lure touches the water. The extensive use of the thumb has led many
instructors to describe experienced conventional reel anglers as having an "educated thumb."
Anglers who take the time to practice and educate their thumbs will broaden their skills and may
find that they enjoy the strength, simplicity and line capacity of a conventional reel.
CASTING A FLY ROD: Beginning fly anglers should learn the roll cast, the pick-up-and-put-down,
and the shooting cast. For all 3 casts, it is helpful to think of oneself as standing in the middle of a
clock, facing the 9, with the 3 behind, the 12 overhead and the 6 underfoot. The roll cast uses
about 20 feet of line and is very good for casting in tight spaces, especially with trees or bushes
behind. The angler slowly brings the rod slightly to the side and up to the 1 o'clock position, then
quickly pushes the rod forward to the 9 o'clock position. The result is that the line rolls past the
angler's side and forward out onto the water. The pick-up-and-put-down uses about 20 to 30 feet
of line. With the line spread out in front, the angler brings the rod quickly up to the 1 o'clock
position. The springing action of the rod flings the line out behind the angler. The angler pauses
just long enough for the line to straighten out behind in mid-air, then quickly brings the rod forward
to the 10 o'clock position. The springing action of the rod flings the line out in front of the angler.
The angler then lowers the rod to the 9 o'clock position as the line settles onto the water. The
shooting cast is essentially a pick-up-and-put-down cast, but the angler has extra line pulled off
the reel, part of which is held in the non-casting hand until the rod reaches the 10 o'clock position,
at which point it is allowed to shoot forward as the line springs forward and unfolds in the front
cast. For more distance, some anglers like to move their shoulder toward the rear in the back-cast
and move the shoulder to the front in the front-cast, while still following the 1 o'clock to 10 o'clock
pattern. A tug on the line during the back cast and again at the beginning of the front cast (called
a double-haul) can put a little more spring in the rod to fling the line a little harder and gain more
distance. It is wise to practice casting on a treeless lawn without having a fly tied to the line. It is
also wise to both practice and fish with protective sunglasses.
POLARIZED SUNGLASSES: All anglers will better protect their eyes and be able to see
underwater fish better with good quality polarized sunglasses. Polarization cuts surface glare due
to the alignment of particles in or on the lens, which can actually help an angler see underwater.
Since polarization makes sunglasses special, glasses that are polarized usually bear a special
label when they're on the rack. However, not all polarized sunglasses are created equal. The
better polarized sunglasses have a ground-in polarization that results in a top-notch, optical quality
lens with no distortions. Cheaper polarized sunglasses only have a sprayed-on polarized finish
that results in lens distortions that will cause eyestrain and can even damage the eyes. Like
polarization, optical quality lenses are special, so if they're optical quality there will usually be a
special label or information in the accompanying tag or pamphlet that says so.
Copyright© 2006 BobberStop.com
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Fishing Equipment Care |
| "There are two types of fisherman - those who fish for sport and those who fish for fish." Author Unknown |
| "I fish better with a lit cigar; some people fish better with talent." Nick Lyons |
