How to Care for a Fly-Fishing Rod and Reel

Now that you've spent what seems like a small fortune to outfit yourself for fly-fishing, it's good to think about what you can do to prolong the life of your equipment. There are a few small things you can do after every trip that will keep your rod and reel in good shape.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Fly-fishing Wading Jackets
• Backing/fly-fishing
• Fishing Fly Box
• Fishing Fly Kit
• Fly-fishing Flies
• Fly-fishing Leaders
• Fly-fishing Lines
• Fly-fishing Nets
• Fly-fishing Reels
• Fly-fishing Rods
• Fly-fishing Vests
• Waders

1. Break down your rod at the end of every fishing day to avoid damaging it. Getting it caught in the car door will not prolong your rod's life.
2. Take the rod apart by pulling straight on the sections. This will help ensure that the ferrules (the points of connection between the sections) won't get bent.
3. Wipe the rod off after every use, to clear any film or debris and to dry it off. Be careful not to put your rod away wet, as this may cause your case or cork grip to mildew.
4. Disassemble your rod and store it in its case, and leave the case open until everything is dry. You may also consider storing your rod upright with the cap case off. This will allow the rod to stay clear of trapped moisture that may accumulate as a result of temperature changes.
5. Run a piece of nylon stocking through the guides on your rod to see if there are any burrs that may wear on your line. If the nylon snags, file down the burrs so they won't wear through your line.
6. Check to make sure there aren't abrasives like sand or dirt inside the reel; they'll wear out the parts. If you find some debris inside, separate the spool and the frame and shake them out underwater. When you get home, you can take off all the line and backing to clean the reel in dishwashing detergent and rinse thoroughly.
7. Lubricate all moving metal parts with light grease.

Tips & Warnings

• If you can't get the rod's sections apart on your own, have someone stand in front of you and pull straight on one section while you do the same on the other. Dirty ferrules can be hard to pull apart; clean them with soap and water.