reel cleaning

[GoneFishingLTN]

Do you guys take off all the line including the backing for reel cleaning?

[MN Fisher]

Yep - even the braid that I'm gonna re-use next season gets taken off. I de-spool to empties...do the cleaning, then spool it back up.

[Log Catcher]

I don't take the line off for cleaning. I usually replace the line after cleaning them unless one has a pretty full spool of good line.

[roadwarrior]

Take it off. Respool braid, discard other line and replace with new.

[JustJames]

Never done that when cleaning reel, unless the reel need new line. If the reels gonna be stored for awhile I might use some line conditioner.

[Jrob78]

Not unless it needs respooling anyway, even then though I just take it down to the backer. Anything I need to clean on the spool can be cleaned with line still on it. The bearing comes off and goes in the ultrasonic cleaner. 

 

I also don't do an end of season cleaning on all my reels in the fall. I could see where people living up north might clean all their gear and shut it down for winter. Getting your gear ready and respooling everything might be a spring ritual, I still probably wouldn't do it but I get it. 

[newapti5]

1 hour ago, Bass_Fishing_SoCal said:

Never done that when cleaning reel, unless the reel need new line. If the reels gonna be stored for awhile I might use some line conditioner.

 

Exactly.  Unless to change line, I wonder what the purpose of removing the line is? For cleaning the naked spool? But how dirty the spool bottom could get to be worthy of the hassle? Maybe for saltwater fishing? I don't know... Anyway, I guess cleaning the spool completely won't hurt either.

 

For me, if I don't need to change line, I'd put the spool aside, and then proceed with the cleaning of other dirty parts.

 

 

[T-Billy]

Nope. Don't see the need. All my casting reels except for BFS have braid on them. I'm not unspooling then respooling all of those. 

[Choporoz]

6 hours ago, newapti5 said:

 

Thank you.

 

Every year around this time I get the totally irrational thought that just maybe I could or should do my own deep cleaning....completely forgetting that I have near zero dexterity, interest or aptitude.  The one time I attempted, I had to send the reel off to get put back together correctly. 

   I even used muffin trays and laid the parts out in order.  This picture has me scared straight into avoiding such a ridiculous attempt this year.

[Deleted account]

Only on salt water reels with braid, and only at the end of the season if I remember.

[Mike L]

9 hours ago, newapti5 said:

 

Nope

This is why I leave it all to the professionals 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[J Francho]

Line refresh and reel cleaning almost never coincide, thank goodness.

[MickD]

2 hours ago, Choporoz said:

 I even used muffin trays and laid the parts out in order.  This picture has me scared straight into avoiding such a ridiculous attempt this year.

I'm with you.  It is also overkill, IMHO.  Easy to screw something up when most likely just taking the reel down to what I call the "1st level," is sufficient.  If I think one needs in depth cleaning/lube I'll send it to an expert.

[FishTank]

I change mine as needed but clean my reels every year, sometimes twice.  All my reels have backing on them which never gets changed.  Some reels have backing on them that's around 12 years old. 

[Eric 26]

3 hours ago, Choporoz said:

Thank you.

 

Every year around this time I get the totally irrational thought that just maybe I could or should do my own deep cleaning....completely forgetting that I have near zero dexterity, interest or aptitude.  The one time I attempted, I had to send the reel off to get put back together correctly. 

   I even used muffin trays and laid the parts out in order.  This picture has me scared straight into avoiding such a ridiculous attempt this year.

You sir took the words out of my mouth. Thankfully mine was a low level Daiwa 20 years ago, never attempted since?

[J Francho]

I can do most Shimano, Daiwa, and Doyo platforms with my eyes shut. Other brands I have to pay attention, though they all pretty similar with minor twists. 

[Eric 26]

7 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I can do most Shimano, Daiwa, and Doyo platforms with my eyes shut. Other brands I have to pay attention, though they all pretty similar with minor twists. 

Bragger??

[J Francho]

I used to do around 250+ a year when I ran my business. You get pretty quick with practice. 

[Bankbeater]

I leave the backing on.  The line that gets used gets removed at the end of the season.

[J Francho]

The only line I would ever remove at the end of a season would be mono or copoly. Often, that gets refreshed more often. Braid and fluoro have a much longer usable life. I have braid on one reel that has to be a decade old. I be gone 5 seasons with fluoro with no ill effects. 

[volzfan59]

I always remove the line when servicing my reels. Re-spool with fresh lime when finished unless I'm through for the year. In that case I re-spool in late winter, right before I start fishing again.

[newapti5]

7 hours ago, Choporoz said:

Thank you.

 

Every year around this time I get the totally irrational thought that just maybe I could or should do my own deep cleaning....completely forgetting that I have near zero dexterity, interest or aptitude.  The one time I attempted, I had to send the reel off to get put back together correctly. 

   I even used muffin trays and laid the parts out in order.  This picture has me scared straight into avoiding such a ridiculous attempt this year.

 

It's actually more like a hobby for winter time. Some people rebuild cars; some clean/build reels. It's much, much easier and much, much cheaper than rebuilding say a 69' Camaro though.