Fixed spool maintenance

[Paddyschoice]

Hi all
Just a quick question regarding reel maintenance- should you wash your reel down with freshwater after a fishing trip??

Currently after a session I'll wash my reels down with fresh water.... and after every 5 or 6 sessions I'll take the spool off and put some WD40 on the shaft and also in the hole where the reel handle arm is (take this off obviously) then in those areas again I put some 3in1 oil spray. Is this the right thing to be doing? Should I be putting some grease on it?
Should a reel be washed down with freshwater or is it needed?
Also, should I wash down my rods with freshwater? I know there's no real moving parts... but just wondering!

Cheers Folks
Eoin

[daveyboy]

Hi all
Just a quick question regarding reel maintenance- should you wash your reel down with freshwater after a fishing trip??

Currently after a session I'll wash my reels down with fresh water.... and after every 5 or 6 sessions I'll take the spool off and put some WD40 on the shaft and also in the hole where the reel handle arm is (take this off obviously) then in those areas again I put some 3in1 oil spray. Is this the right thing to be doing? Should I be putting some grease on it?
Should a reel be washed down with freshwater or is it needed?
Also, should I wash down my rods with freshwater? I know there's no real moving parts... but just wondering!

Cheers Folks
Eoin

I rinse off both the rod and reel after fishing. I rinse off the rod too so the rings don’t rust. With the reel I tend to rinse it lightly as I don’t want water getting into it. I use one of those yokes for spraying plants to water them but a damp cloth is good too. I take the spool off and give the line (braid in my case) a good rinse. I don’t use wd40 . I just use some oil (it’s reel oil I use but I’m sure 3 in one is grand) on the moving parts and bearings (just one drop down the shaft to the main bearing and a drop on each bearing each side of the handle and the line roller bearing too). Maybe once a season I might wipe off the grease around the drag and add a bit of new stuff. If it get’s really stiff, I’ll strip it down and clean the bearings and parts with lighter fluid and re-oil the bearings and grease the other parts like the gears etc but I avoid having to do this if I can. Hope that helps.

[ardinn]

Since my supra fd bail arm coroded to the point i snapped it by piking it up I have always since rinsed all the gear after use - sometimes i wait to long though admittedly, like three days late :O

I simply rinse, I rarely add a drop of wd40 but occasionally do - My reels never really get saltwater wet, but they do get sandy and obviously the line needs to be cleaned.

One of my surfblasters got dunked however the other night, I washed that thoroughly and sprayed some 40 on it!

[mickser]

Lots of stuff on you tube here is one = www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJcNgunOhrU

[Paddyschoice]

Happy days folks- chers for the replies.
That video was good alright, nice to get a bit more knowledge when it comes to reel maintenance!
Spend enough on the bloody things anyway!

[john86]

Don't put wd40 near the inside of your reel or spray it on the shaft it will break down the grease on your gears.
Use oil for the bearings and line roller and grease the gears lightly.