Just a Seasonal Reminder

[Mac2]

It's important if your rod storage is in a cold environment like mine in the garage, not only loosen the drag, but also loosen all reels at the reel seat, where they are fastened to the rod. A lot of rod handles are made of a composite which will shrink and expand differently than the reel foot with temperature changes. Also might be a good idea to slightly loosen gas can and gas tank lids a little if they are made of plastics. I've lost caps due to cracking as well.

Hoping y'all have a grand holiday season, and by all means....Good Fishing!!!

[nofearengineer]

Great reminders, Mac. I'm gonna go out in the garage and check mine right now.

[bassboogieman]

I leave the reels off the rods for winter, after cleaning both. I guess I'm more anal than any engineer (I hate poking him - NOT!) when it comes to storing my tackle. The rods go into their individual cases and the reels back in their original boxes for winter.
Eash winter also finds me playing with ways to organize my baits. I'm trying a new soft plastic organizing idea. I was looking for small tackle bags to sort plastics and keep the terminal tackle I use with them together. Couldn't find something that I liked (and at reasonable cost), until I picked up a relatively cheap 6-pack vinyl cooler. Had a pouch on the front and netting on each end. The top was also expandable. I thought this might be just what I was looking for, so I bought 3. They seem great at this point, packed up, but not in the boat or used during fishing yet. But one cooler holds my Senko's and all hooks, etc. that I rig them with. Same for my regular worms and one holds my finesse plastics. All have the terminal tackle used with the bait packed in the front pocket or in the netting on the ends. So when I'm fishing a particular plastic, I only have to pull out one bag to rig or change a bait. Appears at this point better storage than the plastic shoe boxes I was using, they were a pain when the top popped open.

[Mac2]

bassboogieman, Thanks for the cooler tips. I've used them in the past and have been thinking about getting them out again....using one for worms, one for dropshot rigs and lures, one for tubes. They work very well and are good for the baits on hot days being insulated and all. They don't heat up like plastic boxes in the sun.

[nofearengineer]

Haha, Boogie.

My garage is semi-heated (my outboard sits 18" from my furnace), so my rods and reels don't freeze, but I do pull them out of my boat and store tham against the wall. I don't disassemble them because I do some pond fishing when I can during the winter. I just like the idea of loosening all of the drags and such.