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Monday, May 30, 2011

Fishing Reel Cleaning Tips

 
Most of us clean our boats after every fishing trip. We clean most of our equipment but many times we neglect our fishing reels. Failure to clean your fishing reels can lead to a shot life span.

But it doesn't have to be this way. Reel cleaning is easy and everyone can do it within a short amount of time and few basic tools. You can visit the Reel Manufacturer for a diagram of your fishing reel. This will help in disassembly and re-assembling your reel.
 

Here are a few quick and easy tips for cleaning your fishing reels.

 
Prepare a work area. If you have a work bench great. If you don't, not a problem. A bar or table top makes a great place to clean fishing reels. You'll need an old rag or cloth to put the parts on while you clean them.
 
Rinse reels off with warm soap and water. Avoid pressurized water like that from a garden hose. I once saw a guy at a car wash cleaning his boat and then he laid his rod and reels against the wall and used the high pressure wand to clean them. A sure way to destroy your fishing reels!
 
Cleaning fishing tackle, especially saltwater fishing tackle, is very important to get all the corrosion causing salt from your reels and rods. Never leave you saltwater fishing tackle sitting after coming back from a fishing trip! Wash and rinse immediately or risk permanent damage from salt corrosion.
 
Use a container of hot water with some soap like Dawn dish soap to clean the outside of your fishing reels as well as the inside parts. Then use a hair dryer to dry them before lubricating them and re-assembling them.
 
Used compressed air or blow dryer to dry off reels. Once you have the reels apart, give the housing a good shot of compressed air from a small air pump or from a can of compressed. You can find these cans at any computer or electronics store like Fry's or Best Buy.
 
Remove reel from rod. Never try and clean a fishing reel when it's still attached to a rod. Always take the fishing reel off and clamp the line or put a rubber band around the spool.
 
Use reel oil, not WD-40. I used to be bad about taking the cover off my reels and blasting it with WD-40. Now I'm smarter. WD-40 can leave residue which attracts dirt. Use a high quality reel oil and grease.
 
More is not better! I once opened a reel that was literally packed with regular grease! The previous owner had used a huge wad of bearing grease on the inside. It's no wonder why it wouldn't work. It's been said before but deserves saying again. You just need a tiny bit of reel oil and reel grease to get the job done. This is one time when "More Is Not Better!"
 
Don't be a Drag. Make sure you clean all the gunk and crud off the drags. Then apply a tiny amount of reel oil to them. Once re-assembled, tighten them down and then release them. Tightening them down will help spread the oil evenly.
 
Use proper sized tools for the job. Pliers and One-Size-Fits-All screwdrivers are a sure way to mess up your fishing reel! You can find a small set of screwdrivers at most tool outlets or Hardware stores. Even Wal-Mart sells a set of small screwdrivers. If you can't find the wrench that came with your reel, order several more. Pliers mar the finish and can damage fishing reel parts.
 
Not for the mechanically challenged. If you're not the mechanical type, that's all right. You can send your reels off and have them professionally cleaned. Many sporting goods stores also offer reel cleaning and repair. The small amount of money you pay now will help your reel last a lifetime.
 
Just like changing the lower unit oil in your Outboard or your Engine oil in your vehicle, regular maintenance of your fishing reels is essential to a long, trouble free life. (both for the reel and you!)

Fishing Lures

Learn how to catch bigger bass with spinnerbaits, crankbaits, plastic baits, topwater batis, and much more!  An excellence resource for every angler.

What's On The Menu?

When selecting lures to use for the day, try to envision what you think should be on the menu for the bass you are going to try to catch.

E.A.S.Y. Baits

The reason for having these baits tied on at all times is that these baits always work. Find out what they are inside!

What's The Best Lure?

"What's the best bass fishing lure?" This is probably the most often asked question we hear. We give you the answer here!

If They Could Only Have Four Lures

We asked top pro anglers if they could only have four lures for the rest of the season, what would they choose?

Crankbait Fishing

If you have tried to use a crankbait for catching bass and had little or no success, read on.

Crankbaits For All Depths

Overwhelmed by the different crankbaits and how to use them? We make it easy for you inside.

Deep Water Cranking

Classic Champion Mike Iaconelli tells you how to effectively search deep water and elicit a reaction bite at the same time.

Working Deep Cranks

Deep cranks are just as versatile as more commonly used shallow-water baits. We reveal how to use them!

Crashing Crankbaits

The next time you hit the water and the old standby's aren't paying off, try"Crashing Crankbaits". You might be surprised.

Gnarly Crankbaiting

Keep the plastics in your pocket, it's time to start cranking with this unusual technique. We reveal what it is inside.

Trapping A Bass

There's a good reason everyone you talk to has a few in their box, the Rat-L-Trap simply catches fish.

Lipless Crankbaits

Rattling crankbaits are a mystery to some anglers. Here are the tools you will need and a few tips to catch more bass.

Don't Give 'Em No Lip!

Lipless crankbaits are excellent fish finders...and fish catchers. Their secrets are revealed inside!

Rat-L-Trap Colors

The truth is that we do need a good selection of lure colors, but let's not get out of hand. Here are a few tips to keep it fairly simple.

