Keeping rods and tackle in the car during warm months? 2025

JFlynn97 reply :

Is keeping your gear in your car for extended periods of time during the spring/summer a bad idea? The inside of my car gets pretty hot and I want to keep at least a couple rods and some tackle on me so whenever I have some free time I won't have to go home and pick stuff up, but I don't know if the heat risks damaging anything.

Thanks!

Choporoz reply :

My Dodge Durango is pretty well full with just fishing gear year round.

I make few adjustments....no JJ's Magic kept in the car in the summer.....no KVD lube in car during winter freezes...12V batteries go in the house for the winter....but, that's about it...

NittyGrittyBoy reply :

I keep a bass rod and ultralight in my work car, along with a small bag of tackle for each.

Both are usually some older rods/reels that I don't mind getting messed up if something happened. All my nice stuff goes in my man cave lol.

But I have not had any problems keeping them in a hot car. And in South Ga it's already in the 90's

keagbassr reply :

All my stuff stays in my truck from April til november. Except when I need make room for someone which I hate to do.

rtwvumtneer6 reply :

I've had soft plastics melt together when I kept them in plastic containers sitting out. Now I keep them in their original packaging inside of my day bag and haven't had any issue. Should be ok if you avoid direct sunlight, and I usually keep my windows cracked a bit.

bhoff reply :

I don't think it would cause a problem, I've had my rods and tackle sitting in the back of my SUV for quite some time now.

WDE reply :

I live in Memphis, so it gets quite warm for long periods of time; and my gear stays in my trunk(backseat laid down) year round. Direct sunlight might affect the tackle more(especially plastics), but I’ve never had a problem.

WRB reply :

Nylon monofilament line is weakened by heat over 105 degrees continuos temperatures, Fluorocarbon and braid are not degraded by heat in your car.

Direct sunlight, UV and Ozone also affects the polymers.

You are better off storing your fishing equipment in a cool dark place in lieu of your car.

Tom

Todd2 reply :

I wouldn't keep it out there on a daily basis..but when you go fishing throw it in. If it's always a spur of moment deal, you could take off the reels and put them in a little cooler in the summer. Doesnt take any time to pop it on a rod and thread it up. I think you could store Braid on top of your engine and it wouldn't hurt that stuff.

timothy_spain reply :

If it's too hot out, paint will melt. My crankbait painted eyes started drooping. Keep your soft plastics in separate bags by color else the colors will mix due to the heat.

KDW96 reply :

Your stuff will be fine. Remember, it all gets shipped to the store you bought it from, by frieght. I work for pepsi, and can attest to the fact,that a trailer sitting on the lot -full, will get hotter than any car or truck ever will. Also its usually stored in hot muggy warehouses,as 98percent arent temp controled.

I dont cover my rods in the truck, because its no different than laying on the deck of my boat in the sun all day. As WRB mentioned some lines degrade in light over time but i primariliy use braid.

I dont use jjs because i wont use stuff i have to constantly babysit.

I do bring it all inside however,late fall because i need the space for bow an gun season.

new2BC4bass reply :

I'm lazy. Don't feel like making the several needed trips...or taking the time to do so...to haul the lures from the basement to my car. It is enough to make a few trips loading up rods. My trunk is loaded with all my lures...year round. Just recently added two 2-piece rods, a Light spinning and MH casting. Both reels for them have braid. I would prefer not to carry any other type of line in the trunk because of the heat. Some plastics get a little wetter, but doesn't seem to affect their fish catching ability. Not that catching too many fish in my area is a problem. Been doing it this way for years.

EDIT: I asked this very question (about keeping plastics in trunk) not too long ago.

Stephen B reply :

Do not leave any gear in your car unless it is kept in a garage. I have two buddies that have had their vehicles broken into the past month and had all their gear stolen. Luckily, they got pictures of the theives.

Also, like others have said it can degrade some of your lines/lures.

