To a bass fisherman, a rod and reel is the equivalent of a hammer and screwdriver to a tradesman; they are the cornerstone tools of the trade for any angler. Today’s rods and reels are lighter and stronger than ever before. The advancements of today’s fishing equipment also come with an increased price tag, which makes it even more important to take care of your equipment.

Doing basic maintenance tasks during the off season can prolong the life of your equipment, keeping it in tip top shape, ready to bring in the big ones—and keep you from having to dish out your hard-earned dollars for a new rod or reel every year.

Do a visual inspection of the reel, not just during the offseason, but throughout the season. Keeping an eye out for loose screws, reel handle or line tension knob helps avoid major issues on the water. This winter, take the frame of the reel apart and pull the spool out. Make sure there is no foreign debris that alters the reel’s performance by getting in the way of the spool or the worm gears.

Next, use a Q-tip to clean out the hole that your line goes through, because if that is filled up with sludge, your line won’t flow freely through it. Then put a few drops of reel oil on the moving parts of the reel, such as the bearings. And put some reel grease on the gears that move the line bar.

If you notice that something is loose, tighten it up. Use the proper tool (screwdriver, or wrench provided by the reel manufacturer) to tighten up the reel handle so it does not wobble side-to-side.

Depending on your comfort level, and the amount of time you want to put into cleaning your reels, you can do further maintenance and cleaning of your reel by taking it further apart. If you do this, a schematics diagram of the reel shows which parts go where, ensuring that you’ll put it back together the way it is supposed to go. At this time, you can also choose to replace the stock parts of your reel with aftermarket parts if they are available for your reel.

When your fishing reels are going to sit idle in the boat or on the shelf in your garage for an extended period, it is a good idea to loosen the drag and tension knob. This will increase the life of your reel and keep your drag and tension from being used during the offseason.

A broken fishing rod is heartbreaking, as it can mean a lost fish. You could also be without one of your favorite rods for a while as warranty replacements take time, or you may have to save up to purchase a replacement rod. So, performing warranty or replacement of a fishing rod during the offseason is wise.

Running a Q-tip through your line guides reveals any rough spots. If cotton snags, this indicates the guide has a rough spot or nick in it, both of which will cause damage to your line and eventually have you wondering why that fresh spool of line keeps breaking.

Do a visual inspection of the rod blank for any small cracks or chips in the epoxy around the line guides. By inspecting the structural integrity of the rod, you will help avoid breaking a rod on the hookset while fishing, which could in turn cost you a fish.

Keeping those rods looking good is easy. Wipe the handle with a warm, wet rag to remove sweat and oils that have accumulated on it throughout the fishing season. This helps prevent the rod grip from getting slippery when it gets wet while fishing or when it is raining.

Doing preventative maintenance on your rods and reels now, during the off season, helps you avoid having to do it while fishing when your reel or rod has an issue. Instead, you can keep fishing!

Get better results from the time you spend fishing, as well as the time you spend in the off season. Use information from the pros found in every issue of MidWest Outdoors, available by subscribing on our website.