This month’s tip is about something that every fishermen should take pride in; Reel Care. Most fishermen forget to take care of their reels. I see it all the time. I repair Penn Reels and almost every reel I see, needs some kind of cleaning or lubricating. My own reels get neglected too. I can always say that "I am testing their durability.", but I am just lazy. With basic care most reels will last you a lifetime.

    First and foremost be sure your reel is protected from the saltwater. A reel that is not protected, is a reel just a week or two away from visiting my shop. I use Corrosion X to protect all of my reels. Saltwater will cause more problems than anything else. Corrosion X does an excellent job to protect your investment from saltwater damage. Just spraying it on once a year is not enough. After every day of fishing, even if you did not use the reel, give it a quick wipe down with a damp towel. Always use freshwater to wet the towel. Then spray a little Corrosion X on all exposed metal surfaces. This will protect the outside of you reel from corrosion.

    Secondly, keep the all moving parts, expect the drag system, lubricated. When two moving parts make contact there is friction. Friction will eventually destroy moving parts. To reduced the friction, I lubricated all moving parts in my reels. Parts like gears receive a thick waterproof grease. This reduces the "wear and tear" on these parts. Ball bearings require a much lighter lubricate, Corrosion X is great for this purpose. When using a lighter lubricate, use it more often.

    Do not forget to protect the screws and threaded holes in your reel. Some folks use an anti-seize lubricate. I use Corrosion X to prevent the screws from seizing. For those of you who have Penn International Reels do not forget to clean out the sideplates screw holes as well as the screws. A toothbrush with a 50/50 mixture of freshwater and Lime-away will remove the salt from the holes. Also apply grease to any place two different "metals" contact with each other. When you have dissimilar metals next to each other, the saltwater causes the metals to bind together. I use a heavy film of waterproof grease to slow this from happening.

    If your reel gets drenched by waves, do not hose it off. That will only make matters worse. Hosing a reel only pushes the salt deeper into the holes and into your reel. Wipe the reel down and later open it and clean it or bring it to someone to clean. Do not store a reel away unless it has been clean first.  If your reel is always getting drenched try putting a reel cover on it. Reel Covers protect the reel from saltwater, nicks as well as protecting the line from ultra-violet rays.

    When it comes to reel maintenance, after each day of fishing or at the end of a trip, take the reel off the rod. Then simply wipe down the reel with a damp towel. When you get home get the reel completely clean and re-lubed.  Lubricate external moving parts like: handle, free spool lever or level wind gears. Also do the same to your fishing rod. Lubricate the threads of the reel seat, also protect metal surfaces and wipe down the rod with a damp towel to remove salt.

    Do not forget to release the tension on your drag system. For star drag reels, back off the star. For lever drag reels, push the lever back to the free spool position. Do not touch your preset knob. If you have a 2 speed reel, store the reel in low gear.

    There is not much you can do about "drags" going bad. Drags only can stand so much heat before they fail. The star drag reels you can usually get 4 or 5 fish hooked before the average drag system shows signs that it should be replaced. Lever drag reels lasts for years without showing any signs of failure. Eventually those bad drags will cost you a fish. They should be changed soon.

    After your have cleaned your reel, store it correctly. Do not store your reels in a damp place. Be sure your reels are kept in a dry and safe place. Storing them on your boat or in your garage are bad places. A good place is a closet in your house or apartment.

    I hope these tips will prevent you from having to bring a reel into my shop. If your reel is in need of a cleaning do not put it off. The longer you wait the more trouble you will have.

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