Just came across a good explaination of how and why to clean your reel and line. No surprise it is from a sponsor here. [url=http://www.elkhornflyrods.com/store/repair/maintain.cfm:8e1cd]http://www.elkhornflyrods.com/store/repair/maintain.cfm[/url:8e1cd]
Its good reading. Just adapt the part about their reels to work for whichever ones you own.
FYI, the Elkhorn rods and reels are quite nice, especially for the money. (I have no connection to Elkhorn)
jed
I’ve wanted to get some comments on this subject, but not just for saltwater. I believe that the corrosive effect of saltwater on reels leads people to believe that that is the only time to clean your reel.
I think that the real (no pun) issue is not the salt as much as it is sand and silt. I get as much crud off of my reel after fishing in a river as I do from fishing in salt.
Salt comes off mostly with a good washing in fresh water. However, I go to an additional step of letting out my line, removing the spool, and cleaning all the nooks and crannies with some white tee-shirt material and cotton swabs.
I wipe down the area where the spool rides in the reel part to remove all the old lube, and then re-lube that area (not too much, more is not better with lube).
After cleaning my line, a double check for bits of sand or silt in the backing as well.
thanks for the web site
dc
Many men go fishing all of their lives
without knowing that it is not fish they
are after.
Henry David Thoreau
Some manufacturers Do Not recommend soaking their reels opting to flsh the reels off with fresh water instead and at least one strongly recommends against soaking. Apparently with some the soaking is bad for bearngs drag materials, etc
As for me, I fish salt all the time and bring the reels in after the day is done, strip off the line into a basin of warm soapy water with the water running over the spool at the same time. Rinse the spool and backing a bit more, taking the spool off while doing so then replace it and rewind line on, still under the running water.
I then take it apart, set it aside to drain and dry and do the rod paying close attention to the guides and reel seat.
Every few trips I take Q tips and coat every metal part on the reel with that great NW product called Boeshield! Same goes for a coat of cork oil on the drag for those of my reels using the exposed cork still.
Do this and reels will look new and work like a new one years later.
Good Fishing
Chuck Scheerschmidt
“I’ve traveled a long way and some of the roads weren’t paved.”
Never saw Boeshield. Sounds interesting, where do you get it?
dc
Many men go fishing all of their lives
without knowing that it is not fish they
are after.
Henry David Thoreau