On 5/25/2018 at 3:20 AM, Choporoz said:

My Dodge Durango is pretty well full with just fishing gear year round.

I make few adjustments....no JJ's Magic kept in the car in the summer.....no KVD lube in car during winter freezes...12V batteries go in the house for the winter....but, that's about it...

Haha I don't use JJ's Magic as I use Spike It due to this reason. The JJs is like a pressurized bomb in the heat haha. Definitely a good choice to not leave it in your car as the pressure builds up in the glass container.

Spankey reply :

To each his own. I don't. I can't see leaving my stuff in the heat. Can't be good of mono and flouro. I'm pretty anal and don't let my baits and rods set out in the boat over winter to see cold freezing temps either. Just can't see the extremes having no effects.

CrankFate reply :

On 6/23/2018 at 8:17 PM, KDW96 said:

Your stuff will be fine. Remember, it all gets shipped to the store you bought it from, by frieght. I work for pepsi, and can attest to the fact,that a trailer sitting on the lot -full, will get hotter than any car or truck ever will. Also its usually stored in hot muggy warehouses,as 98percent arent temp controled.

^ This + rubber and plastics will melt.

But if you keep any gear in your car in the summer that old fishing smell will become permanent in the car forever.

DogBone_384 reply :

I keep a bag and a couple travel rods in my truck most of the year and have never had any problems or melted plastics.

The Bassman reply :

On 6/25/2018 at 12:12 AM, CrankFate said:

^ This + rubber and plastics will melt.

But if you keep any gear in your car in the summer that old fishing smell will become permanent in the car forever.

Would be kind of welcome in the middle of winter.

tholmes reply :

When I was working, I kept a couple of baitcasting rigs and a tackle box in the cab of my Dakota essentially all of the time for lunch break fishing. This is in Kansas, where it's not uncommon for the summer temps to surpass 100 degrees. I kept the windows open an inch or so, and the tackle box out of the sun, and never had any problems.

Tom

Boomstick reply :

I have had my rods and tackle in my car, often on hotter days. Granted, we don't see many days above 90 up in the northeast anymore, the typical hot days of the past several summers (minus a couple outliers) is a max of maybe 87, but never had an issue.

The first thing I would be worried about is soft plastics melting together...

HeyCoach reply :

I usually do keep my gear in the back of my truck (have a hard plastic tonneau cover) but there’s been a few trucks broken in to nearby. If it wasn’t for that, I’d keep them in the back of the truck.

fishwizzard reply :

I keep a few combos and tackle in my car year round so long as the water is soft. The rods/reels have covers and the tackle is in planos in a large tackle bag and everything is covered in a few layers of bath towels. I got bored one day (very very bored) and hooked up my remote bbq smoker thermometer and set the probe next to my reels and parked my car in the full sun. Under the towels the temp only got up to around ~105-110f. I make a point to park in the shade at home and try to do so when I am out. I have noticed no heat issues so far.

However, today I did crack open a new tube of Megastrike and notices that it was way closer to clear then the yellow-pearl my last tube was. The old tube lasted almost a year and was in the car 24/7, so I do wonder if it was affected by the temp changes.

CrankFate reply :

On 6/25/2018 at 3:31 AM, The Bassman said:

Would be kind of welcome in the middle of winter.

LoL, but it sounds better on paper than it smells in the car after a few weeks.

NYWayfarer reply :

My motto is if you have to ask the question you already know the answer.

Yes it is a bad idea. It puts thermal stress on your gear. No reason not to store it inside and take it with you when you think you are going to go fishing.

d-camarena reply :

Do it, but keep lower end tackle in the car. Here in texas it gets HOT. I wouldnt leave a higher end rod in my car

Angry John reply :

Some high end lures don't do well from some reports. Jerkbaits seem to be the worst off if I recall correctly.

BaitFinesse reply :

Keep UV rays off the rods and reels or they will discolor or fade.

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Keeping rods and tackle in the car during warm months? 2025

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