Hello all,
This is the first time I've posted so thank you in advance for your help. Also, forgive the lack of technical knowledge
that will no doubt be apparent in my description.
I got a nice rod and reel last year as a present. It served me well on a long sailing trip as we caught lots of stripers and bluefish trolling off the coast of New York and New England.
By the end of the season, the Senator reel was not working properly. With the reel 'open' and the clicker on, just the drag on the lure was enough to pull the line out. Even when I tightened the stainless steel handle as much as possible to increase resistance, it would still pull out easily.
I spoke to some guys in a fishing store about it and they told me that it was my fault for letting the reel get wet. This was very surprising to me, since it's a fishing pole, but as I said I am a novice at this. They informed me that Senators are dry reels and that it will need professional servicing.
So my question is... were they accurate in their diagnosis? Do I really need to keep my rod and reel dry? Do I really need professional service? If so, how much could I expect them to charge for the repair?
Thanks a lot for any information you can give me about this!
Jack
