Let’s be real, here—fishing gear isn’t cheap, and those of us with a passion for it have (and need) more equipment than maybe we’re willing to admit. To keep costs down and increase longevity, it’s important to keep a rigorous maintenance schedule for all your gear and tackle. Ideally these steps will become part of your everyday routine, as automatic as eating breakfast in the morning. It will keep your gear lasting a long time and make the whole experience a lot more pleasant each time you get it out.

While different gear requires different care, in general you can’t go wrong with a freshwater rinse (no hard spray), drying all components thoroughly, and storing them in a temperature-controlled place out of direct sunlight. But each piece of equipment should be given special, individualized attention.

Rods

After each use, wipe down your rod with a soft, clean cloth. Check for any accumulation of grit, debris, or mucky water. If you fish in salt water, you’ll want use a bottle of fresh water to completely rinse your gear, since salt water can corrode, rust, and otherwise degrade your equipment. While you’re cleaning, check your guides to make sure that aren’t any cracks, nicks, or other damage. Even small amounts of damage can wear down your line quickly. Lines already need to be replaced roughly once a year, so make sure the one you have is clean and not frayed.

Rods should be stored in a vertical position. You can find some nice rod sleeves or racks to protect them further and keep them organized.

Reels

Reels are finicky because they have a lot of hard-to-reach nooks and crannies that can accumulate gunk, and it’s really important that a reel runs smoothly without getting gummed up. This is the gear that is most important to rinse with fresh water every time. Don’t spray the water, as the pressure can cause any particles to become lodged in the cracks, but do a solid rinse, then wipe everything down. Some folks will even use a hairdryer to make sure that it’s completely dry.

When you’re all done cleaning, apply a little oil to keep everything as lubricated as possible. I’m a fan of the Reel Butter by Ardent, but there are a lot of great choices out there. Loosen any drag to avoid warping from protracted tension, and you’re good to go!

Tackle

First and foremost, your tacklebox should be clean, dry, and free of debris. It’s essential that absolutely no bait accidentally ends up rotting and marinating in there or you’ll be very unhappy the next time you go to open it (or use your nose).

Lures should be clean and thoroughly dry when put away. Check for damage and repaint, replace, or scrub down any issues with a hardbody plastic lure. Softbody plastic lures can soften or even melt together if exposed to too much heat, so make sure that they’re organized in separate compartments without touching and that they’re kept in a cool, dry place. Hooks should be checked for damage or rust (and kept clean and dry to prevent the latter!). Replace damaged or rusted hooks, and for dull hooks you can use a sharpening stone to replace that luster and sharpness.

Line

No one wants a line that snaps out of nowhere, so it’s important to check your line after every use. Any possible dings or nicks can create a problem down the road, so cut off all damaged sections and retie your line from there. Rinse it with fresh water and dry it thoroughly before storing it away from sunlight. Use a line winder, or a spool box like this one from Plano to keep it from tangling while in storage.