I was shocked--

[flightliner]

I started using the silicone shoe shiners on my stick float rods years ago.
Running a stick downstream in pouring rain prior to that could often have line sticking to the rod if there was anything like a stiffish breeze.
This could happen when the float was approaching the "bite zone" making it nessasary to give the rod a quick flick to add pressure from float to reel in order to free the line away from the rod blank-- this often disturbed the bait and it would only be running as intended long past the bite zone having been ignored by any fish present, so yes, I feel using the shoe shine stuff does put the occasional fish on the bank as the silicone prevents "line stick".
If on the other hand my angling never included float fishing , just heavy feeder or lead work then silicone would hardly be required, looking at the theee rods And reels I've been using most this season would make many on here recoil in horror as they are covered in groundbait, sweetcorn gunk, worm guts etc , but, they will all eventually be cleaned down and made ready for more "hammer" in round two!

 

[108831]

I'm afraid that unless you leave your rods covered in groundbait,slime and dust they will last forever,an odd wash to remove dried algae from the tip section,reels however need fairly regular cleaning,it's all down to how ocd you are,I'm sure there are anglers who's tackle is cleaner than they are themselves,lol...

 

[tigger]

It all sounds a bit poncy to me - what a bunch of wimps!

Surely this is all a wind-up? Who is really going to spit and polish their rods after every trip? I couldn't be bothered and I am sure the fish are not impressed either! I don't want my rods all bright and shiny reflecting light to the fish, I want them dull!

It's a bit like those sad so n soes that must have their car bright and shiny, they spend hours cleaning it and the next day it rains! My car gets washed once a year prior to the MOT!

Tackle is for catching fish not for looking pretty! Another prize example are the sad carp anglers that must have their carp rods on buzz bars that are 4 inches apart with one reel handle folded! I ask one chap why, he replied "it looks good don't it". It's their prerogative but it's pathetic!

Your overcleaning the car Peterjg, your gonn'a wear the paint off of it cleaning it that often!....I clean mine in about 5 yearly intervals and then only a very gentle clean so as to preserve the paintwork and the green algea, not to mention the bird shyte patina which has taken a lot of accurate shots from the local birds to get looking so nice .

 

[steve2]

Cleaning fishing tackle not sure what that is. Sounds too much like house work.

 

[Mark Wintle]

I clean my fishing rods every five years whether they need or not....

 

[thecrow]

I must be the odd one out as I couldn't care less what my tackle looks like, in fact I prefer dull to shiny every time, maybe its because I have no sentimental attachment to it that I don't bother, tools for a job is all they are to me and as long as they can still do that job I don't care.

 

[markcw]

It all sounds a bit poncy to me - what a bunch of wimps!

Surely this is all a wind-up? Who is really going to spit and polish their rods after every trip? I couldn't be bothered and I am sure the fish are not impressed either! I don't want my rods all bright and shiny reflecting light to the fish, I want them dull!

It's a bit like those sad so n soes that must have their car bright and shiny, they spend hours cleaning it and the next day it rains! My car gets washed once a year prior to the MOT!

Tackle is for catching fish not for looking pretty! Another prize example are the sad carp anglers that must have their carp rods on buzz bars that are 4 inches apart with one reel handle folded! I ask one chap why, he replied "it looks good don't it". It's their prerogative but it's pathetic!

If I am spending upto £1400 on poles that I use and I include margin poles of around £200 in this plus my rods, The last thing I want is a bit of grit or dried groundbait on the pole joints and same with the rods. Even if I had bought a 2nd hand pole for a few hundred quid I would still rub them down and dry them off at the end of the day, You may see pole anglers swishing the end of the sections in water and giving a quick dry before putting them together when fishing, This is not to attract the fish ,it is to clean any grit or groundbait off, you soon know if any is there when you here a grating or scratching noise. Like you said tackle is for catching fish, it wont catch much if sections are stuck together or grit gets in a reel.

 

[sam vimes]

Your overcleaning the car Peterjg, your gonn'a wear the paint off of it cleaning it that often!....I clean mine in about 5 yearly intervals and then only a very gentle clean so as to preserve the paintwork and the green algea, not to mention the bird shyte patina which has taken a lot of accurate shots from the local birds to get looking so nice .

No mention of moss growing out of wheel arch trims. Real plants beat algae.

 

[tigger]

No mention of moss growing out of wheel arch trims. Real plants beat algae.

