Winterizing

I went out for an hour today on Valentine and noticed that parts of the lake that I used to fish is being covered by a thin skin of ice.  This, of course, makes it quite impossible to fly fish.  Although it will probably melt again, I decided that it's time to winterize the fly fishing gear for the year.  The bass mostly shut down for the year a few weeks ago anyway, and I'm running low on wire leaders for the pike.

It's important to take good care of your gear for the winter.  Remember that your gear will sit stationary and unused for months.  I'll go through it item by item.

Rod: not much needed here.  I usually give it a quick wipe down to get any weeds or dirt off it.  I also like to wipe down the cork handle to get it a little cleaner.  Make sure the female ends of the ferrules are clear of obstructions.

Reel:  Most modern fly reels are self-lubricating, which means that applying oil or grease will usually do more harm than good.  Again, wipe down for dirt on the inside and outside of the reel and spool arbor.  Not much needed here either.

Flies:  Make sure your flies are spaced out.   If they are stored closely together, then their form can get bent and deformed.  Make sure they aren't put away wet in an enclosed space where the hooks will rust or grow mold.  I have an anti-rust patch in my fly box.

Line:  This is the most important part.  Remember that line is susceptible to damage from light, dirt, and chemicals.  Clean it by soaking and then running it through a cloth until it doesn't leave dirt in the paper towel.    Don't put it back on the spool - wrap it LOOSELY around another object with a large radius like a coat hanger.  This minimizes memory and coils.  Store it in a dark place out of the light.


A little depressing but there's always next season.  Time for ice fishing soon.