It's that time of year again-

[DFoster 0]

Well it's February, I've been out a few times over the winter but anyway you cut it the fishing is slow, cold and the fish make you work really hard for each one.  Better weather and fishing isn't too far off so it's time to clean and dress my fly lines, grease the reels and hit the ferrules with some wax.  Anyone else doing spring prep yet?

[partsman 0]

Dean, yes I’ve been trying to things together, I also bought a bamboo fly rod blank that I’m trying to finish up. I read a article on making floatant that’s similar to fly Agra so yea doing that to.

Mike.

[Poopdeck 0]

I meant to, does that count? I have about 40 rods and reels both spinning and fly and will generally grease everything up just before I need them. My striper gear gets cleaned and lubed when I put them away for the year in June and they are first rods out of the basement in March. I won’t need most of my fly rods until late spring so I still have some time to spare. 

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Winter  isn't a slow time at all for folks in my area (south Florida) since lots and lots of visitors come our way.  Bad weather, though, cancels more trips than I'd like (including last night and tonight's scheduled night bookings...).  That leaves me with time to fill lure orders (bucktail jigs currently - both small and large orders...) and make a rod or two for the skiff.  At last count I've done three new spinning rods to replace ones my anglers have broken as well as replaced the on-board battery charger on my skiff... Use a boat in hard commercial service and you break things - it goes with the territory.  I'll try to take time later today to post up a fishing report or two since we did get out three days earlier this week... "Just nothing like the 'glades..."

[Harry3 0]

what is the best lubrication to use?

[DFoster 0]

I use a product called “Reel butter” that I got at Bass Pro. I can’t say it’s the best but I haven’t had any issues after many years.  White lithium grease is also good for moving parts.  

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

I use both oil and grease on the various reels I service.  The good news for me is that my fly gear (from a 5wt up to a 12wt in size...) rarely need much if anything in the way of lubrication... The oil I prefer is sold for firearms, stuff like Gunslik, Break Free, or Kroil - very light machine oil that doesn't turn into varnish as it ages (the way that terrible 3 in 1 oil does.... I only use  a drop or two on handle pivots, and spool shafts.  For grease I've been using high temp blue grease available at any automotive store - the tub I've had for more than twenty years now is marked Kendall GT... Once again it's used very sparingly and only on parts that rub together like gears and synthetic carbon drag washers on spin or plug casting reels.  I was taught the basics of reel repair and maintenance years and years ago (Reef Tackle, 79th St Miami - in 1972...).  For many years I've serviced or repaired not only my own gear - but also my customers... and at times in quantity... These days I've cut way back and only service my own gear since reel parts aren't nearly as available as they were years ago (understatement - these days with many many outfits only making reels offshore... and changing models entirely too quickly....).

[Mark Knapp 0]

Yes I am, been doing it for some time now.