| As the weather begins to warm up and fishing | | | | warm water and wipe the entire reel off well. If |
| season approaches, it's time for every angler to | | | | you're using WD-40, you can spray a bit on the |
| start getting their gear organized. One of the | | | | outside of the reel before wiping. We simply want |
| things that should be done every year is to clean | | | | to clean the reel and remove any debris that |
| your fishing reels. If you take the hour or so to | | | | might be present. Now turn the reel onto the side |
| clean your fishing reel before the start of the | | | | that the screws are visible. There are normally |
| fishing season, it will add year's to the life of the | | | | four small Phillips head screws. Simply remove the |
| reel. I've got fishing reels that I paid less than $50 | | | | screws and place them on the clean towel so you |
| for and are over ten years old and still work like | | | | know where they are. Once the screws are |
| new. Why is that? Because I take care of them | | | | removed you should notice how the screws were |
| and take the little bit of time it actually takes to | | | | holding the reel together. Simply remove the plate |
| clean and grease them every year. Cleaning a | | | | and place it on the clean towel as well. |
| fishing reel is very simple, here's a list of what | | | | Now the inner workings of the reel are exposed. |
| you need : | | | | You should notice a couple of gears and such. At |
| 1 Small Phillips Head Screwdriver | | | | this point you want to use a couple of your Q-tips |
| 2 or 3 clean towels | | | | to remove any sand, dirt, or debris that can be |
| 5 or 6 Q-tips | | | | seen. Once that's done, you want to grease the |
| Some Paper Towels | | | | gears in the reel. Just add a couple of drops to |
| WD-40 or a small tube of Reel Grease | | | | each moving gear. If you're using wd-40, simply |
| Begin by removing the fishing reel from the fishing | | | | spray a small amount on each gear. Now simply |
| rod. Now find a nice clean area to work, such as | | | | reverse the process. |
| the kitchen table and lay out 2 of the clean | | | | With your fishing reel back together, you're done! |
| towels. One of the towels is to work on and the | | | | It's that simple to clean your spinning reel. It |
| other is to place parts so they don't get | | | | should work as well as it ever has after being |
| misplaced. The first thing that must be removed | | | | cleaned, and will work like that for the entire |
| is the handle of the reel. It will either be held on | | | | fishing season. As I said, if you do this before |
| by a screw that you unscrew with your fingers | | | | every fishing season, your fishing reels will last for |
| or you simply turn the handle counterclockwise | | | | years. If your fishing reel was acting up before |
| and back it out. Once removed, place the handle | | | | cleaning and continues to not work properly after |
| and screw that held it in (if there is one) on the | | | | cleaning, it may be time to think about getting a |
| second clean towel. | | | | new one. On many occasions, just giving them a |
| At this point, take the third clean towel and some | | | | good cleaning solves many fishing reel problems. |