Making Crankbaits

Do you want to make your own crankbaits? Here's detailed instructions on how to make your own crankbaits!

Making Crankbaits Part II

Here's how to make your own crankbaits at home. Part 2 in a series.

Creating Crankbaits

So you want to make your own crankbaits but don't know where to begin? This article instructs you how to create your own lures.

Painting Masterpieces

Tim Hughes' custom painted lures are winning tournaments everywhere and are in high demand by the pros.

The Care and Maintenance of Crankbaits

Caring for, changing colors, and getting the most out of crankbaits will require a little effort, but it has rewards.

Lure Make-Overs

An old lure can offer new catches with just a little modification. Here are some top tricks to catch more bass!

Lure Modification

Here's some simple modifications to lures that can result in differences in both visual appeal as well as enhancement of their action.

Hand Made Tackle: A Fine Art

When you catch your first fish on a piece of tackle that you have created, pride will fill every inch of your body.

Making Lures Glow

Glow-in-the-dark colors could make a difference. If you like to modifiy your own lures, here's how to make them glow.

The Lowly Worm

How did this by-product of modern chemistry make its way to the fishing world in the first place?

Plastics Baits

Plastic baits come in enormous varieties. This article covers the different plastic baits and how to fish them.

Soft Plastics...A Breakdown

What about these new plastic baits these days? How do you rig them and what do you do with them? It's all explained inside.

Pouring Plastic Worms

There can be a lot of fun and creativity in your leisure time pouring worms. Here's what you need to know to get started.

Making Plastic Worm Molds

For those that want to pour their own plastic bait - here's a great primer to get you started! Have fun!

Worm Making Supplies

You need the right materials for the best results. Following is a guide to help you decide which is right for your projects.

Blobs And Squiggles

They may look odd, butne thing is for sure -- learn how to use these baits because they do catch fish.

Going to The Creatures

Creature baits are here to stay. If you are not making them part of your bass fishing you are missing out.

Swimbaits

Records have been shattered, monsters have been caught on swimbaits during the spawn, but did you know they work all year long?

Swimming Into Summer

To fish swimbaits in the summer requires some extra planning and at least a couple of different baits tied on at all times.

Rigging The Huddleston Deluxe

This step-by-step rigging technique will help you to land a bunch of big fish on the Huddleston trout lure.

Swimbait Gear for the Beginner

Swimbaits can be a fun and awesome world to step into. Here's how to gear up and get started!

Fishing Like An Idiot

At times unusual techniques will produce when no other will. When it comes to worm fishing, sometimes it's best to fish like an idiot.

Tube Baits

The tube bait today is not the same lure it was 10 years ago, and it catches fish! Rediscover the tricks inside!

Tubing On Big Water

Tube baits have undergone some changes and are making a big comeback. Here are some tips on fishing them.

Gitzits: An Angler's Favorite

Gitzits are one of the deadliest baits a bass fisherman can use. They can also be one of the toughest to master.

Finessing The Worm

While they may lack the pizzazz of more colorful lures, bass find the French fry quite tasty.

Effective Soft Sticks

In the hands of a skilled angler, Slug-Gos, Flukes, Senkos, Centipedes and more become incredibly alluring.

Plastic Cigars

Want to catch bass the easy way? Use a Senko! We reveal Senko tips, tricks, and secrets inside.

Burning the Banks

Many anglers have a lot of confidence in jerkbaits. Here's how to maximize your results with both hard and soft jerkbaits.

The Versatility Of Jerkbaits

In the case of jerkbaits we often think of them as topwaters. We show you some new ideas in this article.

Jerkbaits

Jerkbaits have been proven over and over to not only catch bass in numbers, but catch quality bass as well.

All Year Jerkbaits

Top pro Mike Iaconelli reveals his winning jerkbait patterns for every season - exclusively on BassResource.com!

Dingy Water Jerkbaits

When the fishing action gets slow, you may have to get down and dirty to find the real keepers.

Vertical Presentations with Horizontal Baits

You'll be amazed at the results that can be obtained by presenting your confidence lures with a "horizontal" look.

Topwater All Day

Catching bass on topwater lures is exciting, to say the least. But sometimes it's tough to get a topwater bite going.

Topwater Baits

Here's an overview on how to use the most popular kinds of topwater baits from a professional guide.

Topwater Tips

Most people alter topwater baits to increase their performance. We reveal our most productive tips inside.

Timing Topwater Bites

Learn when certain topwater baits work, and which bait is right for your particular circumstance in this article.

Topwater - A really misconceived type of lure

Top bass pro Mike Iaconelli explains the most common misconceptions with topwater baits. A BassResource.com exclusive!

Hangin' Six

Fishing topwaters in shallow water can reap rewards, if you play the game right. We reveal top tips inside.

Buzzbaits & Other Topwaters

These topwater baits are often underutilized. So make noise and splash it up on top to catch more bass!

Bass On A Buzzbait

There's nothing better than watching a big bass blast your buzzbait out of the water. Here's how to make it happen!

