Is it ok to dunk reel in freshwater

Started by Realfunone, May 21, 2019, 02:06:54 AM

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Realfunone

A topic on Bloodydecks now. How should you clean a reel after a 3 or 4 day trip.  A avet guy is adamant that it's fine to drop your reels into a bucket to remove the salt. Than wipe dry.
What do you guys think ? Without breaking your reels down what do you experts do ?

reel man

Not the best advice considering after the submersion the reel will have to be completely taken apart and thoroughly cleaned, dried, and new oil/grease applied.  Depending on how much the reel was used the drags will need to be inspected and cleaned/replaced depending on the wear.

After my long range trips my rods and reels are going to be rinsed off with fresh water then toweled off. This all you need to do to eliminate salt. As a note before rinsing tighten the drag settings to full, and after dried off back the drags all the way off. Any rods with roller guides will need some light lubricant sprayed ( Corrosion X) on the rollers and spun to insure penetration.

















sabaman1

I would never submerge a reel in water! Making sure your drags on your reels are set or tightened, not loose. Lightly rinse your reels off with freshwater in spray bottle then turn handles ,oh say 30 to 40 revolutions to remove loose water on spools, then wipe dry with soft cloth such as microfiber. Then I let them air dry in garage, next day turn handles on reels to get everything moving and loose, now you can back off drags and wipe them down with a dry soft rag with some T9 Boeshield applied, let sit out another day or so to make sure everything is nice and dry then repeat turning handle and moving lever function, now you can store away. This method is recommended by one of the top reel repair service centers in San Diego county. Hope this helps.
JIM

SoCalAngler

#3
And Avet wonders why the have corrosion and bearing issues? I just don't get it. Well they have their feelings about this, but most in the know and on this site would never dunk their reels, that is unless they have to.

Avet also says to run their drags dry, without drag grease. Some people need to be dragged into the 21st century.

bhale1

Some people need to be dragged into the 21st century.

Thats a good one Mark....lol,,,pun intended i hope..
Brett

day0ne

Sorry to disagree, in fact, when I lived in an apartment and came back from fishing, the first thing I did was to put the rods and reels in the swimming pool while I unloaded the boat. When finished with the boat, I would swish the rods around, especially the tips and take them into the apt. to dry. After multiple years of this, the reels were torn down and found to be in perfect shape, no corrosion, no lube issues, etc. Think about it. How will water hurt waterproof grease? This isn't exactly rocket science.
David


"Lately it occurs to me: What a long, strange trip it's been." - R. Hunter

Shark Hunter

This is my take.
Rinse your reels every day in fresh water after fishing.
If you feel you need to drop them in the pool, that is OK, but something I would never do.
Proper reel care and maintenance will never replace putting your reels underwater.
I rinse them and dry them every day, then service them completely when the trip is over.
No Guesswork, just take care of them the way they were meant to.
When I grab it again, I know it is ready from the inside out, not the outside in. ;)
Life is Good!

CapeFish

If my reels went swimming in the salt I give them a good whirl in a bucket of fresh water, sometimes with a drop of dish washing liquid and I just leave them to dry, no opening or servicing and they have no corrosion. My own rule is if a reel or any other fishing tackle can't even handle fresh water it fails the test and goes to the bin.

Alto Mare

Not a bad rule Leon, especially if you want to keep on fishing, but some salt water could still be trapped in there.
So, I always take the reel completely apart when I get home, after it has been dunked in saltwater.
It really doesn't take long and it's a small price to pay.
Just my opinion of course.

Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

CapeFish

I used to do that and have found that I just open my reels for no reason and if I don't have time to close them up it increases the risk of my sons finding the box of parts while I am at work and using them as star wars or toy gun props. I don't have corrosion in any of my reels, not since I have started following the AT method. Sometimes they get a spray with tackle guard. At first I would open them often if they went for a swim and then realised they still look the same. The saltwater proof drill rig grease and reel x I use seems to do the trick.

Keta

#10
I soak my reels in freshwater and have been doing it for years.  All of my drag washers are greased.  Freshwater in a reel is not the problem, salt is.  I also tale the side plates off often.  Forcing salt further into a reel by blasting them with water is not good, gently misting them is better.
Hi, my name is Lee and I have a fishing gear problem.

