Winterizing your fly fishing gear
[dropcap]L[/dropcap]et’s talk about winterizing your fly fishing gear.
Waders first. Thoroughly clean and dry them before storage. Many breathable waders may be cleaned by hand washing or on the delicate cycle of a washing machine with cool water. Do NOT dry them in a clothes dryer. If you have Goretex waders, add a water repellent treatment to them to help rejuvenate the water resistant finish and then dry using a hair drier to set the repellent.
For non-Gortex waders, hang them inside out to dry and then right side out. To store them for the winter, hang them by the suspenders in a cool, dry place out of the sun. If you don’t have a place to hang them, don’t fold them. Roll them up to avoid creases. This will help prevent weak spots developing on the crease which will lead to leaky waders.
For wading boots and sandals, remove any laces, wash and dry thoroughly and store them in next to your waders. Add new laces if the old ones are worn. If you have felt bottoms that are becoming detached, use a waterproof glue to re-attach the old ones or add new ones.
