Reel care after saltwater: a 10-minute routine

Salt left on a reel dries into crystals that grind on bearings and start corrosion. A reel made for saltwater holds up better, and Obalus reels are made for both fresh and salt water, but every reel still needs a rinse. Ten minutes after the trip keeps it turning smoothly.

After every trip: rinse

1. Tighten the drag. That helps keep water out of the drag washers.
2. Rinse gently with fresh water, using a hose on a soft shower setting or a spray bottle. Rinse the rod, the guides and the reel seat too.
3. Don't blast it with a jet setting or a pressure washer, and don't dunk the reel in a bucket. Both push salty water deeper inside.
4. Shake it off and wipe it down with a towel.
5. Let it air-dry in the shade, not in a hot truck.
6. Loosen the drag before you put it away, so the washers don't stay squeezed.

Every few trips: oil

Use reel oil. Skip all-purpose household sprays: they can thin out or wash away the grease inside the reel.

One small drop is enough in each of these spots:

• The handle knobs, where they spin
• Where the handle attaches to the reel
• The level-wind worm gear: the spiral shaft that moves the line guide from side to side
• The spool bearings, if you can reach them. Your reel's manual shows where they are.

Wipe off any extra. Too much oil collects dirt and sand.

Once a season

• Check the line. Cut off the first few feet if it feels rough. Replace mono and fluoro about once a season.
• Listen to the reel. If it feels rough or grinds when you turn the handle, the gears need cleaning and fresh grease. A tackle shop can service it.
• Store it right. Somewhere cool and dry, not in a hot trunk or a damp boat compartment.

What about freshwater?

Freshwater is kinder, but mud, sand and grit still get in. Rinse after muddy or sandy trips, and oil a few times a year.

A small kit for the truck

• A spray bottle of fresh water
• A small bottle of reel oil
• An old towel