The term "maintenance free" should not be associated with saltwater tackle and equipment, which is not cheap. One rod and reel can cost from $80 to several hundred dollars.

If you expect your gear to last more than a season or two, you'd better take care of it -- and not just on a semiannual basis.

I know the last thing you want to do after a full day on the water is clean your gear, but that's the time to do it. Don't give that saltwater time to do its damage. Throw a rag in a bucket with some soapy water and wipe down your rods and reels. Then give them a good rinse with freshwater, shake them off and put them away.

Remember to back off the drags on your reels when you're not using them, and they will last longer and work better when you really need them.

Don't forget to rinse the lures and terminal tackle you used before you put them back in the tackle box. A salt-cured lure is a waste of time to fish and contaminates the rest of the tackle box.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

- Dan Brooks charters out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 867-7856 or e-mail wildd1@gte.net.

Back to Sports

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright

From the Times sports desk

Bucs make M. Jones starter at right end

Time is now for answers at USF

Coaches' key word -- hydration

USF lawsuit doesn't surprise fired coach

Rays find just enough offense

Captain's corner

Sports digest

Lightning re-signs Primeau

Lynch agent hopes to get deal soon

Vance returns for second stint

Around the NFC

NFL briefs

Around the AFC

Bringing it all back home

Fiore endures long trip to big leagues

Eiland gets chance to pitch vs. Pedro

Baseball briefs

Fans bid minors adieu in St. Pete

Big fourth spurs Clearwater

Summer school daze

Rattlers get same ode from Billy Joe

College football around the state

College football around the nation

Rusty has the stats, just not the points lead

College sports briefs

Saint Leo suffers loss in school's first game

Ritch's 4 TDs lead Shorecrest to win

Former star returns to coach Canterbury

From the wire

From the state sports wire Jacksonville's Spicer placed on IR after leg surgery
FIU-Western Kentucky game postponed because of Jeanne
Brown anxious to face old team for first time
Dolphins' desperate defense readies for Roethlisberger
Former Sarasota lineman sheds tough-guy image with Michigan
Rothstein rejoins Heat as assistant
No. 16 Florida has history on its side against Kentucky

FSU and Clemson QBs both off to slow starts