• Reel cleaning is critical to protecting your gear. Good reels can last a lifetime if they are taken care of properly. Most electronics stores have small kits of compact screwdrivers of various types and sizes. Use a thin messed strainer to clean your parts.

 

  • The combination of toothpaste and grease make a great cleaner for internal reel parts. The exact ration of grease to toothpaste is not known, many suggest a 50/50 ration. Once done, wash out with soap water and grease the parts before assembly.

 

  • The best tool to cut monofilament line is a simple nail clipper. I’s easier to use than scissors and takes up less space.

 

  • Another necessary tool is a permanent marker that you will need for writing on storage envelopes and lures. Fine tips work best.

 

  • Line twists are easy to avoid with the use of swivels. However, they are only as good as the line you are working with. Be sure to use a quality line and avoid high-test lines where they are not required and avoid using too many swivels.

 

  • Some anglers claim that drilling holes in the back end of the spoon attract fish due the hum it emits. Drill holes about 1/8 in diameter for small game fish and ¼ to larger game fish up to 1/3 up the spoon. This can work well for largemouth bass.

 

  • Young anglers don’t spend much time choosing a good line. To get the best results consider the conditions you will face, the fish you will encounter and the equipment you will be using. If the fish have teeth, a good leader may also be required.

 

  • Matching a bobber to your line and sinker is important. Too large a float and it won’t be sensitive enough and too light and it will sink away. Use 1 inch diameter float for a 1/8 ounce sinker; 1 1/4 ¼; 1 ½ – ½; 1 ¾ – 1 and so on.

 

  • A dull hook will lose a fish. Check you hooks before using them. If you have room in your tackle box, keep a sharpening tool and a file.

 

  • For catch and release, we recommend keeping a few dull hooks and filing them down for catch and release.

 

  • If you fish a lot from an earthen shoreline, you can create a rod holder out of a piece of PVC pipe. You will need a piece of pipe 16 inches long with the end going into the earth. Cut at a 45 degree angle so it penetrates the earth easily.

 

Please send in any tips you’d like to share.