Cleaning fishing rods

[airshot]

Decided to try cleaning some rods and reels today. Used simple green, some dawn, ended up needing a scruffy pad and a brass wire brush along with a skotchbtite pad. Now that was a job !!! I will admit, those minnow scales have been building up for 5-6 years. They would make an awesome glue !! After soaking and repeated simple green along with dawn dish soap, scrubbing with a tooth brush and a brass brush, along with my finger nails as a scraper, finally got them cleaned off !! About 3/4 to one hour for each 6' rod. Whew...did not realize how tough those things were!! They do look great, coated them with reel magic and silicone spray in hopes next years cleaning will be much easier....The areas nearvthe handle/ reel seat was so covered you could not tell the color of the rod and the rubber handles on the reels were solid scales which made the handles very slippery when they got wet !! Got more to do but gotta let arthritus in my hands recover. Definetly won't let it build up that bad again !! Next spring will look l have all new gear !!

 

[Sprig]

I've never washed a lure in my life, or a fresh water rod or reel for that matter. I occasionally rinse the salt water of those rods, but more often I just leave them in the boat and let the rain do it!

The lures I use for trolling (trout, salmon, striper) I use Procure fish attractant scent on. Those various attractants really stick to the lures and leave a residue. After a month or so they turn rancid and repel rather attract fish. Thus I wash the lures I’ve used scent on every so often. Prior to using scent I had never washed lures either.

 

[KJM]

The lures I use for trolling (trout, salmon, striper) I use Procure fish attractant scent on. Those various attractants really stick to the lures and leave a residue. After a month or so they turn rancid and repel rather attract fish. Thus I wash the lures I’ve used scent on every so often. Prior to using scent I had never washed lures either.

Do those attractants really work? I've never used them, I always assumed they were in the snake oil catagory. Maybe I should give them a try....

 

[Sprig]

Do those attractants really work? I've never used them, I always assumed they were in the snake oil catagory. Maybe I should give them a try....

Do they work, I think so, just my opinion. It is known that fish use their sense of smell to locate food more than eyesight. Once they locate something by smell they then use their eyesight and mouth/taste. I’ve used scent and fished along side people not using scent and often (not always) been more successful. I know most of the fresh water guides here in California scent their lures. I only use it when trolling and specifically trolling for kokanee , salmon, trout, striped bass.
In the winter when water temps are cold and fish are sluggish scent seems to entice more fish than ordinarily may not bother going after a lure.
Overall I think it gives you some advantage , how much, who knows.
I found that you have to experiment with different scents. The scents that attracts them varies among different species. I have a small tackle box with probably 15 different scents. Scents that are good for striper don’t really work for trout etc etc. I use Procure scents. If you check them out they probably make fish 50 or more different scents. Scents are big here in the west, I just don’t know about the rest of the country.

 

[airshot]

Haven't used scents in years, the reason being, back in the day, those scents were weird like licorice, and other scents that a fish would never know about. Most were just masking scents to cover human scents. Today....I don't know, we see very little if any scent ads or articles talking about scents. So, in todays modern science have they really created scents that "attract" fish ?? If so...then I am interested !!

 

[Sprig]

Haven't used scents in years, the reason being, back in the day, those scents were weird like licorice, and other scents that a fish would never know about. Most were just masking scents to cover human scents. Today....I don't know, we see very little if any scent ads or articles talking about scents. So, in todays modern science have they really created scents that "attract" fish ?? If so...then I am interested !!

Ya wants to see a load of various scents check out the Procure site. It’s amazing.

 

[dingbat]

Go out of my way to keep any "scents" on the boat to a minimum....lol

Most everything I chase are sight feeding predators. It's either live bait or big flashy and or loud lures. Any "scent" in the water typically draws undesirables, IE sharks, rays, skates, catfish, etc.

The exceptions are when bottom fishing when the water is warmer. Fishbites are a great substitute for anything that bites on blood and sand worms.

 

[airshot]

Ya wants to see a load of various scents check out the Procure site. It’s amazing.

Thanks, I will check that out....

 

[rxl650]

I prefer to take the word of a rod builder. It's a pretty intimate hobby. Most have seen all and tried all.
I laughed at the wd-40 scenting of baits. Tried it like every other local years ago. I do however use it to clean my rods. Getting off dried spawn was a bear of a job back before the art of chumming was banned. I had a pair of coveralls my wife wouldnt let in the house. They stood in the corner of the mudroom with no assistance.
As for a magic bait. I havent found anything better than matching the current diet. I threw a raddish in the stream one afternoon and watched a rainbow snatch it up. 2 more pieces, 2 more bows. Go figure.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I have never heard of fearing fishing rods getting wet, people fish in the rain, rods get dropped in the lake etc. I will say this about salt water fishing rods, if you do not rinse them the eyes get pitted and crusty from the salt and humidity if you store them un rinsed. For salt water fishing gear I spend $ on the reels not so much on the rods I use ugly sticks to fish out of the kayaks, same rods the last 7 years been rinsed every time and still cast well.