It is that time of year again when many hours are devoted to delicate reel repairs and tedious preperations for the next summer fishing season. It is crucial that the the right amount of care goes into the preventative maintance of your reels (especially reels that are used in salt water). In order to get the most out of your fishing reels, you have to consistantly lubricate the bearings and gears and flush out the salt residue. Salt water build up will seize up a reel in a few days time; even the most expensive ones. As a rule of thumb, each winter you should take the time to completely disassemble all the gears, bearings and spools and properly lubricate all of the moving parts as well as replace your line. It will be worth it in the long run to have confidence in your gear when you are hooked into the big boy! Most spinning reels have the same "guts" as all the others so you can print off a generic parts diagram from the internet as a reference. Also, depending on your reel manufacturer, you can request a model specific diagram from the factory that will have the exact information in a picture format. If you have any questions on your specific reel model or about cleaning your fishing gear in general, feel free to contact me.
Tight Lines.