Lockdown a perfect chance to give fishing gear some TLC

It's genuinely the toughest period on the fishing calendar, with little to get excited about, especially around Canberra and on the coast.

It's a month where a lot of anglers simply put the tackle in mothballs and wait for those first wonderful warm days of spring.

The vast majority of us are doing that right now, whether we like it or not.

Unless you live within 5km of water, and can sneak in a cheeky cast during your hour of daily exercise, it's a great opportunity to take stock of your fishing gear and prepare it for the season ahead.

My gear gets a solid workout, with the majority of my fishing done in saltwater. Even if you exclusively fish in freshwater, your equipment will benefit from a little TLC.

I'm using lockdown as an opportunity to respool all my reels with fresh line. As a rule of thumb, line should be replaced every six to 12 months, as the sun, salt and general wear and tear weakens both braid and nylon.

Reels should be serviced semi-regularly as well, especially if they're primarily used in the salt. At the very least, give reels a clean with fresh water and spray them with a lubricant.

Give the lure collection a once over, too. It's particularly important to look at features like treble hooks and split rings, and replace them if they're showing signs of rust.

The weather and the fishing will both be on the improve when this lockdown ends. Doing the prep-work now will stand you in good stead when we're finally allowed to hit our favourite waterways again.