The flyfishing season is slowly coming to an end. All your tackle will soon have to be stored until next year. Take the time to store it correctly. The way to start is by removing all the line including the backing from the reel and marking them with tags. Wash the lines in warm water using Ivory soap. Please note: do NOT use detergent at any time on your lines! Detergent contains dodecyl zene solfonate which will harm the outer finish of your fly line if stored for a long period. After washing your lines, dry them off. After they are dry, apply fly line conditioner and store them in loose coils in a plastic bag. Do not use any fly line conditioner prior to washing your line; lines have dirt on them and you will only grind the dirt into the line coating, thereby damaging the line finish.

Take care of your reels as follows: after you have stripped the line off, remove the spool from the reel housing. Examine the shaft for nicks and wear. If grooves are present return the reel to the manufacturer. For a nominal fee he will service your feel and it will be ready for the next season. If the shaft is in good condition, clean the reel housing inside and out and coat with light oil. Be careful not to get any oil on the drag/cork mechanism. Add 2 or 3 drops of oil to the oilite bearings located on the inside of the spool. Assemble the reel and mark it for the line size. Don’t store reels in plastic bags where no air can circulate and rust can attack the clutch mechanism. Salt is a killer and rust loves to attack metal parts if sealed in moisture proof bags.