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What's the right way to clean your reel?


nutsaboutfishing

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No, Just spray very lightly with freshwater. Some guys just use a spray bottle on expensive reels. I put the hose on a light mist and shower from a 1-2 metre distance.

Salt water will always ruin gear faster but they'll last longer if you don't imbed salt in them by blasting with a hose.

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I generally chuck my stuff in the shower and just rinse them while I'm in there at the end of the day... The warm water helps wash off the stubborn stuff... Water efficient to... However I am recently rethinking my maintenance as I've been reading any water on a reel is a no no, even fresh water.. So I'm rethinking my routine. Last outing didn't catch anything but still had Saltwater on the reel from the wet line.. Ended up just wiping it down with a baby wipe instead...

How do others clean their gear? Especially when their stuff is subjected to a decent amount of salt water spary.. Ie from an open tinny running through a ' crosswind' in some chop?

Edited by Ojay Samson
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A lot of this depends on the gear you are using.

Many ( if not most) modern reels have sealed drags. The drag mechanism is where most of the problems will occur so before flushing your reels with

fresh water just lock the drag down as a precaution.

I usually go fishing Fridays so when I get back home I lock the drag on the reels, hose them down lightly with fresh water and the take a closer look on Saturday.

On Saturday, I loosen the drag and take the spool off to check for any water ingress and clean and lube as necessary

I clean the rod and the runners. and then take off the leaders and a few meters of line if it looks sus and re rig for next week.

Depending on the amount of use the reel gets I strip and lube every 6 months or so.

I quite like doing this over a beer while the missus is at work...very therapeutic and gets me excited about he next trip!

If you don't have the time or inclination just make sure you tighten the drag and flush gently with fresh water.

Cheers

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A lot of this depends on the gear you are using.

Many ( if not most) modern reels have sealed drags. The drag mechanism is where most of the problems will occur so before flushing your reels with

fresh water just lock the drag down as a precaution.

I usually go fishing Fridays so when I get back home I lock the drag on the reels, hose them down lightly with fresh water and the take a closer look on Saturday.

On Saturday, I loosen the drag and take the spool off to check for any water ingress and clean and lube as necessary

I clean the rod and the runners. and then take off the leaders and a few meters of line if it looks sus and re rig for next week.

Depending on the amount of use the reel gets I strip and lube every 6 months or so.

I quite like doing this over a beer while the missus is at work...very therapeutic and gets me excited about he next trip!

If you don't have the time or inclination just make sure you tighten the drag and flush gently with fresh water.

Cheers

That's geniusly simple. I shall add this to my cleaning schedule, I do find water ingress in some of my reels drag and I generally just unscrew it completely and dry off manually or air dry. Along with the full service every x months.
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For spinning reels - Lock up drags (even on the so called sealed reels) & give a light rinse 4 or 5 seconds under a slow running tap ( keep spool face upwards so you are not filling up the cavity under it with water). Concentrate most of the stream at the line on the spool.

After rinsing wind reel vigorously to shed water (centrifuge style). Dry with a towel, apply a drop of light oil to bail roller area and knob spindle on handle then release drag. Optional wipe over with cloth sprayed with lanotec or inox type product.

Works for me

Cheers

Blood Knot

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I do not own high end reels but this is what ive done for over three decades now without any dramas.

I tighten the drags on my spinning outfit reels first then stand the rods up butt first in a bucket of warm water with sugar soap with the reels attached.

I give the rods/reels a good sponging all over being carefull to avoid wetting the drag area too much then rinse off with the hose on a gentle spray.

I turn the handle rapidly to flick the excess water off the spool/line then dry off with air blower using compressed air.

I run a piece off the mrs panty hose through the runners to check for nicks/cracks (preferably when she's not wearing them) then finish off with a light machine oil lube in all the usual places and loosening the drags for the next outing.

I rarely pull my reels apart but when I do I'll lube with nothing but a smear off Vaseline where it's needed and sewing machine oil.

Cheers.

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Basically as above. But I use a spray bottle with hit water (because of the small siphon tube it's warm when it exits)

Give it a light spray from a couple of angles but not up under the rotor etc. The warm water definitely helps over cold.

I also use a very thin stream of hot water from the tap to wash the braid, rotating as I go and not allowing any near the drag. I often remove spool to do this to avoid too much water entering.

Wipe with baby wipe or just damp cloth, then if I'm feeling motivated I put some inox on a rag (do not spray directly onto reel and never a penetrant like wd40) and wipe to give it a bit of a coating. And makes it nice and shiny :)

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