Taking care of your fishing gear at season’s end

It’s that time of year, the recreational fishing season is coming to an end. I have a routine for decommissioning my gear and have added in some tips from expert anglers on putting away your fishing gear for the winter.

Line. Each year, replace used line. I generally do this throughout the season due to the high use of gear in season. But you can do a lot of prep work in the fall. It is a judgment call as to what is meant by “used.” Braid line may still be OK to leave on the reel, however; I usually take off line at the beginning of the reel that shows signs of wear. Experts say to cross braid line when spooling onto conventional reels to prevent the line from digging into the spool when a big fish is on.

More:Fishing for striped bass? Here's how to catch them this time of year in RI waters

More:N.J. man reels in a hefty tautog that breaks the RI record. How big was it?

I often fish with lead core line that is designed to sink in the water column when trolling for striped bass and bluefish in 20 to 35 feet of water in Narragansett Bay. I re-spool the lead core line, putting the used portion on the reel first; this way, you use line that is new as most anglers rarely use more than three to four colors (90 feet to 120 feet) of line. You need to take the line off the spool to clean it thoroughly.

Reel maintenance starts by taking the reels off the rod, cleaning the spool of salt using mild soap, drying it and then rubbing a light oil, like W-D 40, all over the reel to help fend off harmful salt water. You can even clean and oil the reel seat on the rod, according to Dave Morton of Beavertail Rod and Reel in North Kingstown. Give your reels a good cleaning, particularly when the line is off and spool exposed. Grease where directed by the manufacturer. Often the reel is marked where to do this. If instructions are long gone, do not hesitate to stop by your local bait and tackle shop to ask where to grease.

Rods. “Clean rods with mild soap at the end of the season; check eyes for any chipping," said Calvin Wilcox of Cal’s Custom Rods in Warwick. "Eyes are made of a variety of material, many with ceramic ring inserts that often crack or chip, snagging fishing line, wearing it out until it breaks.” Morton said: “Give your eyes the Q-Tips test; rub the inside with a Q-Tip if it snags, hanging up a thread of cotton you should replace that eye.”

Rollers and handles. “Make sure your line roller [on spinning reels] is rolling freely," Morton said. "Most have a screw which can be taken off and light oil applied; do the same with handles so all turn freely. Reels can be put back on rod after cleaning, but do not lock it down tight — save that for the spring.”

Striped bass, bluefish, bonito. “A few breaking fish coming tight to shore this week on the south shore," said Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle in Charlestown. "Watch hill has seen most of the striper action and Charlestown has seen some bonito, blues and shad. There have been good reports of healthy schools of bass in the bay; we are hoping some bay anchovies and bunker nestle into the beach lip and give the fish a reason to cruise the coast rather than making their way to deeper water and eventually finding Montauk or other areas south.” Vincent Castaldi, an associate at Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle in North Kingstown, reported: “Striper fishing is still very good; lots of birds continue to work in the Bay and off Newport." "East End" Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author, said: "Some striped bass may still be north of the east end preparing for the migration or we may have seen the last of the movement, leaving us with stragglers and holdovers."

Tautog. The tautog limit increased Oct. 15 from three fish per person to five fish per person with one fish larger than 21 inches allowed; all others must be between 16 inches and under 21 inches; a 10-fish-per-boat limit is in place. “Our tautog member trip on the Francis Fleet was a success last Sunday," said Scott Travers, executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association. "Maximus Namba of South Kingstown caught the top fish on the trip, a strong 8.9-pound tautog. Most anglers on the trip caught at least one tautog. We fished from structure off the Sakonnet River to the Brenton Reef area.” Castaldi reported: “Tautog fishing is still outstanding. I caught 20 tautog this weekend from the shore at Beavertail and half were keepers [16 inches or over]. O’Donnell said: “Tautog fishing has been great. Fishing sticky bottoms and current flow is getting the job done. Some guys doing so well they end up just playing a game of tug and letting the fish go because their box is full. Shore guys are catching in Narraganset and guys getting them off the point at the Breachway and inside on a slack tide,." I fished off Newport in the Bay this week and one charter customer caught four nice keepers in about three hours of fishing in 45 feet of water. All four were strong, healthy fish.

Freshwater fishing. The largemouth bass bite has been good as fish are starting to stage in fall areas. Trout stocking locations in Massachusetts are updated daily. Visit Trout stocking report | Mass.gov for an interactive map. Visit dem.ri.gov/fishing for ponds stocked in Rhode Island.

Dave Monti holds a master captain’s license and charter fishing license. He serves on a variety of boards and commissions and has a consulting business that focuses on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy and fisheries-related issues and clients. Forward fishing news and photos to [email protected] or visit noflukefishing.com.

Editor's note: This is the final Fishing Report column from Capt. Dave Monti for the season. Look for the Fishing Report to return next spring.