How to Clean a Reel for Beginners

After a sea fishing trip, seawater left on the line can cling to the reel’s surface, and if left untreated, the salt content of the line can damage the reel. Therefore, regardless of price, maintenance is essential to keep your gear in top condition for a long time.

However, for beginners who haven’t been fishing for long or have limited knowledge and experience with reels, disassembling and maintaining a reel can be a daunting task. Furthermore, maintenance requires the necessary equipment and consumables (reel oil, reel grease). Therefore, this article will cover simple reel cleaning and maintenance after fishing.

First, wash the reel after fishing in cold water in the following order .

①  Tighten the drag knob as far as possible .

②  Spray water on the line to remove salt .

③  Clean any areas with sand or foreign substances .

④  Clean the handle part as well .

⑤  After washing, turn the handle to blow away the moisture .

⑥  Wipe with a cloth that absorbs moisture well, such as kitchen paper or a towel, and dry in the shade .

Washing the reel as described above can extend its lifespan, but if you want to take care of it a little more, it is recommended to disassemble the main shaft, handle, and line roller and apply oil and grease .  However, I do not recommend disassembling the line roller for those who have no experience disassembling a reel . ( Most people say that it is difficult to reassemble after disassembly .)

Therefore, I think that even if you only take care of the main shaft and handle, which are relatively easy to disassemble and assemble, such as disassembling and cleaning them, excluding the line roller, which is difficult to disassemble and assemble, it will be of great help in maintaining the reel’s performance at its best and using it for a long time.

For reference, the oil and grease required for reel maintenance have different viscosities and volatility, so they are used in different areas. It is safe to say that oil is applied to areas that require lubrication, such as around the handle, and grease is applied to other areas.

First, turn the drag knob counterclockwise to separate the spool from the reel. You’ll see a long, rod-shaped part in the center. This is the main shaft. As the reel rotates, this shaft moves up and down, ensuring the line is evenly wound around the reel. Oiling this shaft helps smooth the line.

Next, loosen the screw on the opposite side of the reel handle, detach the handle, and clean off any rust or foreign matter, then apply grease.

The most important part for maintaining the handle is the handle knob. It can be corroded by seawater and if left for a long time with salt on it, it can rust and become difficult to turn. Simply wiping it clean and applying grease is sufficient.

And if possible, it is recommended to disassemble the line roller and perform maintenance, but as shown below, there are many different types of line roller parts and it is not easy to assemble them after disassembly, so I do not recommend it until you have sufficient knowledge.

Lastly, I think that just applying grease to the screw part of the reel is enough for maintenance of a standard reel.