Saving Saltwater Drenched Jigheads

Hi All

Spent a few days fishing around Evans Head. While fighting the smallest vicious flathead I've seen, i dropped my tackle box of jigheads into the river. When I got back to our unit, I washed the jigheads in warm soapy water and sprayed them with tackle guard. I'm regretting it now as the tackle guard has made the jigheads smell and sticky.

Should I clean them again? If so treat them with ??? to stop them rusting.

The Flathead was twice the size of the 4" squidgie, I was using. Hope it's a bit bigger when I catch him again next time, I'm down that way.

Cheers

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Originally Posted by castlemaine

Hi All

Spent a few days fishing around Evans Head. While fighting the smallest vicious flathead I've seen, i dropped my tackle box of jigheads into the river. When I got back to our unit, I washed the jigheads in warm soapy water and sprayed them with tackle guard. I'm regretting it now as the tackle guard has made the jigheads smell and sticky.

Should I clean them again? If so treat them with ??? to stop them rusting.

The Flathead was twice the size of the 4" squidgie, I was using. Hope it's a bit bigger when I catch him again next time, I'm down that way.

Cheers

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Bi-carb soda mixed in vinegar. Put all in a small container and watch the show. Give them a shake and good hosing while still in the container.

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Originally Posted by Gon Fishun

Bi-carb soda mixed in vinegar. Put all in a small container and watch the show. Give them a shake and good hosing while still in the container.

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Thanks Gon Fishun
The Jigheads Hooks are still in good condition and not rusty as yet.

After you have drenched them with fresh water put them on a tray in the oven at 150c for thirty minutes.
Water can travel between the lead and the hook and become future hook failures if not dried properly.
Do not coat them with anything afterwards.
Buy a tackle tray with a seal and on one or two compartments put a sachet of silica crystals in there.

It's what i do on the kayak and have no dramas at all for 6 years now.

Oven is a great idea mate- thank you!

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Originally Posted by tunaticer

After you have drenched them with fresh water put them on a tray in the oven at 150c for thirty minutes.
Water can travel between the lead and the hook and become future hook failures if not dried properly.
Do not coat them with anything afterwards.
Buy a tackle tray with a seal and on one or two compartments put a sachet of silica crystals in there.

It's what i do on the kayak and have no dramas at all for 6 years now.

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Sounds good to me, thank you.

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Originally Posted by tunaticer

After you have drenched them with fresh water put them on a tray in the oven at 150c for thirty minutes.
Water can travel between the lead and the hook and become future hook failures if not dried properly.
Do not coat them with anything afterwards.
Buy a tackle tray with a seal and on one or two compartments put a sachet of silica crystals in there.

It's what i do on the kayak and have no dramas at all for 6 years now.

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Tunaticer where do you get your silica satchels ftom, I recycle the ones that come in packaging when buying new items, how do you know when they are no longer viable.

Also I cut some sponge material, old thongs are OK, to suit the container and push the jigheads into them as I found jigheads rattling around constantly can dull some of the hook points so my method keeps them well separated.

I get my sachets from my mig welding wire spools at work......every new spool has one or two inside the shrink wrap.
I have sachets that are 10+ yrs old and still no sign of rust on the hooks in those boxes.

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Originally Posted by Dignity

Tunaticer where do you get your silica satchels ftom, I recycle the ones that come in packaging when buying new items, how do you know when they are no longer viable.

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Assuming they're silica gel crystals, you can put them in the oven. Doesn't have to be real hot, 60 degrees/half hour would be fine to draw the moisture out of the crystals, then reuse. Good idea though, I'm sorry I just chucked a few out recently.

+1 for all the above replies, and if you find it hard to get hold of the silica packets, try a little uncooked rice in each compartment. Absorbs water like crazy, easy to see if it starts to swell, (time to replace it), and cheap as chips!
I've been using it for over 15 years, and still have hooks as good as the day they were bought!
Mind you, this last says something about the little amount of time I get to go fishing - hooks should never have to last this long!