Let's talk rust prevention

[GTboosted]

Main thing that helped me was that I do not put tackle back in the trays after using them. I just leave everything that got wet next to my seat and later place it in a bag or bin to take it home. I then throw all lures, reels, and rods in the tub and shower with them

If I am lazy I will leave everything to air dry in there but sometimes I bring them out onto a towel too. Once everything is fully dried I place the lures, hooks, and such back into the trays.

Seems to be the best so far. I used to let the lures and hook air dry on the kayak and then place them back into the trays for the trip home. Then I would rinse the entire trays. There was way more rust with this method...

[alanw]

Originally Posted by GTboosted

Main thing that helped me was that I do not put tackle back in the trays after using them.

Exactly right. Putting used tackle back into a sealed box just seals the moisture in and makes everything inside rust.

[Hunters Pa]

Take those little desiccant packs that come with shoes, textiles, just about anything - you know, "silica gel - do not eat" - and throw those in with your tackle. Change out when you get new ones.

I have some bigger ones I keep in my reel bins as well

[Reiner]

Same here. Never put a wet or unwashed lure back in the tray. Once at home I rinse them with warm water and hang them in the bushes in the backyard for drying.

[goldenglory18]

Originally Posted by Hunters Pa

Take those little desiccant packs that come with shoes, textiles, just about anything - you know, "silica gel - do not eat

Thats a great idea. Dont they also make rust inhibitor backs/things as well? Hmmm...

Originally Posted by YakHanded

Could open and rinse off your plano tackle boxes just like you do your rods/reels, then dump the water... rusty hooks still catch fish though aint no thang

I've been trying that but it seems to have gotten worse. I wonder if I'm not letting it dry thoroughly enough....?

Originally Posted by GTboosted

Main thing that helped me was that I do not put tackle back in the trays after using them. I just leave everything that got wet next to my seat and later place it in a bag or bin to take it home...

That might be the root cause. Then if there is any undetected corrosion thats started, it spreads.

Good call guys. Funny how something so trivial can potentially cause so much damage.

Do you guys do anything to stop it once it starts? Isn't WD-40 a rust inhibitor?

[GTboosted]

Originally Posted by goldenglory18

Do you guys do anything to stop it once it starts? Isn't WD-40 a rust inhibitor?

Some people use that along with a bunch of other sprays. I would be afraid of putting of fish with the scent...

[Mr. NiceGuy]

Barkeepers Friend dissolves off rust. It's oxalic acid, non-abrasive, gentle. Tap a little BF in some water and make a solution. Let it do it's thing without scrubbing. The powder drops out of the water to make a sediment layer on the bottom, so it has to be swirled around occasionally.

Overnight soak in vinegar will remove rust completely. Straight vinegar or diluted with water doesn't seem to make much difference. I do that with tools and car parts. They come out so clean they rust faster the next time, so they need to be coated with something.

[goldenglory18]

Thanks for the info guys.

I've gone and picked up some sheets of VCI Inhibitor, thoroughly dried out my gear again, and have put the Inhibitor in each of my trays with metal.

Link for anyone thats fighting the same battle..... https://www.amazon.com/VCI-Pro-Chips...rust+inhibitor