Fishing Reel Maintenance

With summer fast approaching, the smell of fish is in the air. Don't let the lake of fishing reel maintenance slow your love for fishing. Living on the Red River in Arkansas makes my heart beat faster as summer approaches. If you are like me, located somewhere behind the piles of garden tools and the lawn mower are variant styles of fishing reels. Each one has a story to tell of the "big one that got away." But you can't let those reels and your passion die off because of mechanical issues - make sure you keep up your fishing reel maintenance.

Proper maintenance of fishing equipment insures a season with as few mechanical problems as possible. The better shape your equipment is in, the less your frustration when that tug on the line means a certain catch. Take a look at the types of rods and reels gathering dust in the garage. Regardless of whether your collection consists of spincast reels, spinning reels or bait cast reels, keeping them in tip top shape is of the essence.

Basic maintenance is the same regardless of the type of reel. A reel must always be ready to run smoothly. There is nothing more frustrating than a tangled line when the fish are jumping in the water. At the start of the season and at the end of each day of fishing thereafter, the spool and other moving parts should be removed. Wash these in clean clear water and mild dish-washing liquid. After these are dry, apply a few drops of light oil to all moving parts. Extreme care should be taken so that only small amounts of oil are used. Too much lubrication can interrupt the performance of the reel. It is important to note that only good quality, light grade grease or oil, especially designed for fishing reels should be used.

Fishing in saltwater requires reels to receive special attention. After each fishing trip in saltwater, a reel must be soaked in fresh water. When salt water is left to dry on a reel, it leaves a microscopic coating called "crystalline." If this saltwater residue is not removed, it will damage the components of the reel in much the same way as sand or dirt.

Follow these few simple steps in reel maintenance and the fishing experience of a lifetime awaits.