# How to clean a reel after Salt water use?



## dannyoneal68 (Apr 18, 2011)

I want to try some surf fishing this year. I've never fished in saltwater before and lets just say i've got alot to learn. How should I clean my reel after i'm done fishing?


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## oldenred (Apr 18, 2011)

tighten down the drag and wash thoroughly with water then spray down with some WD-40 or reel magic. this will help prevent it from rusting


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## markland (Apr 18, 2011)

Rinse off with fresh water as soon as you are done, then soak in a pool or bathtub when you get back.  re oil and clean everything and your good!


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## XTREME HUNTER (Apr 18, 2011)

I throw mine in the shower in hot water and they work great still.  I think the how water makes the salt dissolve.


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## deadline34 (Apr 18, 2011)

I have been using the same three rods and reels to surf fish for 6 straight years.  All I do is rinse them off with the garden hose.  Never had a problem.  I fish two or three days a week.


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## Swamprat (Apr 18, 2011)

I just rinse them off thorougly with a hose and that includes the line and the rod.

About every 3 months I will oil them up good. I have one Penn that has seen a ton of saltwater for the last 15 or so years and works like a champ.


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## Dustin Pate (Apr 18, 2011)

I've been using just Reel Magic for the last 10 years or so. Haven't had a single failure yet.


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## markland (Apr 19, 2011)

I use my bass rods all the time in salt water and just follow the same routine each and every time I use them, never let them go a day without rinsing them off.  The pool or tub deal works to get water thru the whole reel and also rinses off any saltwater that is embedded in the line in the spool, but really you would have to unwind them in fresh water to really get them super clean of any salt water residue.


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## Capt. Mike Ellis (Apr 19, 2011)

It was mentioned earlier put them in the shower with you. Just make sure there are no treble hooks if you have a small shower. 
Capt. Mike


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## nickel back (Apr 19, 2011)

ReelX - Anti-Corrosion Lube for Reels.


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## MudDucker (Apr 20, 2011)

Water alone does not get the salt off.  Prepare a bucket with mild soap (ivory) and gently dunk your reel up and down in the bucket, then rinse with low pressure spray.  Allow to dry and spray with protective spray.


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## alphachief (Apr 20, 2011)

Spray can of furniture polish will do the job.  Spray the whole thing down lightly from tip of the rod to the rod butt...inlcuding reel and line.  It will break down the salt and it lubricates!  

Smells great too if you use lemon fresh Pledge! 

And...I never fully emerse my reels in water.


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## speechless33759 (Apr 21, 2011)

What do you guys do when a reel gets submerged in saltwater?


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## BANDT (Apr 21, 2011)

I rinse them off every evening when I get done. Then when I get home I soak them in a 5 gallon bucket of water, and just like mentioned above, wd-40 or something like that.


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## grouper throat (Apr 21, 2011)

Rinse them off with fresh water and lube as needed. I bet I have some Quantum Irons baitcasters and Penn offshore reels that have been fished frequently for well over a decade.


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## Hogchaser (Apr 23, 2011)

You see the thrust here.. RINSE them off. I run fresh water over them if i am on vacation and i am using everyday. When i am done i rinse them and spray them WD-40. When i get home the first chance i get i take them down, wipe the parts with WD-40 and re-grease them. I have rods that bought in Miami b4 i moved to Atlanta in 1983. Still going strong. I have Penn mostly but i do have some burkley baitcasting equip i use for trout and macks.  
Dont think i would shower with them though. Wipe the rods down with WD-40 and it will help keep  the eyes on longer. Havea couple of rods that i bought early and had to have the eyes replaced. I was told by the repair shot to wipe them down.


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## ratherbefishin (Apr 24, 2011)

oldenred said:


> tighten down the drag and wash thoroughly with water then spray down with some WD-40 or reel magic. this will help prevent it from rusting



x2. exactly what I do and works great


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## mauk trapper (Apr 24, 2011)

Tightning the drag is a questionable practice. There is more to it than just screwing her down. Have seen fellas ruin some reels by doing this.


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## gtfisherman (Apr 26, 2011)

markland said:


> Rinse off with fresh water as soon as you are done, then soak in a pool or bathtub when you get back.  re oil and clean everything and your good!



When I get back home after a trip I take all my reels off and soak them in soapy water for a day. Drain and soak them in clean water for a day. Drain and rinse. I've got 12 yr old stradics that still look new because of this. And I use two kids of oil. Hot Sauce by Quantum and Reel Magic.


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## Capt. Mike Ellis (Apr 26, 2011)

Another thing you can do is wax the heck out of your reels. This will also keep the salt at bay if you don't wash your reels as good as you should.


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## Capt. Scott Griffin (Apr 29, 2011)

Spray with light pressure...stay away from WD 40 if you are using Braid...never tighten the drag down especially when storing...or cleaning...wipe the rod down with wd 40 or any lube...and the reels..hit the internals when you notice a decline in performance with lube......


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## mauk trapper (May 2, 2011)

I would like to hear from the folks that tighten down the drag(before they rinse down). Tell me why you favor this practice and how it is the way to go. Not stirring anything up just would like to hear why you feel this is the way to go. Have yet to see where anyone has mentioned why they do it.


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## mauk trapper (May 5, 2011)

Nobody want's to explain why they tighten the drag down?


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## OUTCAST (May 5, 2011)

mauk trapper said:


> Nobody want's to explain why they tighten the drag down?



Its what Shimano and Penn recommend when rinsing. I think it keeps the drag disc from pitting and prevents the drag from being herky jerky and inconsistent.


