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