I was shocked--

[Philip]

I like my Hardy bags and they would benefit from a nice steam!

Any hobby which involves equipment whether that be rods, reels , bins, rifles, hifi, cars, plants, or other gear is surely enhanced by the use of quality gear or gear that you like and enjoy using! I like looking at my rods and reels and keeping them clean and tidy! Sad or what! I still wash my cars at least once a week!!

I would be interested to hear more about how steaming your rod bag enhances your hobby ? I am struggling to come out with possible scenarios but I think I have one...

You arrive at the crack of dawn at an Idyllic lake. Out of the corner of your eye you note a large fish patrolling the margins…its gulping down food as it slowly swims along…its basically a sitting duck if you can get a bait to it rapidly. Reaching into your rod bag you pull out your rod, but wait no, the rod, traps itself in the un-steamed crinkly interior, you struggle and grapple with it attempting to free it from the clinging wrinkled cotton that ensnares it. You gamely fight on and finally succeed in pulling the rod free from its cotton prison. Alas, the fish has moved on , the chance has past, the opportunity gone.

If only you had steamed that rod bag prior to setting off, you could have whipped it out silkily smooth in a fraction of a second and caught the monster.

Never again will you make such a mistake and you vow to steam all your rod bags prior to every trip from now on.

:wh

 

[sam vimes]

I've got my sewing kit out and repaired the odd rod bag, but only to prevent rings snagging or sections dropping out of the bottom. I suspect that I'll have handwashed excess clag off one or two over the years. I've never felt the need to iron a rod bag yet.

 

[tigger]

I've got my sewing kit out and repaired the odd rod bag, but only to prevent rings snagging or sections dropping out of the bottom. I suspect that I'll have handwashed excess clag off one or two over the years. I've never felt the need to iron a rod bag yet.

I've had my normark MKII Avenger for about 12yrs now, it has a black velvet bag and it's never been washed yet! It does have a bit of an odour though although has no visible dirt etc. You need to be careful washing velvet as it can shrink to the length of a small cucumber if you wash it in the wrong way.

 

[Philip]

You need to be careful washing velvet as it can shrink to the length of a small cucumber if you wash it in the wrong way.

Good one. I'll add that to the list. Reason num #4029 not to wash my fishing equipment.

 

[sam vimes]

I've had my normark MKII Avenger for about 12yrs now, it has a black velvet bag and it's never been washed yet! It does have a bit of an odour though although has no visible dirt etc. You need to be careful washing velvet as it can shrink to the length of a small cucumber if you wash it in the wrong way.

I'm very careful of how I wash any rod bag, hence handwashing in fairly tepid water. I'm especially wary of the velvety types, but even some of the cotton ones can be a problem.

 

[markcw]

Upto now we have washed, seatboxes,footplates, transport, polished rods and poles and used wetwipes on them,nets and net bags, No one has mentioned cleaning another important part of what we use...… waterproof clothing. At the end of the day if mine is muddy, it gets put on the washing line and hosed down with cold water,Never ask the wife to do it as your are wearing a bib n brace.... you will get wet. I wash mine in the machine as required, low temp, a few pure soap flakes and NO fabric softener/conditioner,because this will soon remove any waterproofing, I have had my DF12 a couple of years and not had to re waterproof it yet, jacket or bib n brace.

 

[sam vimes]

No one has mentioned cleaning another important part of what we use...… waterproof clothing. At the end of the day if mine is muddy, it gets put on the washing line and hosed down with cold water,Never ask the wife to do it as your are wearing a bib n brace.... you will get wet. I wash mine in the machine as required, low temp, a few pure soap flakes and NO fabric softener/conditioner,because this will soon remove any waterproofing, I have had my DF12 a couple of years and not had to re waterproof it yet, jacket or bib n brace.

I'm pretty good at not getting waterproofs too hacky. However, once in a while they get treated to the various, type appropriate, Nikwax treatments.

 

[peterjg]

This thread is going from sad to ridiculous - come on chaps it's time to man-up a bit!!! Next we'll be swapping fruit cake recepies! So you tackle has a bit of crud on it - the fish don't know!!

 

[O.C.F.Disorder]

I wish someone would share a good fruit cake recipe with me.

 

[flightliner]

Good one. I'll add that to the list. Reason num #4029 not to wash my fishing equipment.

