Opinion on reel condition

[islandbass]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Take care of your gear and it will most likely take care of you.

Todays better reels are designed with fairly tight tolerances.

Knocking them around might not be the best plan.

Don't see much 'boat rash' on @bulldog1935 's gear.

A-Jay

Bulldog’s gear is so beautiful and pristine such that I suspect he’s devised an invisible  force field that protects them from scratches and debris but yet allows hands to use the reels, lol. 

[throttleplate]

Reel men and women dont wear socks.

 

[MN Fisher]

Just now, throttleplate said:

Reel men and women dont wear socks.

We all know that's your wife's reel....show us yours.

[J._Bricker]

@BassSteve for the longest time my rods and reels would lay on the deck of the boat or in the rod locker. And once or twice a year I would wipe them down with a damp towel, put a couple drops of oil on the bearings. Never really gave much thought about the boat rash I was unintentionally inflicting on my reels because the rash didn’t effect how they worked…

  And then one day the light went on (probably spurred by a BR members post and a realization that Tackle Warehouse sells neoprene reel covers for $4.99) what was thinking and why didn’t I do this sooner. And then I said to myself, “Self, why don’t you get some rod sleeves while you’re at it”. 

[throttleplate]

2 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

We all know that's your wife's reel....show us yours.

[WIGuide]

I fall in the majority here where I don't abuse my gear for no reason. It costs money so I'll take care of it, but I'm also not going to treat it like it's some crown jewel either. I have Rod Gloves and Reel Gloves and they go on when I put my rods in the locker, but when I'm fishing...I'm fishing. The rods I plan on using are on the deck and I may add more throughout the day. When they get put away their covers again unless I'm in a hurry in a tournament, then I may toss them back in the locker and wait until the end of the day to recover. 

[msgf91]

I baby my gear a little.  I have a few beatr rods that I take with me more often because I'm not afraid to carry them in my car.  I even tried buying used reels to see if I would treat them different.  After I cleaned them up I started treating them like my other gear.   

[Catt]

Rod sock? ROTFLMAO 

 

Kids bought me rod socks & reel covers, they're in a pile in my closet. 

 

We have no off season so it's a constant cycle of cleaning, re-stringing, retying, ect. When I return home everything is property cleaned. 

 

Right now there's 2 setups & my attack bag in the corner by the front door. 

 

Carolann knows I'm subject to bail at any time!

[Woody B]

I take care of mine, but I don't use rod socks or reel covers.   My daughter gave me a few rod socks.  I used them 3 or 4 times but don't really see the point.   If I'm going fishing the next day I put a lure wrap over the lure.  If I'm not going for a few days I cut the lures off and put them in my tackle box.  I use mono.  The line get's weak at the knots after a few days so I'll be re tying before leaving.   

 

My locker only holds 4 rods.  The tubes are fairly small, so it's easy to damage the guides stowing them, or getting them out.   I leave my rods on the deck now.   Mrs B's rod, and a telescopic lure retrieve are in my tubes.  

 

I'm an auto tech, and I'm particular about maintenance.   I change my line, and partially tear down, and lube my reels every 3 weeks.  I rotate so it's normally 1 reel a week.    

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority here.  When I get a new reel I completely tear it down to inspect and lube everything.  (just like a gun)

[BassSteve]

18 minutes ago, Woody B said:

When I get a new reel I completely tear it down to inspect and lube everything

Same. I just purchased a Chronarch G and this weekend I'm going to go through it and add the necessary oil and grease 

[T-Billy]

No reel covers here, but I do use rod socks. No rod locker in my boat so they ride strapped to the deck. The socks do a great job of keeping them untangled from each other. I started making my own socks last year. Cheap and easy to make, and I can make them any length I want.

[redmeansdistortion]

Most of my reels stay in excellent shape.  For all the stomping around the woods I do and fishing the back country, there isn't but the slightest scratch on any of them.  I guess it comes with the territory of stream fishing where setting your rod down could mean dirt getting inside your reel.  I made it a habit to tuck my rod handle in my wading belt or in my armpit when unhooking fish so it seldom comes into contact with something that may ding it up.  If I fished from a boat, my reels probably wouldn't stay as nice since I wouldn't have a spot to set them down.

[bulldog1935]

@redmeansdistortion Busting brush is always an exercise in leading rods and protecting reels.  The stealth factor of fishing close and sight fishing with a fly rod also hones good habits. 

