| Many anglers overlook the importance of their | | | | by a screw that you back out with your |
| fishing reel. Many times your fishing rod | | | | fingers or by turning the handle the opposite |
| and reel simply get thrown in the basement at | | | | direction that you turn while reeling. Once |
| the end of the fishing season and then | | | | the handle is removed, set it aside. |
| dragged out at the beginning of the next | | | | |
| season to be used again. You can run into | | | | Now locate which side of the reel has exposed |
| some fairly serious problems with this type | | | | screw heads and lay the reel so the screw |
| of scenario. Very often your reel will | | | | heads are visible. Now using your small |
| choose to not work properly at precisely the | | | | screwdriver, remove the screws that are |
| worst time, such as when you're fighting a | | | | holding the reel together. Once these screws |
| large fish. This is why I do a little | | | | are removed, set them aside as well. At this |
| routine maintenance on my fishing reels | | | | point you can remove the reel plate. Once |
| before the start of every fishing season. | | | | the reel plate is removed the gears and |
| You only have to lose a trophy one time | | | | springs on the inside are exposed. Without |
| because of your fishing reel not performing | | | | taking anything else apart, simply examine |
| to make you a believer. Take my word for it. | | | | the inside of the fishing reel. Many times |
| Do a littler routine "check up" before the | | | | you can see sand and or dirt particles. |
| beginning of every fishing season. Here's a | | | | Using the Q-tips, you want to gently remove |
| list of what you'll need: | | | | any exposed sand or dirt particles. Once |
| | | | this is accomplished you want to add reel |
| 1) A small screwdriver (usually Phillips | | | | lubricant to any exposed gear (not too much, |
| head) | | | | just enough to cover the gear). |
| | | | |
| 2) A pair of needle nose pliers or hemostats | | | | At this point, simply reverse the process by |
| | | | installing the reel plate and screws. Add a |
| 3) Lubricant. Either purchase a small | | | | little lubricant to the spindle of the handle |
| bottle of reel oil or just use some WD-40 | | | | and re-install the handle. That's it; you |
| | | | just maintained your fishing reel and |
| 4) 2 or 3 small towels | | | | shouldn't have any problems with it. I've |
| | | | been doing this to my fishing reels for a |
| 5) Some Q-tips | | | | long time and it works wonders. I have |
| | | | fishing reels that are fifteen years old and |
| 6) A clear area to work. Any cleared off | | | | still work like new. Doing maintenance such |
| table will work fine. | | | | as this enables you to know if your reel is |
| | | | in need of being replaced, before you get on |
| First of all take your fishing reel off of | | | | the water, which is what we want. Because |
| your fishing rod. Now take the reel and some | | | | losing a trophy because of a reel malfunction |
| warm water and wipe it off thoroughly. Once | | | | is no fun at all. This routine maintenance |
| you have the reel wiped of debris, remove the | | | | will alleviate that problem forever. |
| handle. It normally simply unscrews either | | | | |