Fishing Reel Maintenance Routine

The purpose of this post is to give you some common sense advice on keeping your reels in optimal condition.  Fishing is inherently destructive to reels.  Between the water, sand, dirt and grime it takes a toll on your reel.  Many of the reels made today are wonders of modern technology!  14 bearings and smooth as silk.  Tolerances have improved and materials have evolved.  However, in order to keep those wonders of modern technology working optimally, you have to invest some time before and after your trips maintaining them.  Given that you after Monster Catfish, your reels need to perform optimally and reliably to give you the best chance of landing the beast of a lifetime.
First I would like to thank Mr. Luck for giving me the opportunity to contribute to his website for the benefit of all fisherman.  If you are reading this you share a passion for fishing in one form or another.    Whether you are targeting Strippers on the east coast, Snook in the bays of Florida, salmon on the west coast or monster catfish we all have something in common.  We fish with a reel, line and pole.  That being said, we are always looking for a little edge, a better technique or better gear.  I was taught by my grandfather to keep things simple and to properly maintain your equipment for optimal results on the water.  He never used any high end gear and yet he was prolific producer of fish.  What he did teach me was the importance of proper maintenance on the gear you had available.
Reel manufactures bank on the fact that most anglers do not maintain their gear.  Use it till it fails and buy a new one.  But, if you develop some basic routines, you can preserve your gear and use it for many years to come.  I have always been one who buys quality equipment and invests to maintain it.  In that way, you end up investing less money overall and you are assured of optimal gear when you need it most.  So here are some recommended best practices on reel maintenance that will protect your investments.

1.  If you buy a new reel have it serviced before putting it into service.  Yes, you read that right.  Here is why.  Manufactures assume you will use it until it fails and then buy another one.  They apply grease in a fashion that fits that strategy.  Too much is applied in certain areas that will impact performance and not enough in areas that will impact longevity.  By having your reel serviced out of the box, it will perform better and last longer, thus reduce the overall cost of using the product.
2. Strange sounds coming from your reel is never a good thing.  High pitched whine while casting is an indication of spool bearings needing oil or replacement if corrosion has set in.  Strange sounds mean a problem that will not just go away.  It does mean that if you continue using it, you will create a bigger more expensive solution.
3. Feel of your reel while in use.  Any binding, clunking, sticky feel, slipping drag, uneven drag, vibrations all indicate a problem.  Further use will only exacerbate the problem.  Take your reel out of service and perform routine maintenance.  Drags should be smooth at all levels of adjustment.  Greased drags will minimize initial startup force and provide a smooth range.  Greased drags are also a preventative measure to fight corrosion.
4. Never dunk your reel in the river or lake thinking this will improve performance.  This just introduces more contaminating objects into areas of the reel ensuring failures in the future.  Just carry a back up reel its cheaper in the long run.
5. If you drop your reel in the sand or lay it on the bank in the dirt, or just throw it in the back of the truck after use, the reel will require more maintenance as dirt, sand and road grime will find its way into your reel impacting performance and reliability.  This is especially true for modern reels with very tight tolerances.  The older Penn reels are famous for their reliability under all conditions as their tolerances are not as tight.
6. Never use WD-40 sprayed directly on your reel.  WD-40 is lacquer based and will collect and solidify inside your reel impacting performance and acting as a magnet for foreign materials.  WD-40 has a place in your maintenance routine but not in this manner.
7. Post fishing routine for you reels.  Simply spray the reel and rod with fresh water at home.  You don't need to blast it, just a quick spray down.  Let the reel dry completely.  Spray your WD-40 on a soft cloth and rub down the exterior of the reel.  WD-40 is a good water dispersant and it works well as an oil and grease remover.  Store in a cool dry area free from dust and other contaminates.  The reel bag that came with your reel is perfect.  I leave the reels on the rods and just cover the reels with the bags.
8. I see many reels come in that have been over loved.  Meaning, guys just think that more grease and oil is better.  It is not.  Feeding your dog is not loving your dog.  Over feeding the dog is slowly killing it.  Same for reels.  Over oiling and greasing your reel impacts performance and makes for a nightmare of a clean up.  (1) Drop of oil on each spool bearing regularly is plenty.  Any more than that is just waste as it will be thrown from the bearing into the reel to collect more dirt and grime.  Level winds need a drop on each end and (1) drop on the pawl.  Since the level wind is so exposed to the elements it needs constant attention to maintain great cast-ability.
9. Annual maintenance routines.  Clearly, this depends on many factors not the least of which is how often the reel has been used, how it has been maintained and the amount of time on the drags.  I have seen it all in my shop.  Reels that look unused on the outside, and completely corroded in on the inside.  Reels that are so seized up the spool won't spin at all.  Level wind mechanisms that have to be completely replaced from lack of oil and corrosion build up.
10. If your reel is not casting the distance it once did, two areas of the reel need attention.  Level wind mechanics have always hindered casting distance.  In the newer reels there are bearings on each end of the level wind gear to minimize drag.  So make sure you clean and oil them regularly.  The other area is spool bearings.

Thank you again for the opportunity to share some experience and good luck in your "Quest for Monster Catfish"
Andy Smith, on the web at supertunereels.com, on Twitter @supertunereels and Facebook at supertunereels.com