Spring is definitely in the air at last! The season hasn't started yet for me but I'm already eager to cast my first cast on a gin clear stream. The anticipation of the first fish on a nice graphite or bamboo fly rod is surely something to look forward to.
Have you given your fly rods a good clean up yet? Keeping them in a good condition will make sure they will perform for many years to come.
What I do is give the rod a good shower to loosen up any dried up dirt. Dry the rods using a clean towel. Maybe a little bit of car wax will keep the dirt away and make the rod surface water repellent (prevent line sticking to the rod). Give the cork a good rubbing with an old toothbrush. Check whether the guides are still okay. Get a guide which shows marks of wear replaced. Otherwise it will ruin your fly line.
How about your fly lines? Give every line a cleaning up with a clean damp cloth. Pull the line a few times through it to get the dirt off. When the dirt is off, dry it by pulling the line through a clean cloth (like an old T-shirt). I put the line back on the reel by reeling the line through a paper towel and some line conditioner/cleaner. A line that glides smoothly through the guides when casting just rocks!
Next. Getting your fly box ready!
Have you given your fly rods a good clean up yet? Keeping them in a good condition will make sure they will perform for many years to come.