@islandbass - when you take a fall, it's always your knees that get bunged, never the cane rod or antique reel. 

Traveling to fish the salt makes you extra conscious about taking care of your tackle - the people I know who were always hardest on tackle, though, were guides and people who live on the salt. 

Good rigging in a kayak, and the habits you develop for handling fish tend to protect tackle as a priority. 

Boat rash matches its name pretty well - most of it results from tackle riding in boats, not so much fishing it.   I know the excitement of catching fish makes my buddy Lou lose it - our Arroyo dock-fishing stealth is completely blown when he's rushing around, kicking chairs, dropping rods, slamming long-handle net (all the wood is a loudspeaker underwater). 

For my dad, it was always stepping on rods when he was going for the stringer. 

But even at 90, he looked 10 years younger holding his stringer. 

[FishTank]

I baby my reels but some damage is inevitable.  As long as the reel functions well, cosmetics come second.

[Bankc]

I baby mine and always keep them in neoprene covers when not in use.  I tear each one down at least once a year for a thorough cleaning and lubrication job.  But if they get scratched, then I don't really worry about it.  I'm the kind of guy who buys a reel and will use it until it's not worth repairing.  I don't care about resell value, so I don't keep the boxes and stuff.  I just care about them lasting a long time and staying in top working condition. 
 

My wife says I'm cheap.  I say I'm resourceful.  

 

 

[KP Duty]

Keeping reels and rods pristine has nothing to do with how hard you fish them, and everything to do with your habits before and after use.  I am always mindful when setting my combo down on the ground or deck, and I don't let combos rub each other.  I cringe when I see folks use the reel's hood as a bait keeper.  If you want to use your rod's bait keeper, a piece of electrical tape will prevent blank scratches.  I use a quality quick detailer (Meguiars) on my rods, reels, and line.

[ThatZX14Fella]

There’s only one reel that I baby. It gets taken off the rod and put in its cover when it’s not in use. That reel would be my Calcutta Conquest DC. All the rest get treated well, but I don’t baby them.

[redmeansdistortion]

17 minutes ago, KP Duty said:

I cringe when I see folks use the reel's hood as a bait keeper.

Like this?  Lol

[GReb]

It’s not worth it to me. I have learned to disassemble and maintain my reels regularly but I don’t baby them.  Also don’t abuse them and unfortunately don’t fish enough days for it to matter. Parts can be replaced. Cosmetics are cosmetics. At the end of the day it’s a tool with a depreciable life.  

[J._Bricker]

1 hour ago, KP Duty said:

  I use a quality quick detailer (Meguiars) on my rods, reels, and line.

I use Meguires Carnauba wax on the exterior during clean ups. I can’t afford the latest and greatest, not to mention it was instilled in me a long time ago to “take care of your equipment and it’ll take care of you”.

[Darth-Baiter]

i bought a few reel covers and promptly lost them because i decided they were not for me.

 

i dont bash on mine, but i dont baby them either.  i never plan on selling one.  if they go, i give them away.  a kayak life hammers rods and reels.  my focus on them functioning perfectly, aesthetically, i can tolerate some patina. 

 

i try to remember they are tools.  like a hammer.  a mechanical hammer that holds line

[bulldog1935]

1 hour ago, redmeansdistortion said:

Like this?  Lol

Every time I place a Japan order, G-Nius is tossed in for a couple of bucks. 

Can't imagine what I did without these. 

[T-Billy]

My 5yo Super Duty. Battered, bruised, filthy dirty, and battle tested. Still smooth. Still kickin bass.

 

[J._Bricker]

15 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

My 5yo Super Duty. Battered, bruised, filthy dirty, and battle tested. Still smooth. Still kickin bass.

 

Judging from the photos of some of those pigs you posted, those battle scars were well earned. 

[T-Billy]

35 minutes ago, J._Bricker said:

Judging from the photos of some of those pigs you posted, those battle scars were well earned. 

Yeah Buddy!!! Bent the handle on it, braid burned my thumb, and nearly snapped my flippin stick going toe to toe with a big flathead in a laydown a couple years ago. Then had it happen again with the same result a couple weeks later. We're 0-2 against those big cats in heavy cover, but that SD took the abuse like a champ. It also has quite a few muskie to it's credit, and has hauled Lord only knows how many bass out of heavy cover. It's spent it's whole life with it's drag locked down. Outstanding reels IMO.