Is there nothing you like to keep clean Philip ?

 

[markcw]

I'm pretty good at not getting waterproofs too hacky. However, once in a while they get treated to the various, type appropriate, Nikwax treatments.

Chris, its mainly the legs on bib n brace and occasionally the jacket, some of the venues I fish are great bankside wise in the summer, come wet weather and they resemble pictures of a swamp. the owners dont want gravel paths around some of them, like to keep them looking natural, and cut with a mower. They want your money but don't mind you pushing a load of tackle through muddy paths.

 

[tigger]

The only waterproof clothing I wear is a thin orvis wading jacket. It's of ample size to get warm tops on underneath and I don't feel like mitchelin man in it, so it doesn't restrict my movement.
I think if I was going to go down the fully waterproof ihead to toe jobby i'd just wear a set of chest waders and the wading jacket.
Reasons for the waders as opposed to clothing is because the neoprenes and breathables are 100% properly waterproof and need no treatment etc to stay waterproof, they're warm and easy to keep clean! The breathables are probably better to wear with extra layers of clothing worn underneath, but then again i'd get a suitably sized pair of either to acommadate layers.

 

[markcw]

Fruit cake... Ingredients are 225g of butter at room temp,+ extra for greasing tin,225g castor sugar, 4 large eggs,100g ground almonds,225g self raising flower,1/2teaspoon almond extract,450g mixed dried fruit,25g sugar flaked almonds (optional).

Method. preheat oven to 160 degC( fan 140C/325F/gas 3),Grease 8" round tin,line base and sides with baking parchment,Mix the butter + sugar in large bowl with electric mixer or wooden spoon until fluffy, add the eggs a little at a time beating well to avoid curdling.Fold in the flour, ground almonds and almond extract and beat until completely mixed, Gently fold in dried fruit and stir the mixture until well combined.


Spoon the mixture into the tin, levelling off at the top,if want to sprinkle flaked almonds on the top.
Put the tin in the oven,and bake for one and a half to two hours, To test to see if done, insert a skewer into the top of the cake,if it comes out sticky, return cake to oven to cook further, When done the skewer should come out dry, remove from oven and leave to cool in the tin

To store the cake,wrap in greaseproof paper,then in foil and place in tin, this should keep for two weeks, Never put foil direct onto cake as the acid in the cake can cause the foil to corrode and impair flavour of the cake.

For peterg and O C F Disorder :wh

 

[theartist]

28 years solid use and never been cleaned once - oops



May have to fix that hole though

 

[tigger]

I've got underkecks that make that look like new!

 

[flightliner]

I've never had to clean my chest waders but I do occasionally silicone my Hunter wellies to try prevent them crazing.

 

[tigger]

I've never had to clean my chest waders but I do occasionally silicone my Hunter wellies to try prevent them crazing.

EH....so you polish yer waders :wh.

Mick, do you listen to the "village people" by any chance lol.

 

[flightliner]

No Ian, never do my chesties (they ripped yesterday btw so cut em down to wasties this morning lol ) but I do my wellies as it definitely prolongs their usage.
YMCA = You must clean anything .

 

[fishplate42]

Upto now we have washed, seatboxes,footplates, transport, polished rods and poles and used wetwipes on them,nets and net bags, No one has mentioned cleaning another important part of what we use...… waterproof clothing. At the end of the day if mine is muddy, it gets put on the washing line and hosed down with cold water,Never ask the wife to do it as your are wearing a bib n brace.... you will get wet. I wash mine in the machine as required, low temp, a few pure soap flakes and NO fabric softener/conditioner,because this will soon remove any waterproofing, I have had my DF12 a couple of years and not had to re waterproof it yet, jacket or bib n brace.

I wash my Aldi 'Special' B&B every time I wear it, as I unhook fish on my lap and they get covered in slime. I walked into a fishery office I had not been to for a while wearing my old B&B and they guys said "Ooooh look at him in his all new gear" I made the mistake of saying, that is was not new, just washed. "Washed!?" they said in unison. They were still laughing at me when I left.

I am sorry, but I don't see smelly, dirty gear and clothes as a badge of honour. I just like my stuff, all my stuff, to be clean.

Ralph.

 

[peterjg]

Markcw, your post made me laugh, very good.

Are you girls also going to start swapping knitting patterns for thermal underwear?