Keith,

Get one of those sponges with the green scratchy side to them. Use 409 or dish soap, you want something tht will cut the gease/oil. Soak and scrub, but after you start making headway stop using the scratchy side and use just the sponge or finger nail. For the handles, I use 100 or 150 grit sandpaper every couple years, be gentle. I also started cleaning/sponging my rods down in the fall after a rain day if they were sitting in the boat overnight, good thing to do at fishcamp when I'm rained out. The rain and moisture seems to help.
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You can always tell a fisherman, you just can't tell him much.