IGNORANCE is not BLISS!

Make sure your reel is in top notch condition

By Paul Nixon

EVERY experienced fisherman knows that preparation is a key element of any successful endeavour.With that in mind, tackle maintenance prior to the upcoming billfish and summer season should be well underway by now.Under the current circumstances,with a lot of us spending more time at home than usual,that time should be taken advantage of with both hands.

Reel Service Durban started as exactly that.Five years ago I was fishing significantly more often than usual and therefore needed to maintain my reels more frequently.My mates cottoned onto this and soon I was working on and servicing their reels as well.My normal work took a dive and evenings consisted of piles of reels being worked on,with some very late nights required to keep ahead of the demand and backlogs.

Reel Service Durban has now been my fulltime occupation for just on three years,and the fishing community near and far have been fantastic with their support.Moving full-time into reel servicing whilst being based in Durban has opened up doors both locally and nationally for me to meet great fisherfolk.Nothing gives me more satisfaction than when I receive their feedback about landing excellent fish with reels I have serviced.

Ski-boaters are highly competitive, always looking for a gap in the weather to jump on the water in the endless search for that “personal best”or “fish of a lifetime”.As a result,I have found that the words,“I’m not in too much of a rush for my reel”actually mean that work needs to begin immediately and that my client’s reel needs to leave the workshop in tiptop shape just in time for the next good weather day.

Reels as a whole are like outboard engines — a lot of folk like the look of them on the outside,and like to use and drive them hard,but unfortunately not everyone has an understanding of how they work on the inside.They will often just give them a quick spray of Q20 and expect the equipment to give years of service thanks to that TLC.

Anyone who has caught a marlin or watched one of those great fish being fought will know that the reels generally spend a lot of time in harsh saltwater conditions during peak fishing season for prolonged periods,are subject to extreme load and are then stored for months at a time.You would be doing yourself an injustice by not servicing and maintaining these very expensive and hard-working pieces of equipment.

There are a few things that you can do post fishing that will help ensure your reels stay in great condition for many years to come.Once off the water,prepare a bucket of warm water mixed with a light solution of Saltaway or other similar product and use a sponge to lightly clean off accumulated salt and any fish slime from the day’s fishing.

This does wonders as it will also give you the chance to closely inspect each reel for any noticeable issues and clear them of the one thing that really has no respect for expensive equipment — SALT.Once you have wiped off your reels and they have had time to air dry,a light spray over with a siliconebased aerosol such as Tackle Guard on external working parts and screw ports will prevent any more salt build-up from encrusting hard-to-see areas.

Please do not spray reels with a pressure cleaner or hosepipe.Sponging off a reel as I suggested also obviates the need for pushing the drag to sunset before washing.

Big game reels should be serviced as soon as you know you will have them stored away for any significant time so that you know that when you do unpack them and load them on the boat they are ready for action.A service will ensure all internal parts are correctly lubricated,with bearings replaced and oiled,and drag washers correctly lubricated with high quality products.

In my experience things that often do go wrong (and which are preventable) and end up costing the angler far more than necessary,are holding screws seizing into reel bodies,encased and seized bearings,worn parts being forced because lubrication is either inferior or old and caked,as well as general incorrect post-fishing maintenance. As the title of this article reminds us, ignorance is not bliss in this case.

The photos above show that a reel can look great on the outside and even feel fully functional,so the unsuspecting angler thinks he’s ready to rock and roll.However,inside this Penn 30 had old grease,three seized bearings as well as a fair deal of salt build-up,all of which could result in tears after a solid hook-up with a big blue which will expose weak links in any man’s cavalry.

Marlin season is coming up soon,so give your 30s,50s,80s and 130s a good once over or feel free to contact me to arrange courier or drop-off times before it’s too late.I can be reached on <fear_no_fly@yahoo.com> or 083 940 6273.