Carefully remove the reel covers and use tweezers to pick out the small components such as washers and bearings. Soak and rinse the reel in freshwater for a few hours to soften up the buildup. To properly clean out your reel, there’s a list of tools and equipment that you need to carry out the cleaning process properly. Knowing the right amount of oil and grease to use on your real enhances maintenance and prevents dirt-build up after cleaning.
Cleaning your reel also aids in the life of your fishing line by removing the salt, which will damage the line, especially braid. Watch the video as Jordan from Karl’s YouTube channel walks you through the steps of proper reel care. Everything from a quick clean to adding grease or oil to the reel moving parts. With his reel care kit in hand, Jordan is able to knock out this rainy day task in a matter of minutes. Once it’s all clean you can oil the pick up pin, the arms, the handle knobs, the spool release and the ball bearings.
How To Clean And Lubricate A Fishing Reel
Taking it apart to get it clean can be intimidating. This is especially true if you’re not handy when it comes to fishing gear. If you’re worried about getting your fishing reel clean, we’ve got you covered. Afterwards, to finish by wiping the reel with a cloth that already has lubricant protectant sprayed on it. You can wipe them to dry, spray the reel using WD40-type surface spray and try to keep it away from the line for further reaction.
Unlike spinning and spincasting reels, the spool on baitcasters sits perpendicular to the rod and does rotate when fishing line is retrieved. Spincasters rely upon a thumb-activated button at the back of the reel to cast line. This is the most basic casting system of all fishing reels, which is one of the reasons that Spincasters are popular among beginner anglers.
You will also need to disassemble the reel if it gets totally submerged in water or sand in order to clean and dry every component. To finish, loosen the drag of the reel to free its washers from pressure until the next fishing trip. This is a good practice to keep the drag system in a good state and improve its life span. Now it’s time to rinse the reel and remove the soap. Now that we are aware of the significance of cleaning and the tools necessary to do so, we need to be aware of the ground rules when it comes to cleaning a fishing reel.
Wipe each part clean with cotton swabs or soft cloths. Carefully set aside each piece so that you can keep track. The benefit of Super Lube is that it will stand up to water and especially salt water, but again reel oil is a better option.
After each use in salt or freshwater, sponge your reel LIGHTLY with warm soapy water. Damaged or cracked guides will cause the fishing line to break so be sure to check guides thoroughly. Cleaning your fishing reels after using in saltwater is paramount and must be done as soon as possible after your trip. Waiting until tomorrow or when you “have time” is not good enough.
Aim the reel downward so that the water that carries the salt, sand, and dirt goes down along the rod and to the ground and not into the drag and gearing systems. When the fishing reel is dry, you can wipe it down with lubricant before you store it. In a few words, you must clean your reel after every trip of saltwater fishing. To do so, first wash the reel with soap and water to remove dirt, salt, and lubricants, then use a water spray to rinse the reel.
How frequently should you clean your saltwater reel ?
The cleaning procedures for a spincasting reel are virtually the same as a spinning reel except that a spincasting reel has a spool cover instead of a bail arm assembly. The spool cover unscrews from the reel body by turning it counterclockwise. Once the spool cover has been removed, inspect the interior for any grime and wipe clean with a cloth. The same needs to be done for the collar and pick-up pins.
Don’ts You Should Always Avoid When Cleaning Your Fishing Reels
Dry the cleaned parts with a lint-free cloth or paper towels. Fishingreelrepaircompany.com needs to review the security of your connection before proceeding. While WD-40 is certainly an effective lubricant and water displacement solution, it is an all-purpose solvent; a jack-of-all-trades in an aerosol can. Oil should be applied to bearings, bushings, and external parts, particularly those that are exposed to the elements because dirt can accumulate faster in grease. While WD-40 is amazing as a penetrating oil, it is not a great lubricant. Use a proper lubricant for greasing the interior parts of your reel.
Bonny Fryer has always been interested in animals, even since she was born. This interest led her to get a degree in Veterinary Medicine and start working as a veterinarian when she was only 22 years old. She is now 44 years old and still works as a veterinarian. She loves her job and finds it very fulfilling to help animals stay healthy and happy.