Surface Rust

[Jonny15678]

How serious is surface rust on a lure? I had a bit of surface rust on the eyelet to blade on my jig, it came right off with warm water and some WD40. Can I throw it back in my tackle box with other lures or do I risk spreading it?

[Big Rick]

20 minutes ago, Jonny15678 said:

Can I throw it back in my tackle box with other lures or do I risk spreading it?

As long as it's wearing a mask it should be fine mixing with the other baits..

[Danika 327]

1 hour ago, Jonny15678 said:

Can I throw it back in my tackle box with other lures or do I risk spreading it?

you should be just fine as long as you have it in its own spot. 

[GreenPig]

I explain to all new tackle in a firm calm voice that there be "NO RUSTING". Don't act like the rest of y'all don't talk to your gear. ?

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

Don't act like the rest of y'all don't talk to your gear. ?

I do - but it doesn't listen

"You're gonna catch me a keeper...right..."

(hour later)

"You are worthless!"

 

1 hour ago, Jonny15678 said:

Can I throw it back in my tackle box with other lures or do I risk spreading it?

Get some Silica Gel Packs and toss them in to a spare compartment in each box - that'll help keep the rust away.

[fin]

Rust doesn’t spread like mold. It will spread by direct contact, but not by air. And when it does spread, the rust that forms is easy to remove.

 

Most metals have a coating or treatment to their surface that makes them resistant to rust. When that surface gets damaged or scratched, the metal beneath rusts. The eyelet on a chatterbait gets scratched very quickly, so the blade is a common place to see rust. It’s the eyelet that is rusting, not the chrome blade, so it’s easy to remove the rust from the blade. I like to use Scotch-brite pads. They are abrasive, but won’t damage the surface like sandpaper will.

 

I drill holes in my Plano boxes so moisture doesn’t get trapped inside. If you’re a kayaker or boater, you wouldn’t want to do that (in case your box goes overboard and sinks). I’m a bank fisherman.

[MickD]

When done fishing open your boxes that have had lures put back into them so they can quickly dry and you won't have rust problems with or without that lure in there.  

 

I often don't put wet lures back into boxes, letting them dry on the deck and put them back at the end of the day.  That works better boat fishing than it does kayak or shore fishing, of course.

[Bankc]

Surface rust is nothing.  Just clean it off and it's good.  It's not like a virus or bacteria.  

The question is what caused the rust.  Acids and salts can speed the rust process really quickly (pour vinegar on high carbon steel and it'll rust in minutes).  And they can evaporate into the air and spread.  So if you fished in slightly acidic or salty water, it can speed up the formation of rust.  Also, some steels are really bad about rusting with very little to provoke it (I'm looking at you, Eagle Claw).  

[Columbia Craw]

Coca Cola is a great rust remover.

[papajoe222]

On 7/24/2022 at 8:58 PM, MN Fisher said:

Get some Silica Gel Packs and toss them in to a spare compartment in each box - that'll help keep the rust away.

   Spare compartment???

  Stop, please! You're killin' me.

[Gorris317]

Do you guys take a different approach to cleaning the lure if its a hook? 

 

If its a worm hook I usually toss it. Noticed some rust on my treble hooks and not sure how to go about cleaning them or if I should replace them as well.