Yikes! Time to Clean the Reels
Sun, salt water, and fish slime. When these three things pull together favorably, they trigger our senses and dramatically enhance our experience of being out on the water. The smell of the salt in the air can etch into your imagination for years to follow. The warmth of the sun toasting your skin is what we long for during winter. The feel of slime reminds us of a hard day cutting bait and lifting fish till your arms hurt. These little details are what shape our memories of some of the best days of our lives. We owe it all to sun, saltwater, and slime at the foundational level.
Unfortunately, our fishing equipment has an entirely different perspective on their potential killers. Sun, saltwater, and fish slime are the Three Horsemen of the Apocolypse for our fishing gear. If we don't step in to help to save them, they will surely peril into irrelevance.
Today, we will clean up one of my Shimano Saragossa 6ks. I had bought the reel new at the beginning of the season this past summer. It arrived just as the season was starting, and I did not get a chance to give it my proper pre-season rundown. By the end of the season, it was in ugly condition. It still worked 100% but had some corrosion. Luckily, I was able to bring it back to look brand spanking new, and I'm going to share that with you today!
Step 1 - Get your materials
You will need the following:
WD40
Bronze Wool Brush / Nylon Brush
Toothpicks
Q-TIPS
Rag
Corrosion X
Marine Outboard Grease (Not pictured)
Reel Oil (I am using TSI 131)
Step 2 - Light Spray of WD40 and Scrubbing
Use nylon brush first to clean off easy parts
Switch to bronze brush for more stubborn parts
Work over every inch if the reel. Use toothpicks for tiny spaces
Repeat if necessary
Step 3 - Remove drag cap, spool, and handle from reel. Oil critical areas
Oil these following areas:
Bail arms
Roller Bearing
Side Bearing
Handle Bearing
Handle Joints
Step 4 - Grease the handle shaft and the spool shaft. Reassemble the reel handle.
Step 5 - Clean the inside of the spool with WD40, bronze brush, q-tips, and toothpicks. Put spool back on with just enough turns on the knob so the spool doesn’t fall off.
Step 6- Light Spray of Corrosion X and Wipe with Rag
Corrosion X leaves a protective film to guard against corrosion
