Clean and protect all your fishing gear with Tackle-It
 

Total Score: 8.40

Introduction: Enjay introduces Tackle-It, a new all purpose cleaner that is designed to clean and protect just about all your fishing related gear. This multi purpose cleaner also adds a layer of protection that is designed to effectively repel any further dirt and grime.
 

Impressions: Tackle-It comes from Enjay Functional Solutions, the same manufacturer that introduced the Albackore Tackle Bag last year. Tackle-It is designed for anglers, but can be used on virtually any surface. While all of us at one time or another has cleaned our tackle we will typically grab the closest household cleaner and make do. Tackle-It is not only a cleaner but brings the added value of having protection capabilities that will actually prolong the life of the treated surface by resisting further buildup of unwanted grunge.
 

The product itself: Tackle-It is different than traditional cleaners in that it has many interesting properties. These include:

1. It is a safe cleaning solution without abrasives

2. Removes only the dirt, will not damage surfaces, and remains optically neutral

3. Works on almost all surfaces including plastic, fiberglass, acrylic, marble, tile, aluminum, mirrors, vinyl...etc.

4. Adds a protective coating that resists further unwanted particles

5. The chemical is anti-static, so treated surfaces remain static free

6. The applicators are pump sprays so they are cfc-free and ozone safe

Tackle-It is available in 2 sizes. The 12 oz size is great to keep at home or store on your boat, while the 2oz size is actually small enough to fit almost any tackle box. We recommend buying the larger 12oz size based on the value, and the smaller 2oz size only if you want to be able to carry the solution with you at all times.

Directions: Applying Tackle-It is very easy. Follow this procedure:

1. Shake Tackle-It to ensure contents are equally mixed

2. Spray on the surface

3. Rub Tackle-It into the surface

4. Wipe and buff (Make sure to use a soft cloth, paper towels as they can scratch delicate surfaces)

The whole process takes just seconds, and leaves a silky feel to the surface that is soft and wax-like but not slippery or greasy in any way. We took Tackle-It into the lab and field to see how well this all-purpose cleaner would stack up to grease, dirt, and fish scales.

Lab Tests: Sometimes the best part of the job is being able to put products through the wringer in our lab. Tackle-It was up to the challenge as we pitted the cleaner/protector against some industrial strength grease. After laying down lines of grease on our acrylic test pad we then sprayed the entire surface and proceeded to wipe the grease away on the right side of the pad. Sure enough Tackle-It not only quickly removed all the grease but left no traces of smudging.

The concept of Pre-Clean: After the first test we did notice that while there was no visible evidence of Tackle-It the test pad's surface now felt velvety smooth. This physical layer acts as a protector of the surface long after treatment. Pre-clean your fishing rods with Tackle-It and it will effectively protect the entire rod from the hash elements. When you get home rather then having to aggressively wipe down all the components you can simply spray off any scales or blood with ease.
 

Watercraft: Whatever size or type of boat you have there are plenty of surfaces that can benefit from Tackle-It. We tested Tackle-It on three different surfaces on our bass boat. These included the fiberglass hull, the console's acrylic windshields, and the vinyl seats. The fiberglass hull of our Nitro has seen a lot of fishing and showed serious sins of abuse including scratches, deep watermarks, and dirt buildup. After spraying and buffing the surface it looked brand new, even a deep scratch seeming to disappear. 

After wiping the acrylic windshields down I marveled at the fact that they were now clean, streak free, and felt slick to the touch. In the past I have used ammonia based cleaners that do a good job cleaning these surfaces but always left them feeling exposed so that if I ran my hand over the windshield they did not feel glossy and would actually fingerprint easily. It is a fact that that some harsh cleaners work by stripping layers away while Tackle-It will actually clean and leave a protective residue.

Finally we treated the vinyl seats of the Nitro. After wiping the seats down they too felt silky but not at all slippery. Tackle-It's protective layer not only feels velvety but will shield your seats from the harsh elements. While good for freshwater boats Tackle-It is excellent for ocean bound craft where the added protection can prolong the lifespan of any surface that is exposed to saltwater.
 

Rods: While Tackle-It is great for cleaning rods it is a good idea to treat all your rods prior to fishing, especially big game rods. On a recent Albacore trip we found ourselves and our tackle exposed to scales, fish guts, and blood. All of which seems to find their way beautifully to everyone's rods. After getting home we were able to clean the untreated rods in a matter of minutes, and now they benefit from a protective layer that will make it easy to clean these rods after our next charter.
 

Reels: Reels are the pride and joy of every angler, and it just feels good to keep your tackle looking and feeling as good as new. This is easily accomplished with Tackle-It. Simply spray on your reel and buff with a soft cloth. It is important to get use a soft cloth to clean your reels, paper towels are far too course and can do a real number on aluminum reels. I use 3M Scotch Brite towels, and almost wish that this accessory is something that would be made available bundled with Tackle-It. we tested Tackle-It on reels with metallic and plastic components. We even tested Tackle-It on a Magnesium based Chronarch Mg. In every case the reels shined after cleaning. Removing water stains and dirt buildup took moments, but the protective layer will continue to minimize fingerprints and residue for months.

Many more applications: Tackle-It proved itself to be very effective on a variety of fishing related surfaces but can be used for so many other applications. Tackle-It can be utilized on many cloth surfaces like float tubes and tents so that the material is not only clean but will remain anti-static. Because it is invisible it makes an exceptional cleaner for instruments like GPS's, and fish finders, and even your precious optics. The flexibility of this cleaner makes it possible to spray on many more surfaces and applications then just fishing tackle and watercraft.

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Conclusion: Tackle-It is a great cleaner for all things fishing, and the added element of being able to protect your tackle is a big bonus. This is a cleaner that exhibits superb characteristics that are perfect for about all fishing applications. Enjay states "with Tackle-It you can both clean and protect just about everything in your life," and they were not kidding. Tackle-It truly lives up to it's pledge of being able to pull double duty as a effective cleaner and protector. When you have one solution that can do an equally good job of cleaning your rods and reels, watercraft, optics, and electronics, you not only save money on compounds, but also will have more time to do the important things...like fish.

Until next time....Tight Lines!