Buzzbait History

Buzzbait fishing is not only fun, it can load the boat as well. We reveal top tips to help you catch lunker bass!

The Real Thrill of Bass Fishing

Most bass angler's agree: Topwater fishing is the most thrilling kind there is. Here's how you can get in on the action.

Working The Top

There's nothing like a topwater strike! Inside you'll find a variety of tricks to try the next time you tie on a topwater.

Take It To The Top Pt.1

Popper baits: When, why, how, where, and what - we reveal everything you need to know.

Take It To The Top Pt.2

Walking baits: When, why, how, where, and what - we reveal everything you need to know.

Topwater Bass Fishing

What are the top ten topwater baits for bass fishing? We reveal them, and why you should use them inside!

Confidence

So how do you find that elusive "Go-To" bait? More importantly, YOU'RE "Go-To" bait? Find out inside.

Spinnerbaits And Buzzbaits

This article contains some informative tips to help you catch more bass with spinnerbaits and buzzbaits.

Spinnerbaits! A Bait You Should Really Try

Here are some of the most effective spinnerbait presentations found to be successful time after time.

Bulldozin' Blades

The versatile spinnerbait can be fished in a variety of ways. Two tactics the pros employ are "slow-rolling" and "dead dragging".

Spin City

Big spinnerbaits can produce big bass. Learn the techniques from spinnerbait specialists Art Ferguson, Rob Kilby, and Kevin VanDam.

Spinnerbaits - A Bait For All Seasons

Spinnerbaits are one of our most versatile baits, but often underutilized. Here's how to expand your spinner savvy.

Selecting The Proper Spinnerbait

Develop a simple checklist for choosing the appropriate bait and greatly increase the number of bass you catch on spinnerbaits.

Spin Meister

Here's how you can maintain high spinnerbait productivity under heavy fishing pressure with these deep water tactics!.

Good Vibrations

While willowleaf blades are all the rage, pros in the know still use the Colorado when times get tough.

Spinnerbaits! An Overview

Spinnerbait blues got you down? With these tips you should be able to land more big bass with spinnerbaits.

The Money Bait

Denny Brauer, David Walker, and Tommy Biffle reveal key jig fishing tips every serious bass angler should know.

A Case For Jigs

Jigs are arguably one of the most productive bass lures of all time. Find out how to get the most from jig fishing in this article.

Multiple Uses of the Jig

The simple jig is so versatile it can be used throughout the year. Here's a seasonal breakdown of how to catch bass on jigs!

The Jig Is Up

Want to catch more bass? Use a jig. Great tips for catching more bass are revealed inside!

Deep Water Jigging

Jigs aren't just for shallow water. Move a little deeper and it could really pay off! We reveal deep jigging tactics inside!

Jigging For Success

Once you master a jig-and-pig, you will catch more bass. Here's how to excel with such a seemingly simple bait.

Jig Fishing Specifics

Luremaker and jig expert Craig DeFronzo provides plenty of insight and ideas to make you an expert at fishing the jig!

Jig Tactics for Bass

Give these tactics a try this season and you will see that there is never a bad time to use a jig.

Why Ike Throws Fur When Things Get Hairy

Bassmaster Classic Champion Mike Iaconelli reveals why he reaches for a hair jig when things get tough.

Denny Brauer's Jig Tips

No doubt that Denny Brauer is king of jig fishing. He reveals his jig fishing tricks and secrets!

Big Jigs

When it comes to tough fishing conditions, which is better, small or large jigs? Find out inside.

Jig, Worm or Tube?

Jig, Worm or Tube - can't decide which to use? You're not alone. Two pros reveal what to use and when inside.

Jigging Spoons Explained

The simple jigging spoon is often overlooked by anglers. But it can be deadly on bass when no other lures work. Here's how to use it.

Hard Metal Rap

While these lures "clang" for more respect, one of America's most respected anglers already knows the tune.

The Impact Of Odors On Bass

Does gasoline residue actually repel bass? What about "fish formulas"? Dr. Ronald Dodson brings us his findings inside.

Scents and Nonsense

We all try to do everything possible to make the artificial lures we fish with as real and as lifelike as we can. What about scent?

Scents and Attractants: Do They Work?

Do scents give you an advantage, thus putting a few more fish in the live well? Read this article to find out.

Fish Attractants, Are They Really Worth It?

There has been a lot of controversy over "Fish Attractants", or "Scents". Some people swear by them while others never use them.

Four Offensive Factors

We reveal four of the biggest, and most common, foul-odored culprits that can keep you from catching fish.

Six Must Have Bass Lures

If you can only have 6 fishing lures to take with you, which ones would you pick? We reveal them inside!

Iaconelli's Crankbait Tips

Classic Champion Mike Iaconelli tells you his tricks for top crankbait action! A BassResource.com Exclusive!

A Look At Frogs In Detail

Frog baits are big bass baits. Discover the secrets of successful topwater fishing using frog baits revealed inside.

Any Time is Crankbait Time

Having a hard time selecting a crankbait amongst a sea of choices? Which one should you use and when?

Tube Tactics

With virtually unlimited rigging and presentation options, tubes deserve a place in every bass angler's tackle box.