I have all of the answers, yup, no, maybe.

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
Mark Twain

akfish

I spray my reels with freshwater most days while on long range trips. On the ride home on long range trips, I dunk my reels in a bucket of freshwater, crank the handle a few times and then let them air dry. A few days after I get home, I do a complete service on my reels. This works for me. I'm not sure I'd recommend dunking for reels that aren't going to have a complete service shortly thereafter.

When fishing at home in Alaska, I spray my reels with freshwater after every trip and do a complete service at the end of the season.

My reels are **always** in better shape than the reels in get in the shop for service.
Taku Reel Repair
Juneau, Alaska
907.789.2448

Keta

Quote from: akfish on May 21, 2019, 02:59:03 PM
My reels are **always** in better shape than the reels in get in the shop for service.

This is mostly true for me too however one friend's reels are always a joy to work on.  The last batch of "reels from hell" had to be taken apart by prying and hammering due to massive corrosion.  I think they were soaked in saltwater then tossed aside for a few years.
Hi, my name is Lee and I have a fishing gear problem.

I have all of the answers, yup, no, maybe.

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
Mark Twain

1badf350

#13
Quote from: day0ne on May 21, 2019, 05:11:08 AM
Sorry to disagree, in fact, when I lived in an apartment and came back from fishing, the first thing I did was to put the rods and reels in the swimming pool while I unloaded the boat. When finished with the boat, I would swish the rods around, especially the tips and take them into the apt. to dry. After multiple years of this, the reels were torn down and found to be in perfect shape, no corrosion, no lube issues, etc. Think about it. How will water hurt waterproof grease? This isn't exactly rocket science.

I will admit that 6-7 years ago, while vacationing in the outer banks, after returning from a day of surf fishing I would toss my rods and reels in the swimming pool while I cleaned out my truck and put other things away. I still use these reels and they work fine. Daiwa Saltist BG30H
Would I do this again? No
-Chris

"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them."
John Wayne as J.B. Books in "The Shootist"

foakes

#14
Quote from: akfish on May 21, 2019, 02:59:03 PM
I spray my reels with freshwater most days while on long range trips. On the ride home on long range trips, I dunk my reels in a bucket of freshwater, crank the handle a few times and then let them air dry. A few days after I get home, I do a complete service on my reels. This works for me. I'm not sure I'd recommend dunking for reels that aren't going to have a complete service shortly thereafter.

When fishing at home in Alaska, I spray my reels with freshwater after every trip and do a complete service at the end of the season.

This is a good question — and an easy one to overthink for us reel mechanics who are capable of completely tearing apart and lubricating a reel in short order.

I look at quality reels as tools — not Holy Grails to be pulled out once a year just to worship and look at.

A quality reel was made to work in water environments.

For me, nothing wrong with dunking a salt used reel in a bucket of fresh water for 15 or 20 minutes — I do close the drags down.  If my reel can't take that treatment, after I have properly prepped, serviced, and spooled it — it is not the reel for me.

Now, if I know I will be able to do a proper service in a day, or so — it just gets a light spray or rinse of fresh water — drags stay tightened down.

30 years ago, Carl Newell recommended that this be done when on long range trips with his reels.  Of course, his reels were mostly SS with dry drags.  With the Marine grade Yamalube, or Penn grease we use today — coupled with CF Cal's grease coated drags — it is even easier to dunk a reel for 15 minutes.

Proper prep, grease, and common sense experience are key, IMO.

The worst reels I get across the bench are ones used in the salt — Then just stored in a garage for a couple of years.

Thinking ahead, timing, trip duration, an when planned service is scheduled — are all useful when keeping your gear in top shape and always operational.

Many of the old timers have a lot of horse sense.  Many things that are useful and smart are also counter-intuitive to our more modern upbringing.  As an example, many experienced woodsmen who work the timber for a living — always store their axes in a bucket of water.  The heads may get rusty — but they will always be tight and capable when needed.

Just my opinions...

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.