If you have a high-quality spinning reel, keeping it in good condition results in reliable functionality for many years. But if you don’t maintain your fishing reel, even the most quality model eventually starts to perform poorly. That means it can malfunction at the most critical time, costing you fish of a lifetime.
To prevent any malfunctioning of your spinning reel, you have to maintain it with the right tools and lubricant. You can rest assured that it won’t let you down during the critical fishing moments when you do that regularly.
Clean the exterior
Whenever your reel gets dirty or exposed to salty water, take your time to clean the exterior. Use a sprayer to spray it with a mist of water gently, then wipe it with a soft cloth. When spraying it, ensure you use a fine mist but not a strong jer of water which can push dirt and salt to the interior parts of the reel.
Loosen the drag after fishing
According to reel experts at https://www.meltontackle.com/big-game-reels, loosening the drag after every fishing trip removes the pressure off the drag washers hence boosting their longevity. Additionally, it prevents the drag mechanism from getting stuck in a tight setting which can be very frustrating when you want to loosen it when fishing.
Ensure all the screws are tightened up
Always ensure all the screws of the reel are tight when using it. You can encounter a major problem fighting a fish when a loose screw falls off. Note that some spinning reels come with a handle that you can screw on and off, and you should ensure it is tight unless you are folding the reel for storage.
Avoid opening up your spin reel completely.
For many anglers, it is tempting to open the spinning reel and take it apart completely. That is not a wise idea because it can be challenging to put it back together accurately. If you have to, ensure you set down the parts in a particular order so that you can screw them back in reverse order or have the schematics on hand.
The essential tools for cleaning your reel
When cleaning your spinning reel, always ensure you use the right cleaner, oil, grease, and lubricants. Most manufacturers provide reel maintenance kits that come with the right products for a specific reel. The essential parts to lubricate in a reel include the reel shaft, handle, ball bearings, and grease the gears. Your maintenance kitty should consist of a soft cloth, paper towel, soapy water, flat head screwdriver, and a soft toothbrush.
Oiling your spinning reel
Maybe you are wondering how frequently you should oil your spinning reel. Well, if you tend to fish often, you should oil your ree after the second or third fishing trip or once per week. If you are a casual angler, oiling once a month is okay. Even if you don’t use your fishing reel in months, you need to oil it way before your next fishing trip since the oil tends to degrade over time.
The final words
Cleaning and oiling your spinning reel regularly is enough basic maintenance to keep it functional.