Reel maintence is simple and time well spent for every angler.

No matter how hard you try to keep your reel clean during the fishing season, dust and grit will find its way into cracks, crevices and level winding gears.

To prolong the life of your investment, you should clean and lubricate your reel at the end of every fishing season, or at the end of a trip if you’ve dropped your reel in dirt or sand. This is a task that I usually take care of in the winter when I’ve got the fishing blues. It only takes a few minutes per reel, and is well worth the effort to ensure many years of smooth, trouble free operation.

Before you start, make sure you have a screwdriver that is properly sized for the job so that you don’t damage delicate screws or the side-plate of your reel.

For basic maintenance, you don’t have to completely disassemble a reel. What you’ll find once you’ve removed the screws and reel’s side plate will vary with the many different designs, but basically you’ll be able to remove the spool and access moving parts such as inner gears and bearings. Just pay attention to the order in which you remove parts from the reel. I’ve found it best to lay the reel on a white towel and position parts in order fanning out from each side. The towel will also prevent screws and small parts from rolling off the table.

Never dunk a reel under water to clean it, and do not use air pressure that could blow dirt deeper into cracks and crevices. Gently clean the exposed parts with a small brush using dish-washing detergent, diluted with water. Pay particular attention to moving parts such as the release slider, if your reel has one, and the line guide worm gear. Once you’re confident that all dirt has been removed, gently dry components with a soft, lint-free cloth. Once moving parts such as spool shaft and spool ends are clean, use a lightweight oil such as Quantum’s Hot Sauce, which has a ultra-low viscosity that actually bonds with metal. Never use multi-purpose oil, which has elements that attract and hold dirt particles. This is especially important with gears and bearings, which are more subject to wear when combined with grit.

Never dunk a reel under water to clean it, and do not use air pressure that could blow dirt deeper into cracks and crevices. Gently clean the exposed parts with a small brush using dish-washing detergent, diluted with water. Pay particular attention to moving parts such as the release slider, if your reel has one, and the line guide worm gear. Once you’re confident that all dirt has been removed, gently dry components with a soft, lint-free cloth. Once moving parts such as spool shaft and spool ends are clean, use a lightweight oil such as Quantum’s Hot Sauce, which has a ultra-low viscosity that actually bonds with metal. Never use multi-purpose oil, which has elements that attract and hold dirt particles. This is especially important with gears and bearings, which are more subject to wear when combined with grit.

Never use a lubricant on drag washers, and if any oil is present, remove it with a dry cloth. Allow the reel to dry, and before you begin reassembly, check to make sure that all gear teeth are properly aligned.

It is recommended that you remove reels from rods for winter storage, and loosen the drag on reels that employ springs so they do not become weakened when not in use. For star or lever drag models, adjust the drag to free spool and click on the line alarm to provide some tension on the spool. Store your reel in a cool, dry place, away from damaging UV light that can deteriorate monofilament line.

This is also a good time to respool your reels with fresh line, so you’re ready to go when springtime calls you to the lake.