Cutthroat Anglers is the premier fly shop and guide service in Colorado and the West. At Cutthroat Anglers it is our mission to provide the finest quality fly fishing products, instruction, and personal service.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Mitch Melichar
Chris Hall
Equipment Maintenance: Saltwater Trips
Trout anglers are relatively spoiled when it comes to equipment maintenance. With minimal effort, freshwater fisherman can keep their gear performing at a high level. The same is not true for saltwater anglers. This extremely corrosive environment with quickly ruin even the priciest equipment.
Besides using basic freshwater maintenance steps, you need to thoroughly rinse all of your gear after each trip. An easy way to ensure that you remove all of the salt is to take your gear into the shower with you.
An outdoor wash station is another useful option for cleaning and rinsing gear. Now you can splash water everywhere and no one will care.
At the end of destination trip, you should take apart all of your gear and clean it a mild soap. Be sure to clean your sunglasses, pliers, boga grip, and flies. Air dry your gear before storing.
Besides using basic freshwater maintenance steps, you need to thoroughly rinse all of your gear after each trip. An easy way to ensure that you remove all of the salt is to take your gear into the shower with you.
An outdoor wash station is another useful option for cleaning and rinsing gear. Now you can splash water everywhere and no one will care.
At the end of destination trip, you should take apart all of your gear and clean it a mild soap. Be sure to clean your sunglasses, pliers, boga grip, and flies. Air dry your gear before storing.
Equipment Maintenance: Waders
Overall, out-of-the-box quality for waders is at an all time high, but mistreated equipment will fail as quick as ever. Even with multiple layers and reinforced knees, all waders are susceptible to pinhole leaks and tears.
Avoid traversing barbed wire fences as much as possible. Also, take care when going over a downed log.
During hot summers, waders can turn quite odorous. Most wader brands can be machined washed with a mild detergent.
We suggest you let your waders air dry. You should also turn the waders inside out to completely dry the neoprene feet. Be sure to check with the manufacturer for specific cleaning methods.
Avoid traversing barbed wire fences as much as possible. Also, take care when going over a downed log.
During hot summers, waders can turn quite odorous. Most wader brands can be machined washed with a mild detergent.
We suggest you let your waders air dry. You should also turn the waders inside out to completely dry the neoprene feet. Be sure to check with the manufacturer for specific cleaning methods.
Equipment Maintenance: Leaders & Tippets
Even though your leader and tippet material may be the least expensive gear in your arsenal, it may also be the most important. No other item has a greater impact on whether you land a fish than the line connecting you to the fish.
During a long day on the water, you should occasionally inspect your leader for nicks or wind knots. Any imperfections will weaken your line strength and may result in the loss of a trophy trout.
If you prefer to use traditional monofilament leaders and tippet, you need to replace your stock with new at the beginning of each season. Exposure to UV rays will weaken mono. Fluorocarbon can be used for consecutive seasons.
During a long day on the water, you should occasionally inspect your leader for nicks or wind knots. Any imperfections will weaken your line strength and may result in the loss of a trophy trout.
If you prefer to use traditional monofilament leaders and tippet, you need to replace your stock with new at the beginning of each season. Exposure to UV rays will weaken mono. Fluorocarbon can be used for consecutive seasons.
Equipment Maintenance: Fly Lines
With expert fly lines costing over $50 you should take extra care to make sure it lasts as long as possible.
A dirty fly line will sink like a stone and cast poorly. Use a mild soap and a damp towel to clean your fly line. Be sure to thoroughly rinse your fly line to remove the soap. Applying a line dressing will also help the performance of the line.
Even with the advanced coatings that increase casting distance and make the line float better, no line is indestructible. Take the extra time to carefully untangle your line from thistles or sticks. Even a small tear in the fly line may cause the line to sink.
A dirty fly line will sink like a stone and cast poorly. Use a mild soap and a damp towel to clean your fly line. Be sure to thoroughly rinse your fly line to remove the soap. Applying a line dressing will also help the performance of the line.
Even with the advanced coatings that increase casting distance and make the line float better, no line is indestructible. Take the extra time to carefully untangle your line from thistles or sticks. Even a small tear in the fly line may cause the line to sink.
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