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## OUTCAST (May 5, 2011)

Trollin_Fool said:


> Spray with light pressure...stay away from WD 40 if you are using Braid...never tighten the drag down especially when storing...or cleaning...wipe the rod down with wd 40 or any lube...and the reels..hit the internals when you notice a decline in performance with lube......



Why stay away from WD-40 when using braid?  Is it hard on the line, or are you concerned about the knot slipping? I've been using it for a while..


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## kevinstan (May 6, 2011)

After reading over this thread, I am now questioning using my new Okuma Citrix baitcaster on my trip to SGI. 

I was actually looking forward to bringing it and using it, but I just don't want to deal with the aftermath of saltwater on my new reel.

I had already decided to just bring it and use it... then give it a good rinse from the hose after fishing it each day, but after reading this.. it seems like that might not be enough...

When everyone talks about using WD-40, are you just spraying the whole reel all over? or opening it up, and spraying the insides.. .or ?

Does anyone think I am risking my reel all together using it in saltwater then just rinsing it with the hose?

Maybe I should get some junk reels to use so I don't risk any of my good ones.....

Nice topic here, and good information... but it has me a bit scared now..


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## markland (May 6, 2011)

There is not a problem in using the reels in saltwater as long as you follow a good, daily regiment of cleaning off your equipment everyday you use it, even rinsing off if you don't since salt spray can get on just about anything, but taking care of and you should not have any problems.
I don't like WD40 because it can break down plastics and degrade synthetic lines as well as mono and just gunks up the internals of anything you put it on.  It is a wet lube and attacts dust and grime in long term use.  WD40 is for rusted nuts and bolts and not for fine reels and guns, there are much better lubricant options to use on your fishing tackle and firearms.


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## kevinstan (May 6, 2011)

Thanks Marland ! Makes me feel a little better... I can understand the WD-40 and how that could make things worse... but what would be good to use on a baitcaster and spinning reel after using them for the week in FLA ? I really do not want to take any reels apart either to do anything to the insides.. thats why I was more leaning towards just rinsing them off... What about some of these other things like reel grease... ?


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## markland (May 6, 2011)

Rem oil, Break Free and similar products are great to use on the internals of the reel but do not get it on the line.  Most reels have a side plate that can easily be removed if you need to access the internals, but normally will not be necessary and you should be able to lubricate everything fairly well.  If you are not sure how much lubricant is on the internal mechanism, then you will have to remove a plate to access, but it is fairly simple and you do not have to totally dissassemble the reel just to lubricate them.  Good luck


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## Capt. Scott Griffin (May 6, 2011)

OUTCAST said:


> Why stay away from WD-40 when using braid?  Is it hard on the line, or are you concerned about the knot slipping? I've been using it for a while..



It is petroleum based and there are brands of braid that it will degrade besides it being like a magnet for dust and grime....  I havnt really thought about the knot slipping...interesting.


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## Swamprat (May 6, 2011)

I always question the use of WD-40...it is not a protectant but a water displacer. I prefer to use a good silicone based type lubricant.


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## Felton (May 8, 2011)

I figured I would give my 2 cents. I would be carful fishing that reel in the surf. Drop it in the waves and you may find sand through out your reel. 

All my reels have a small amount of grease that I put in between the handle, nuts and drag nut and corrosion x sprayed on most of the internal parts. This helps keep the saltwater off of those metal parts where it is hard to rinse. Then for the most part I just rinse them with fresh water like most others do. if it is going to be a long time storing I will wipe down with corrosion x and once a year I break my reals down and clean the inside.

The reason you want to tighten your drag when you rinse it is to keep water out of your drag. Make sure to loosen the drag when your done. It keeps it from flattening your drag washers.

You may want to look at Alan Tani site. His whole sight is on reel maintence, repair and upgrades.


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## Fletch_W (May 8, 2011)

When I moved to Charleston many years ago, as a GA born and bred fisherman, I found out real quick that saltwater will destroy your reel in hours, especially the cheap wal-mart variety that I prefer. Always rinse. For regular maintenance, use Penn Lube in the guts from time to time, particularly in the drag, _not_ WD-40. I don't know why, it's just what every expert in Charleston told me, and that's what I did. Even my cheap wal-mart reels were working fine after I started following the advice, some of those reels are still in use today, many years later, back in GA. 

Just to give some allegory, when I had first moved there, I got a wal-mart surf setup really cheap, "saltwater series" and all... I was wading chest-deep to cast, it was a solid 8 hour day on the beach, reel obviously getting wet. Within about 5 hours, the reel totally locked up. After getting advice from the salty natives, I had it running again, and have never had that problem since, just by using Penn Lube on moving parts and drag, and always rinsing them down with a water hose as the first thing I do when getting home, leave them in the boat and wash them down as I sprayed the jb down.


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## nickel back (May 9, 2011)

I still say take a look at ...ReelX for your lube ,also I agree,stay away from 10w40

to clean your reels,a warm shower will rinse them off pretty good

http://www.rejex.com/reelx.html


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## Bucky T (May 9, 2011)

For a quick cleaning, take a 5 gallon buck and fill it with fresh water.

Take your rods and throw them in it reel first.

Let them soak for a good while.

Then pull them out and spray them down good and let dry.

I do this with all my Penn Slammers down in FL.

Take them apart once a year and clean any grit that may be in there and lube the gears up with some gear oil/grease.

Had all the reels now for about 6yrs and no issues.

If you're surf fishing, cut some PVC pipe at a sharp angle and pound it into the ground.  Rod Holder.  Don't lay the rod on the beach.....


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