Howzit! You know that feeling after a great day of fishing. Maybe you are thinking about the fish that spooled you or how you gonna prepare the fish in your cooler. The thrill of catching that fish, the little bit of sun burn on your face and… all your gear that is caked with salt, sand, dirt and who knows what else. Cleaning your fishing gear might not be the most exciting part of the day, but trust me, it’s super important. A quick rinse and some simple maintenance can make your rods, reels, and tackle last a lot longer and work the way it suppose to.

Let’s go through the steps of getting your fishing gear clean and ready for the next trip!

Why Clean Your Gear Regularly?

So, why go through the trouble of cleaning your fishing gear? I’ll tell you why… it’s because saltwater is a killer. If you leave it on your gear, your stuff is gonna rust and corrode. By removing all the salt, sand and everything else, you can keep your gear in good condition so that it performs how it suppose to when you are casting and reeling in the big one. Plus, you prolong the life of your gear so that you don’t have to replace them for a long time.

What You Need to Clean Your Gear

You don’t need anything fancy! Just…

  • Fresh water from the garden hose
  • A mild soap… nothing crazy
  • An old toothbrush
  • Towel for drying
  • Lubricant for da kine… your reel

Step 1: Cleaning Your Rods

Start with the rods. It’s the biggest and longest thing. Remove the reel from the reel seat if can. I usually just lightly rinse it off to get all the salt, sand and dirt off. If necessary, I use the brush and some soap to clean around the eyes and the reel seat. Use the towel to dry them off and stand’m up next to a wall.

Step 2: Cleaning Your Reels

For the reels, same thing, rinse lightly to get the salt off and maybe use the brush to clean the sand and dirt out of the nooks and crannies. When you are done, do the same thing as with the rods and just dry it down with the towel. Get your lube and add some drops to the moving parts.

Step 3: Cleaning Your Lures, Hooks, and Tackle

Don’t forget your tackle box! You might have some lures in there. make sure to rinse them down and wipe down your tackle box too. Don’t hook yourself.

Avoid These Mistakes

  • Do not use bleach or strong chemicals to clean your gear.
  • Do not forget to dry your gear thoroughly
  • Don’t forget to lube the moving parts.

Tips for Storing Your Gear

Now that your gear is sparkling clean, make sure everything is dry before packing it away. Keep your rods in protective cases to keep them away from the sun and away from your feet. I’ve personally stepped on a few and had to get the eyes replaced. They also make bags for your reels.

Wrap Up

I use to hate cleaning my fishing gear. But my friend showed me how. You see, he didn’t have much money and all he had was his fishing gear. Every time we came back from fishing, he’d even wash my stuff too. He took pride in his fishing equipment. So to honor him, I made sure I follow suit. And it’s become routine. So while you wash down your fishing gear, take that time to reflect on your day and in just a few moments it’s gonna be all ready for next time.