This question is focused on you fellow winter folk  >. When you pack your gear away for winter what do you do with it? Do you unspool your line take your reels off and put them in a reel bag? Do you put your rods back in the 80 tubes that are 8' that they send you when you order rods? Do you guys have certain reel covers rod sleeves etc. ?

Dude, It must suck living up north. I never thought about how to store my rods and reels for any length of time.

I might live up north, but I don't put my gear away. I'd rather fish in sub freezing weather than not fish.  ;D

When my reels are not in use, I loosen up the drags and leave the line on.  Better to have line on the reel so it is ready to go at a moments notice than have to spend the time to respool it. I have a plano rod case that I store my rods in to keep them dust free and some others hanging to some hooks in the garage. I notice that even when it hits the low 30s, my garage averages a temp in the 40s.  I can't store them in the house anyway. No way the Mrs. is going to allow that.

RobbyZ5001,

When I am going to store my gear for an extended length of time (3mo or more).

I remove the reels from the rods.

I loosen the drags, and remove the line (not necessary to remove the line unless you want to).

I place the reel/s in old cotton tube socks to keep any moisture out, then place the reels in a carpet padded tackle box.

The rods grips are cleaned, and the blank is rubbed down with my Birchwood Casey® silicone cloth, and hung buy their tip tops in my basement on coated cup hooks.

Just the way I do it......

Tight Lines!  

I also take all reels off rods, loosen drag, strip line, and store rods and reels in our outdoor room in the house.

Take off all line on reels,loose drag and tension spool down low and put em back in the boxes.

Rods go on my rack on my wall straight up down.

Only thing i don't put away is my spinning reel,just incase i have one of those odd winters where he get a warm front for a week or two.