How To Care For Your Rod And Reel

Rod and reels need to be cleaned every once in a while, or as most anglers know, they will quit functioning properly. Water residue, dust particles, oil from hands and grease will all end up on the rod and reel. The best way to keep this from happening is to wash your rod and reel after each use and maintain it regularly. Here are some tips.

You should start by cleaning the outer parts of your reel with a knuckle brush and water. You can use a cotton swab on small spots and a toothbrush on the backside of the handle and knobs. If you have a spinning reel, you will need to remove the handle in order to clean it. To do this, turn the handle counter clockwise, take the screws out of the protective plate and remove the protective plate.

You can now clean the gears. You will want to remove the old grease and add new oil and the proper lubricants on a regular basis in order to make the gears last longer. They'll work better, too. Make sure that you follow the manufacturer's suggestions and cover all of the teeth on the gears with the oil. To lubricate the outside moving parts, you should use lightweight machine oil. These parts include the bail on a spinning wheel or the level wind on a bait caster, the bail, the anireverse lever and the handle itself.

Once you're done with this process, it is always a good idea to do a little visual maintenance on your rod as well. If you have metal rod guides, make sure that the line has not cut into them. If this happens, it can make a groove in the guides and cut your line. If your guides are ceramic, check them for cracks. Cracks can also cut your line, and you don't want your line to be cut when you're reeling in the big one!

You should also check your bail to make sure it is working properly. If it is not, check the alignment. It is possible that it has a broken ball spring or a bent bail, either of which can cause it not to work properly. You need to make sure that the end where it attaches to the reel is seated squarely. If it is not, it won't work properly. If you have done all of these things and you are still having problems with your rod and reel, you will need to take it to a repair shop.

Cleaning and maintaining your rod and reel isn't difficult. It does take time, however, but every minute you spend will more than make up for the money you would spend in repairs.