Grease or Oil for bearings on Charter Special for trolling

[AlasKen]

I have a couple of Charter Specials that I only use for trolling or Deep water jigging for rockfish or halibut.  These reels don't get used for casting.  I am fishing in AK and usually in 80' - 200' if that matters.  I have read here that the grease packed bearing last longer that oiled bearing but oiled have better free spin.  In the use I mentioned would I be ahead just t pack them all.  I have a bearing packer from Alan that makes it almost fun to pack bearings.  Thanks.  Ken

So far in the last 6 weeks I have serviced a Charter special 1000, a Senator 113, a Senator 113 HLW, and an Okuma Titus T20.  So far they have worked since service.  Prior to finding this site I hadn't serviced any reel.

[AlasKen]

I decided to experiment and see which works better for me.  I did one with reelX and the other packing all bearings.  After a season fishing them I will tear them down and see if I see a difference.  I will also note if there is any difference in fishing them.  Ken

[swill88]

Can't wait to hear your results Ken.

[Rancanfish]

I think if the reels are getting splashed on regularly I would want to grease them. Especially since they are not being cast.

My reels get a little salt spray going out and returning to port in my open center console boat so I grease mine no matter what I'm doing.  Quick fresh water flood at home.

I have zero reels with corrosion issues.  (Alan drummed it into my thick head over a decade ago).

We'll see if it makes a difference at the end of your season though.

[johndtuttle]

I think you are making the right call to go with Grease. Proper Marine Grease is amazing stuff in the saltwater environment when casting is not part of the equation.

[AlasKen]

The 2 things I try to always do at the end of a trip is rinse the motor with fresh water and rinse all rods and reels used on the trip with fresh water.  I use a spray head set to mist and give them a good soaking while trying not to pressure water or salt into the inner workings.  Even with my reels that I fished straight out of the box with no preventative servicing when I cracked them open after several years of use I had little to no corrosion on the inner workings.  I did have some external corrosion where I must not have rinsed as well as I should have.  I am going to guess I see little difference after a year.  My uneducated guess is where I would see a potential difference would be after 4 or 5 years of usage and neglect with no interim servicing.  You know kind of like I more typically treated my stuff before finding out how to do this myself.  If I was sending out a reel to my son or son in law that wasn't used for casting I would grease it all as I might not see it again for years.  Ken  

[AlasKen]

I fished both reels on the 4th.  We were dropping and not casting.  I could really determine no difference between the 2 while dropping jigs.  The only situation I had was when my wife was using the one with oiled bearings she ended up with a rats nest when it backlashed on her.  I didn't see what she did but as an experienced husband I just continued fishing, asked no questions and let my son help her out.  It was not a time for questions.  For my use unless I see something unexpected at the end of the season I will just grease all bearings on these reels.  I use a spinner for casting anyway.  Ken