We heard an unfortunate story recently about a lost haul of scallops. The dredge, feeling rather full, was lost to the sea floor when the tension and weight of the haul
got too much for the old rope. Snap. It was a season without scallops for this disappointed family.

As you know, saltwater has a nasty habit of creeping inside everything and deteriorating even the hardiest of equipment.

To save you heartache and money, here are some handy Winter maintenance tips, to ensure you have working gear season after season…

1. ALL equipment from the day should be cleaned up as soon as you get home (even the ropes!).
2. Allow all gear to dry before storing.
3. Remove your reels from the rod holders while travelling fast, to help stop the damaging saltwater spray from entering them.
4. After use, lightly spray your rods with freshwater. Be careful not to force in saltwater.
5. Don’t loosen the drag before you wash a reel down. Tighten it as this will help prevent the chance of the water seeping into the drag washers.
6. Lubricate your reels before storing, and remove them from their rods.
7. Use detergent on your rods sparingly (only to remove unwanted fish parts and slime), as it can remove oil.
8. Wash your lures of saltwater before putting back in the tackle box.
9. Over time, saltwater will rust stainless rigging, so always clean it.

Now your equipment will be ready when you are.

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