Flyfishing Articles

Fly Fishing Reel

A Few Tips On Maintaining A Fly fishing reel

Maintaining the fly fishing reel is important to an angler and requires proper care and handling as well as lubrication. One can begin by taking a small screwdriver and checking the torque of all accessible screws. Using a small screwdriver will not allow the screws to become over tight that may result in threads being stripped. Most new reel assembly lines tend to be rather loose instead of being too tight.

One should also take care not to lose a screw as that may cause permanent damage to the fly fishing reel. However, lost screws are a fact of life, especially when an angler goes on his or her first fishing trip using a new reel. To make sure that the screws are not too tight, one can visit specialty shops that will check it for free.

Spray With Fresh Water After Each Use

One must also spray the fly fishing reel after each use and, one can use fresh water and wash the underside of the levelwind system on conventional reels and, do this by turning the upside down and exposing the worm. The most important maintenance step one can take is to wash with fresh water and, having used the reel in fresh water, is not reason enough not to wash again with fresh water. A simple maintenance step such as this will add years of life to one’s fly fishing reel.

One should take extra special care not to spray the fly fishing reel with penetrating oil or WD-40. If one uses such oils, they will penetrate the threads of the screws and lead to their becoming loose, possibly. One can also cause fine grit as well as other foreign matter to enter places that should not be disturbed if one uses penetrating oil and, thus cause premature wear. In addition, penetrating oils can also wash away grease from places that should be greased and, let in unwanted foreign matter.

One should take note that if the fly fishing reel is not mechanically at fault then all it will require is lubrication. This lubrication may be done at the handle where the knob meets the handle and, at spinning reels where the bail arm comes in contact with the frame. One should also not remove the cover to the gearbox unless and until one is prepared to completely dissemble, clean, lubricate as well as reassemble the entire contraption, all over again.

If one requires additional lubrication, one is well advised to take the help of a professional and, this may be required once every five years or so. Taking good care of the fly fishing reel will ensure trouble free fly fishing as well as longer life of the fly fishing reel.