Storing Gear For Winter

[George DeHaven]

What are some ways that you all prepare your rods, reels and tackle for being put away for a few months.

 

Seems like, for me, fishing season is over. The weather is awful here and if it's not extremely cold or raining, there's 20mph winds. I can't win so I'm packin' it all up.

 

[bigbill]

When the first flurries start to fall try throwing soft plastic swimbaits. The hogs are not in the mud yet. There cruising for a meal. My biggest bass I ever had on my line was in November. Now it's time to fish hard.

[Sun Fish]

Also in NEPA here.  Are you crazy the season is not over yet!!  But otherwise I just put them away and usually respool before the start of next season.

[Insanity]

I miss a few days here or there here. It's a good time to tear the reels down, clean and reoil everything That way when a piece jumps and and u can't find it you have plenty of time to get a replacement mailed to ya. Or you can take the box of parts to the wife and swear its a mess and you need a new one.

Other then that mine just hang in the garage till next time. Maybe reorganize the tackle box and see what else you can buy that will squeeze in there. But that usually just makes you want to fish. Better to cover it up and keep it out of site.

[wnybassman]

One of the first things I do when the boat gets cleaned out is get stuff as dry as possible as quick as possible.   Gear and tackle takes a beating during the late season getting wet/damp and when it is steady in the 20's through the 40's, not much drying is happening.

[Sam]

Remove all reels from rods.

Loosen all drag and spools on reels.

Remover line from spools.

Wash all rods in shower.

All tackle is in the house.

Decide if any reels need to be serviced.

[Bluebasser86]

Remove all reels from rods.

Loosen all drag and spools on reels.

Remover line from spools.

Wash all rods in shower.

All tackle is in the house.

Decide if any reels need to be serviced.

If my gear ever got put away for this terrible "offseason" thing I keep hearing about, this is what I'd suggest doing also. 

[Trey Harpel]

Wash and WAX rods and reels with eagle one nano wax.. Great stuff!

Back drags off on reels..

Clean all reels

Run a cotton swab around rod guides to make sure no cracks or chips in guides

[.RM.]

Remove all reels from rods.

Loosen all drag and spools on reels.

Remover line from spools.

Wash all rods in shower.

All tackle is in the house.

Decide if any reels need to be serviced.

X2....

[George DeHaven]

Not only am I NOT going to pack up my gear just yet, but I am going to fish this morning IN THE SNOW!

 

There's a first time for everything!

[Bankbeater]

I don't service my reels all at the same time.  I don't want to have all of my reels out if the temp warms up enough to go fishing.

[thehooligan]

I fish year round and all tackle stays in the house, no prepping necessary   

[George DeHaven]

...and yet, this is EXACTLY what I'm talking about and it drives me CRAZY!

 

I had put all my gear in the truck, was set to take the kids to school and hit the lake right after.

 

2 HOUR DELAY.

 

I can't win. LoL

[ww2farmer]

Reels:

 

Remove reels from the rods.

 

Back the drags off.

 

I use braid as mainline so the line stays on, I only re-spool if I am getting low, or if the braid is looking unusually ratty.

 

I don't start cleaning/lubing them until I am 100% sure there is no chance that I might need to grab one and go. But my clean and lube process is simple. Wipe down with a clean rag, I'll use a cotton swab to get any gunk out of small spots. Flush and re-lube spool bearings, lube the level wind gear. A little dab of grease on the gears, and that's about it.

 

Rods:

 

Wipe the rods down with a clean, damp rag. Check guides. All my rods are EVA handles now, but when I had cork handle rods, I cleaned them with a Mr. Clean magic eraser.

 

Hang rods up in a rack

 

Tackle:

 

Brought in the house

 

Any Waterlogged plastics, or rusty hooks get tossed. Rusty jigs get set off to the side so the lead can be melted back off them to make something else.

 

I inventory all my stuff so I know what I "need" to stock up on over the winter

 

I sort out stuff that I find myself not using much and sell or trade it on the flea market here.

 

I spend a lot of time over the coarse of the winter changing out trebel hooks, trimming jig skirts, and making all the little mods. to my stuff so that when I hit the water at ice out I am ready to go.

[KyakR]

Remove all reels from rods.

Loosen all drag and spools on reels.

Remover line from spools.

Wash all rods in shower.

All tackle is in the house.

Decide if any reels need to be serviced.

Thanks Sam! This is stuff I really needed to know !

[Paul Peixoto]

Bringing the tackle inside the house? What effect does storing the tackle, say in the garage have?

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

As long as it's dry, none.

[Paul Peixoto]

As long as it's dry, none

Thanks  i purposely have a section I just made for all my tackle in the garage.  you guys had me worried

[Preytorien]

Thanks for the info. A couple questions....

 

I'm a first year rookie at baitcasters.....what effect does loosening the drag and spool tension knobs do?

 

Is there any kind of special storage I need to utilize for my soft plastics/skirts?

 

Thanks guys, as always, I come here for answers from the pros.

[Hanover_Yakker]

I prepare my combos by re-tying leaders and going fishing

[dam0007]

I miss a few days here or there here. It's a good time to tear the reels down, clean and reoil everything That way when a piece jumps and and u can't find it you have plenty of time to get a replacement mailed to ya. Or you can take the box of parts to the wife and swear its a mess and you need a new one.

I literally just burst out laughing. Lmaooooo