How to Maintain Your Fly Fishing Gear

Okay, you’ve either bought fly fishing gear for the first time, or you’re replacing old equipment. Either way you’ve invested a significant amount of money. Now you’re wondering how to protect your investment, that is keep your gear in good shape.

As with any equipment, taking proper care of fly fishing gear will extend its life and save you expense later. The maintenance isn’t expensive, and doesn’t have to require a lot of time. Below are a few tips on how to take care of your gear.

Maintaining Your Rods

The fishing rod is the most important piece of gear in fly fishing and usually the most expensive. Keeping it in good shape should be your first priority.

 Clean your rod with warm water and mild detergent after every use.
 Allow the rod to dry completely (especially after saltwater fishing)
 Check for broken or worn parts and replace/repair them.
 Put a light coating of paraffin on the ferrules.
 Place the rod in its bag and store in a hard tube.

Caring for Lines

With the improvements over the past few years, modern line rarely requires line coatings or conditioners. You still need to keep the line clean, though, so include a regular cleaning in your gear maintenance.

 Check your line. If it’s sticking, wash it in mild soap and warm water.
 Keep line out of the sun when not in use.
 Don’t step on or allow anything to rub against the line.
 Keep your line away from solvents.

Keeping Reels in Working Order

Like with lines, you don’t have to wash your fishing rod reel after every use, but it’s a good idea to clean it on a regular basis.

 Follow the manufacturer’s care suggestions.
 Wash the reel with mild soap and warm water.
 Coat your reel with a corrosion-resistant product.
 When not in use, cover the reel. (NEVER drop the reel onto the ground.)
 Completely back off the drag before storing.

Keep Flies from Corroding

Some anglers just buy new flies instead of caring for them. You can follow that path if you want, but it isn’t necessary. If you take the time to maintain it, you can use a fly more than once.

 Rinse flies with warm water after use.
 Dry the flies thoroughly.
 Check the hooks for corrosion (especially after fishing in saltwater).
 Discard flies with corroded hooks.
 Store non-corroded flies in their boxes.

General Points to Remember

If you prefer saltwater fishing, you’ll need to spend a little more time caring for your equipment. The possibility of corrosion is higher when fishing in saltwater, so be sure to inspect your gear after each use, and discard/repair any corroded parts. Never leave your gear exposed to the elements. Keep it covered and away from dirt, oil and other contaminants. Always use warm water and mild soap to clean your gear, and wait until it is completely dry before storing it.

By spending a little time and effort, you can keep your fly fishing rod and other gear in good shape.