John Detmer
As I prepare for the fall and winter surf fishing season, I recall the questions I get yearly concerning maintenance and repair of surf fishing rods and reels. Just about all rods and reels can be repaired but, many anglers do not know where to take their surf tackle for service.
Surf fishing rods are designed for rough handling in a harsh salt water environment. Their guides and blanks are stronger than the average 6 foot boat rod and are not delicate by nature. This does not mean we can treat them like a baseball bat but, with reasonable care and cleaning they will last for years. However, no matter what you do, guides will bend/break and tips will blow out from reeling the swivel thru the eye too many times, and then repair is required.
The reel is a like problem. Treated badly or left in the garage to long, corrosion sets in. The reels gear oil/grease dries up and the darn thing won’t work properly. Depending on the reel and its original purchase price, a professional cleaning and/or minor repair will bring the reel back to life.
I suggest using the following local tackle shops as a starting point for fishing line, rods/reels, rod repair and bait & tackle. The shops listed below are not all inclusive but are run by individuals I trust to give me good recommendations on care and repairs to my surf fishing tackle.
Bait & Tackle Shops:
Black Dog Bait and Tackle – blackdogbait.com – 321-725-1200
Harry Goode’s – harrygoodes.com – 321-723-4751
Man Overboard – mobbaitandtackle.com – 321-777-8860
John Detmer
Owner/Operator of J&H Surf Fishing the Space Coast
321-777-5554 or email
jandhsurffishing1@att.net
www.jandhsurffishing.com