One of the most significant advantages of knowing how to care for your gear that it can save you tons of money by preventing costly replacements and frequent breakdowns. We all know fishing gear can get quite expensive, and yes, that applies even if you're not buying top-of-the-line rods or high-end lures. The thing is, having gear that constantly breaks down also means having to get it fixed constantly, which can easily ring you up a hefty bill. By taking care of your gear properly, you can avoid having to repair or replace it often.
From a sustainability perspective, keeping your gear in good shape also makes sense. When your gear is well maintained, you can reduce the amount of gear you throw away—gear that can end up in landfills or pollute the ocean. Sadly, fishing gear that has been abandoned, lost, or discarded is known to be a major contributor to water pollution and marine habitat destruction, according to the United Nations Environment Program. And as you probably know by now, we're all about sustainability here at Baitium. So keeping our gear well-maintained is just one of the ways we're trying to lessen our environmental impact.
Another benefit of caring for your gear is that it can enhance your fishing experience. Well-maintained gear allows you to focus on catching fish rather than, say, worrying about your rod and reel system falling apart or cutting your fishing trip short because your gear broke down.
Regularly cleaning and maintaining your fishing gear can even make your fishing experience safer. Improperly cleaned and maintained reels, hooks, or lures can increase the risk of injuries while fishing. For instance, reels that are not cleaned and lubricated can become stiff, making it difficult to reel in fish. Dull or rusty hooks can also be dangerous, as they may not penetrate the fish properly, leading to injuries from hooks flying out of the fish's mouth.