Living here on the Puget Sound allows me to fish both fresh and salt water–so my question is—should I have a separate salt water fishing rig (salt water reel, etc.)? I have read that a fresh water reel will eventually rust even if you carefully clean it after each salt water use. Any advice/ experiences would be appreciated.
Rich
I live “downwind” of you, Rich, on the Oregon coast and do the same type of fishing. I use a fly reel that’s made more or less impervious to salt, and keep the smaller, more “fresh water finished reels”, for just that.
Even so, I still soak my “salt” reels and lines, in fresh water after every single outing.
Many “fresh water reels” have exposed drag systems, which I’ve pitted and ruined, not being careful enough in the past with them, around salt water.
I use the Lamson line of reels for a lot of my salt water fishing, because of their “sealed drag” system. Mainly, though, I use the good old, “can’t kill’ em Medalist” for salt!! They’re not really “built” for salt water use, and every part is “exposed” on them, but they’re built like tanks and if kept well rinsed in fresh water, every time, they last forever!
Just a couple of pennies worth, from this area of the coast!
Richard, I am going to be moving to Shelton Wa in the next little while, I will be watching this post with great interest. I have been meaning to ask this and hadnt gotten around to it
I can see a medalist spray painted with rustolium possably in my future.
Eric
We live on and fish the salt. The reels go in a bucket of freshwater overnight, then are rinsed the next morning in running fresh water, taken apart, (just reel off the spindle) and left to air dry, a drop of oil when/where necessary. In 18 years of functioning that way here, absolutely no problems.
most of todays reels are machined out of high grade aluminum and then have an anodized finish for corrosion protection. saltwater would attack any reel without this protection. good advise is to rinse any reel with fresh water after being used in the salwater environment. unspooling all of the flyline off and wiping it down with fresh water is also good. and dont forget the fly rod and guides!
Most Ross Reels are certified for saltwater use (the US made reels), and specifically advise the owner to rinse it well after use, and it makes perfect sense, because over time, even a reel that is anondized and is rated for salt water use will suffer scuffs and dings and its coating will deteriorate over time. I’ve seen people in the intermess knock Ross for saltwater use because it provides that advice, and IMO, the knock is ill conceived. Even if I owned a fancy brand that does not recommend a good rinsing, I’d do it anyway because the reel will not forever be in the condition it was in when it left the factory.
Thank You LadyFisher–that’s what I have been doing with my Cabela CSR reels but I have not let them soak overnight–will now do that as well. Haven’t caught anything in the salt at Ala Spit here on Whidbey Island yet but I keep trying. Will try again tomorrow with the Whidbey Island Fly Fishing Club.
Rich
I only use Salt Water Rated reels in the salt. I carry a gallon jug of water with me on salt water outings to 1st rinse the reel by pouring some fresh water on them, then they go in a Tupperware container submerged with the rest of the fresh water for an overnight soaking. I then take the spool off and rinse all parts thoroughly with fresh running water the next day.
Salt water and air will corrode the fresh water gear in pretty short order; especially if they are left to dry rather than immediately flushed with fresh water.
I only get to fish the saltwater one week out of the year, and I’ve always used the same Okuma Integrity reel with no ill effects. I always take it apart and flush it thoroughly with fresh water the minute I get back to the beach house each and every time. If I was getting into the salt regularly, I’d have to buy a proper saltwater reel, though the routine would still be exactly the same.
I have a house in the Mat Su Valley, Palmer to be exact…I use Loop and Danielsson Traditional freshwater reels for ALL my saltwater fishing…I would say they see 200 days a yr in salt and mainly 8-12hr days at that…I regreased the wheels last night…that was the 1st time since spring…I clean them maybe 3 times a year but mainly its not cleaning but regreasing the bearing because I also have removed the protective gaskets because they tended to get corroded and with all the smking bones/permit the grease will eventually spray itself out…no problems at all and its the only reel I use…same with the rods…while some are saltwater others are regular Loomis GLX’s…again I NEVER clean the rod…that being said I see rust UNDER the epoxy on the bottom guides…this is unavoidable because it is from seeping thru…no problem though, they have never failed and I also exchange my rods every yr anyway
Mister whisperer,
I am in the same boat as you. My so called freshwater gear doesn’t know it’s not supposed to be used in the salt. My rods have a tendancy to live in the back of my truck and rarely see a rinse other than sea water from a wave.
I am an everyday salter.
The only time I had problems was when I was constantly soaking my gear to “get all the salt off”. I think the constant soaking whether it be fresh or salt did them more damage than not doing anything.
Two things to note. Do not use high pressure water from the faucet. Just a moderate flow. Too high pressure will wash off the grease and oils. Same is true with too hot and with soapy water.
Periodically I do do the “full job” with hot water and soap but that is when I do a complete disassembly and regrease it all soup to nuts.
jed
Back-in-the-day when I used a medalist in the salt regularly, I’d clean and grease my reel everyday.
Now that I use a fancier “saltwater rated” reel, I’m not so fastidious
…and sometimes that comes back to bite me
Just last week, I had to do a complete re-haul to my “everyday reel”.
On rods, I’ve found that I no longer care to use ones with the heavy duty aluminum reel seats.
They look tuff, but they’re heavy and are really more than you need.
My current favorite (home rolled) rod sports a graphite spinning reel seat.
It doesn’t look “cool” but it’s very lightweight and solid.
I also use a rod with a wooden spacer reel seat… a real no-no…So what 
also one more thing you have to do is when you are finshed fishing for the year take off all line and backing from the reel and clean the spool.