Spinning Reels and Sal****er

On 12 Nov 2006 14:22:05 -0800, wrote:

I'm out on the Texas gulf coast now and I have a couple of rods and
reels that have spinning reels and have been stored in the attic for
quite a few years now. They feel quite smooth and fluid despite their
storage since they were well taken care of during the time they were in
use.

My friend who happens to be a very good fisherman tells me that for
salt water maintenance on these reels, I should take the reel off the
rod, take the spool off the reel, and submerge both the reel and the
spool in a bowl of fresh tap water over night, let dry throughly, then
use gun oil to lube afterwards.

Now his reels all feel great, but having worked on many cars and being
mechanically inclined, it's common water to me that water plus oil
equals mechanical failure. It just strikes me a little funny to
submerge them in water that long.

Is the internal gearing of spinning reels sealed from outside water and
it's ok to submerge them in clean fresh water ?

Is my friend correct in his reel maintenance or is there a better
method anyone here can recommend ?

Thanks.

There's precious little in common between automobiles and reels.
I'd follow your friend's advise.

When I'm fishing the salt I take a wide-mouth thermos jug filled with fresh
water in the car, and as soon as I get the boat back on the trailer the reels
go in the thermos for the ride home. At home the reels are disassembled and
allowed to dry, then the bearings are relubed and the reels reassembled.

I've never had to replace a reel...

/daytripper