Yeap, but I have long residing spiders in my wing mirrors and a mouse palace in my engine!
I do have moss growing round the rear window edges also and some nice chuncky moss on the aerial holder on the roof .

No moss on me fishing gear though, all spotless :rockon:.

 

[Molehill]

The joy of being retired, is that I now have time to clean my rods and reels after use. Never before, it is a little luxury to take a clean rod out of the bag the next time!
I'm usually away in the van for 2 or 3 days fishing. Come home and chuck everything in my shed, then when I feel like it I wash the c**p off the handles and reel seats and give the reels a wipe over.

Like the idea of silicone wipe down on the float rods, that problem of sticking line in the wet weather has been bugging me for years, obvious solution!

 

[sam vimes]

Like the idea of silicone wipe down on the float rods, that problem of sticking line in the wet weather has been bugging me for years, obvious solution!

It works better on varnished blanks than it does on unvarnished matt ones. It's worth remembering that common or garden spray on furniture polish often contains silicone.

 

[Molehill]

It works better on varnished blanks than it does on unvarnished matt ones. It's worth remembering that common or garden spray on furniture polish often contains silicone.

I've got a years old spray bottle of Armour All, I used it for coating floating fly lines, makes them shoot better. Think the stuff was for car interiors or similar, I'll give that a whirl for starters.

 

[no-one in particular]

I imagine this a lot about expensive rods and reels, the nice thing about cheap but not bad gear, second hand - is I can treat it roughly, I am not worried if it does not last me for life or it retains its value and I am not worried about the rod or reel when playing a fish; I think I would do if it was very expensive and not concentrate on the fish; does that happen to anyone? Subconsciously I think I would be worried about breaking a ring or rod or staining it or scratching it - Can it be too much of an obsession? I think I would find it too distracting.
I give my gear a wipe down or a run under the tap when needed, I don't like dirt on it but its not a habit.

 

[sam vimes]

does that happen to anyone?

Nope. I look after my rods and reels as best as I can, but they get used, sometimes to the limits and occasionally beyond. What I don't do is abuse stuff. I'm not the kind of angler that throws gear around, drags it through undergrowth or puts it down on rocks and gravel. You won't find me trying to bang out a huge loaded waggler with an ultra-light actioned rod. I'd not take one to somewhere where the chances of catching an unintended munter were particularly high. However, that's not to say I'd not expect it to cope if such an oversized lump did turn up. You won't see me trying to use a rod for things that they just aren't appropriate for.

I'm absolutely not a collector. I buy gear to use, not to look at. That's the case whether it costs £4 or £400. I also don't keep kit clean and tidy for anyone else's benefit. I barely see anyone else and I don't really care what others think of me or my gear. The idea of having gear for little reason beyond looking good, or to impress others, is an anathema to me.

 

[thecrow]

I have a friend who lives alone, his house is an absolute pigsty but his tackle is immaculate, his float box is over 45 years old as are some of the floats in it, he is also a very good angler that is very meticulous I have seen him just sit waiting for rain to stop before packing his gear away.

All down to the individual, I suppose that if ever I was lucky enough to own tackle of the quality some on here own I might change my ways.

 

[markcw]

I've got a years old spray bottle of Armour All, I used it for coating floating fly lines, makes them shoot better. Think the stuff was for car interiors or similar, I'll give that a whirl for starters.

Armour All and Son of a Gun, both similar products and both found their way into anglers armoury, I used to use them for lubricating pole elastic, These days I use 50/50 water & hair conditioner mixed in small spray bottle.

 

[binka]

Armour All and Son of a Gun, both similar products and both found their way into anglers armoury, I used to use them for lubricating pole elastic,

Son of a Gun was my go to product for the same purpose back in the day, having used it on my cars for many years before that.

It had a good following for pole elastics.

These days I preserve the varnish finishes on my rods under a protective layer of mud and general grime but I've little doubt they will be as good as new should I ever expose the bare finish to the elements

 

[fishplate42]

Blimey! I must be one of the few. Not only do I clean my rods and reels after every trip, I even wash my bait boxes .

I must admit, I am not keen on washing out the stink bags, I get the missus to do that.

Ralph mg:

 

[103841]

One of a few? Your dear lady wife Sue is one of a kind, when is she moving down here Ralph (sorry, I meant when are you BOTH moving here)?

 

[Philip]

Crikey this thread picked up a bit didnt it ! ..I cant think why..:wh

Ok whose going to admit it first…has anyone ever ironed a rod bag ?