Fishing lures are critical in ensuring success during your fishing expeditions. Regular maintenance will help extend their effectiveness and durability. Spending a little time caring for your fishing lures will extend their lives and enhance your chances of catching fish by optimizing performance. Herein, look at several lure maintenance tips that should help you protect your gear and keep it in top condition.
1. Rinse Lures after Every Use
After every fishing trip, more so in the case of saltwater fishing, you need to take a proper fresh water rinse off your lures. Saltwater may corrode the metal parts of hooks and split rings, weakening the lure and possibly rendering poor action when next used. It would help if you rinse off salt, dirt, and other possible gathered debris from your lures. Spraying a good, gentle jet stream of water, avoiding high-pressure sprays, can damage the more tender parts of the lure.
2. Apply Lubricant on Moving Parts
Some lures have moving parts like jointed sections or propellers, which may operate stiffly or rust over time. To smoothen the operation of the lure, apply some lubricant on the joints and the moving parts of the lures. Apply a fishing-friendly lubricant that will not deteriorate the lure’s material or affect the water’s ecology. Lubrication will prevent rust in the moving parts and keep them working correctly, enabling your lures to catch fish effectively.
3. Hooks and Split Rings Require Regular Inspection
Hooks and split rings are essential parts of your lure that make it effective, and hence, quite regularly must be subjected to inspection. Watch for rust signs, bends, or dullness of the hooks. Rust is known to weaken hooks and may lead to breakage if one is fighting a fish. If you observe some rust or damage, try replacing them with new ones. Also, a similar check should be performed for any wear or corrosion on the split rings, as weakened split rings can lead to lost fish or even the loss of the lure itself.
4. Sharpen Dull Hooks
Sharp hooks are very critical in fishing, as they ensure successful hooksets at the time of strikes. In time, hooks may grow dull from bumping against rocks, logs, or even from the fish themselves. Sharpen your hook with either a hook file or a sharpening stone. Hold the hook at a slight angle to the file and run the file along the point to put a fine edge on the hook. This little trick can significantly increase your hook-up percentage and catch more fish.
5. Store Lures Properly
Good storage techniques apply to how well you can keep your lures in their best conditions. Store your lures in tackle boxes with separate compartments to keep them from tangling or scratching one another. You might also want to invest in foam inserts or soft cases to protect your lures. Do not store lures in humid or wet areas, as this enhances the rust and corrosion of metals. Dry and cool places are optimum for storing your tackle box; throw in a few silica gel packets to absorb any excess moisture.
6. Rotate Lures in Storage
Like how you should rotate your food in storage, your fishing lures benefit from some periodic rotation. By regularly fishing all your baits and not leaving some to the bottom of the tackle box for months, you prevent that lure from being exposed to any moisture or pressure that could degrade the materials. You can inspect and maintain each lure by rotating them, which prevents gear from becoming overlooked and forgotten.
One of the essential responsibilities of the angler is taking care of your fishing lures. By merely doing these simple steps in maintenance-properly rinsing, drying, inspecting, sharpening, and storing your lures, it will not only extend the life of your gear but also do its best for you in many trips ahead. Good care for your lures saves you some bucks on replacement and increases the chances of your following big catch. You will, therefore, be able to go out fishing more effectively and with a great catch.
