HOW TO GUIDE

Reel Maintenance & Care

Maintenance. One word that seems to apply to everything we spend our hard-earned dollars on. Our homes, vehicles, boats, yards, ourselves... at least we hope you’re taking care of yourself, but okay you get the idea.

If you’re anything like us, performance and reliability are attributes we’re sure you wishyou could use to describe your investments. Our fishing gear, particularly reels, are no exception. To get the absolute best out of your reels, it is paramount that you take the time to maintain them properly.

In this article, we’ll cover the basics of fishing reel maintenance for spinning reels and baitcasters, as well as any extra steps that may be needed for allyou salty seadogs out there. It is important to note that maintenance needs will vary based on how often you use your equipment. Your average angler will want to perform regular reel maintenance monthly for freshwater or daily if used in saltwater.

Before we get started, make sure you have the following handy:

10/11mm Wrench
Flat head and Phillips head screwdriver
Reel Oil
Reel Grease
Q-tips ready on a clutter-free, flat workspace.

You may also want to lay down a towel or rag, something that will catch those small parts that if dropped will disappear into the same black hole that consumed your 10mm socket. So, go ahead and separate those rods and reels and let's get to it.

If you are in need of a good fishing reel maintenance kit, check out this offering by Abu Garcia.

How to Clean & Maintain Your Spinning Reel for Peak Performance

To start cleaning your spinning reel, you will want to remove the handle. This is done in one of two ways depending on if your reel is secured by a bolt or screw.

Bolt Handle Removal: For bolts, start by removing the bolt cap on the opposite side of the reel from the handle. Once done, the handle should slide free from the reel.

Screw Handle Removal: For screws, you will need to hold the reel securely while you rotate the handle backward toward yourself until the handle is removed.

Next, please remove the cap on the opposite side of the reel. Once the handle is removed, place a small drop of oil in the bearing hole. Don’t use too much oil here as it can slow down the bearings. (See Figure 1)

Now that the handle is taken care of, let's move on to the side plate. You will notice a handful of small screws holding the side plate to the reel, which the Phillips or flat head screwdriver can remove. Be very careful when lifting the side plate off the reel as you don’t want any internal gears to escape. Make sure you do not remove any of the gears manually as they have very high tolerances and can be difficult to realign - (See Figure 2).

If you are working through this process on an a Abu Garcia Revo or Zenon model reel, you may have noticed it does not have a traditional frame and side plate design. Rather, it utilizes a one-piece frame and butt cap design.

To remove the butt cap, remove the two torque screws – one is on the front side of the stem, the second on the bottom of the reel on the rear cap. Simply remove these screws and the butt cap will come off. This allows easy access to the internal workings of the reel.

Lightly grease the main gear, then lightly oil bearings and oscillation slider. Be careful not to over oil any of the components and do NOT oil the one-way clutch. Don’t worry too much about spreading out the grease. This will occur naturally through the action of the gears. That’s it for the bottom portion of the reel. Reattach the side plate and let's move on to the spool - (See Figure 3).

To remove the spool, turn the drag adjustment knob at the top of the reel counterclockwise until the knob comes off. Next, place a small amount of grease on the spool shaft and reattach the spool. Once the spool is back in place, place a small drop of oil on the two bail attachment points. To finish, reattach the handle to the body of the reel and you are good to go - (See Figure 4)!

Baitcaster Maintenance: Keep Your Reel Smooth and Tangle-Free

To start cleaning your baitcaster reel, remove the spool tension knob and the palm side, side plate. Simply unscrew the spool tension knob using a counterclockwise motion.

To remove the side plate, release the side plate locking mechanism on the underside of the reel. Next, remove the side plate by quarter turning the side plate backwards toward you (note: on some reels this quarter turn is not required). The spool can now be removed (See Figure 1).

Once the spool is removed, use a dry microfiber cloth or shop towel to wipe away any debris or grime from the spool housing inside the side plate. Once that is complete, repeat the same process on the spool itself being sure to get the shafts as clean as possible. You will also want to wipe clean the main housing inside the reel. A Q-tip can come in handy here to remove dirt and debris from small nooks and crannies(See Figures 2 & 3).

Now that everything has been wiped down and is free of dirt and debris, it’s time to lubricate. Apply a small drop of oil to the bearing of the spool tensioner and the bearing of the side plate.

Just like spinning reels, you don’t want to overoil as it can slow down the bearings. A small drop of oil will also need to be applied to the spool bearing, the reel handle bearing, and the grooves of the level wind.

Let’s move onto greasing those gears now. You will notice a small square plate on the underside of the reel below the handle. To gain access to the gears, remove the small screw next to the plate and lift the plate off the reel.

Once done, apply a small amount of grease inside the opening. As with all lubricants on your reels, less is more here. Replace the small plate making sure not to over tighten the small screw. Now that everything is clean and lubricated, it’s time to reassemble your reel.

Insert the spool back into the main reel housing, reattach the side plate, and replace the spool tension control knob. Give the handle a few turns to ensure the oil and grease are spread evenly and you're done. (See Figure 4)

Saltwater Reel Care: Essential Maintenance Tips to Prevent Corrosion

As mentioned, cleaning saltwater reels may require a few more steps so please familiarize yourself with the following tips if you’re coming off a day at sea:

Clean your reels after every use in saltwater

Remove the reel from the rod and submerge in fresh water with a little soap to loosen any salty debris left on the reel (this can also be done with a rag if you don’t want to submerge the reel).

Avoid using pressurized water from a hose as this can force salt residue deeper into the inside of the reel

Once cleaned, pour fresh water over the reel to remove any remaining soap

Be sure to dry the reel thoroughly with a microfiber towel

Once the reel is clean and dry, proceed with the steps outlined above for your respective reel

There you have it - you're basically a certified reel engineer now! For the most part, it comes down to having the right equipment and Abu Garcia has got you covered with all the Tools & Accessories you need to make your reel last a lifetime.

Shop Tools & Accessories