Knowing When To Replace Equipment

One thing that you can absolutely guarantee about any hobby is that the longer you practice it, the more, and better, equipment you will accumulate.

Even if the word “better” is the wrong word to use here, “more sophisticated” would be appropriate. It is unquestionable that the more often you go fishing, the more you will be aware of how additional and more developed equipment will benefit you in terms of catching more and bigger fish.

As a consequence, you will become more conscious of the fact that, after a while, equipment needs to be renewed and replaced.

Fishing equipment can be divided roughly into the more permanent items such as rods and reels – which you can use for years, if they are properly maintained – and other items such as line and hooks.

The latter equipment needs to be replaced more often, as it is more perishable. Fishing line will become frayed and weakened as time goes on, and hooks will become blunt. These will need to be replaced quite regularly.

As a rule, you should have spares in any case. Rods and reels are a different matter, however.

Knowing when the rod you are using has had its day will rely on you being aware that it is giving you less performance. It may be that the rod has been weakened over time by the amount it has to bend in order for you to reel in a fish.

A reel may begin to stick somewhat, and you will have to work harder to lad those fish that you hook. Once this has begun to happen, you will need to look at replacing the equipment that is causing the problems. If you don’t want to throw out a faithful old rod, then keep it and use it less regularly.