Major Rust Issues

[wapsi smallmouth]

Haven't been able to go fishing for about a month, but today I was going through my boxes putting stuff away and noticed that a lot of my hooks have rust on them and not just in one box, but my jigs, cranks, worm hooks all have some rust on them. It appears to be mostly superficial rust, but I cant tell for sure. It was a very rainy weekend the last time I went and I thought I had dried everything out sufficiently, but it appears that wasn't the case. Is there any way to get the rust off? Whats a good way to prevent this from happening again?

 

 

Thanks

Wapsi Smallmouth

[WRB]

Fresh water shouldn't cause rust on plated hooks. Your problem is either poor air circulation and some type of elytrolite mixing with the moisture. Common elytrolites are salt from soft plastics and acid from exhaust fumes.

You can clean the rusted steel hooks using baking soda and warm water, then let dry over night on paper towels. 

Desccicant bags from pill boxes or used bounce drier sheets can help prevent rust. Sealed air tight bags or plastic storage boxes are not good for rust prevention.

Tom   

[RB 77]

14 hours ago, WRB said:

Fresh water shouldn't cause rust on plated hooks. Your problem is either poor air circulation and some type of elytrolite mixing with the moisture. Common elytrolites are salt from soft plastics and acid from exhaust fumes.

You can clean the rusted steel hooks using baking soda and warm water, then let dry over night on paper towels. 

Desccicant bags from pill boxes or used bounce drier sheets can help prevent rust. Sealed air tight bags or plastic storage boxes are not good for rust prevention.

Tom   

 

X2 on the desiccant packets. I started using these years ago and have never had any problems since. I also try and lay lures out on the deck to dry before tossing back in a box as well as opening up boxes for a day or two after trips as a precautionary measure.

[fishballer06]

I always open up all my boxes once I get home and let them dry out overnight. 

 

Also, if you leave plastics with salt in them on hooks and store them while still wet, they will rust.

[J Francho]

This is probably the tenth time I've posted this in a week:

 

Use Plano Hydroflow boxes.  Watch your rust issues disappear.  Seriously.

 

Save the desiccant for storing sneaker, and dryer sheets for laundry.

[IndianaFinesse]

9 hours ago, J Francho said:

This is probably the tenth time I've posted this in a week:

 

Use Plano Hydroflow boxes.  Watch your rust issues disappear.  Seriously.

 

Save the desiccant for storing sneaker, and dryer sheets for laundry.

I thought about trying those, but I doubt they'd work in an environment that has such a high humidity that it causes hooks to rust, even hooks that have never touched the water.  They're good hooks to, gamakatsu, katsuage, and owner.  Any ideas for protecting against humidity?

[Junger]

You can add Zerust Plastabs to your tackle boxes.  They're pretty inexpensive at Tackle Warehouse or Cabela's.

 

I'm borderline OCD, so I carry an empty Flambeau open core 3600 tackle box with me, and whenever I switch out a lure, I throw it in there.  When I'm done, I leave it open over night to dry out. Then I put the dried out lures from the 3600 back where they belong.

[WRB]

30 minutes ago, IndianaFinesse said:

I thought about trying those, but I doubt they'd work in an environment that has such a high humidity that it causes hooks to rust, even hooks that have never touched the water.  They're good hooks to, gamakatsu, katsuage, and owner.  Any ideas for protecting against humidity?

Desiccants, put hooks in their bags into a 1 gallon zip lock bag with a desciccant bag.

Eat Snickers for a snack.

Tom

[UPSmallie]

You can buy steel wool bundles for $1-$2 bucks at the local hardware store.  It will scrape off paint or rust from your lures or hooks.  If they're really rusted then I would just replace them.

[Gundog]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

 

Eat Snickers for a snack.

Tom

Are the people from Snickers paying you to mention them?  Not-so-subliminal advertising. 

[WRB]

1 hour ago, Gundog said:

Are the people from Snickers paying you to mention them?  Not-so-subliminal advertising. 

No, had too many left over from Halloween trick & treats...dam things are addictive?.

Tom

[J Francho]

12 hours ago, IndianaFinesse said:

I thought about trying those, but I doubt they'd work in an environment that has such a high humidity that it causes hooks to rust, even hooks that have never touched the water.  They're good hooks to, gamakatsu, katsuage, and owner.  Any ideas for protecting against humidity?

Bring them inside, and they're fine.  We get oppressive humidity in mid/late summer here due to the lake.  No issues since I went to hydroflo boxes.