The previous part of this reel & rod maintenance article focused on the do’s & don’ts when it comes to game fishing from selecting the right gear before heading out, looking after it while out on the ocean and then most importantly maintaining it once back at home and what to do before putting it in storage ready for the next trip.
The same principles still apply regardless of what form of fishing you are doing and what equipment you are using, but when it comes to beach fishing, there are a key points to keep in mind which will help keep your gear in tip top condition.
Obviously when you think of the beach and fishing reels they don’t mix. Sand and saltwater ingress are the main factors that cause fishing reels to seize and parts to break down and corrode. This isn’t covered under warranty, as warranty only covers manufacturing faults, so often people get a shock when they get a call from a service centre saying their reel isn’t covered under warranty. In this article I’m going to give you a few tips and tricks on the best way to keep your reel smooth and most importantly salt and sand free, focusing on your normal spin reel combo.
Firstly, to start, in the photo below are a few different parts of a spin reel and the correct terminology for them. Using the correct terminology is important especially if you ever need to order a part for your reel, you don’t want to order a part for your reel, and when it gets delivered you realise it’s the wrong part. This is very easily avoided by looking at the schematics of your specific reel (which is normally available online or in the box your reel came in), and quite often it has the part number and description next to it. This saves the hassle of the service centre trying to work out what part you need by your description, especially as each model of reel has different parts and part numbers, and most importantly saves any confusion on the phone.
Setting Up Your Gear On The Beach
You select your spot on the beach, by scouting the grounds and looking for the perfect gutter. You walk from the car to the beach will all your bags/buckets/rods on your back, and when you arrive on the sand the first thing most people will do is put their rods down on the ground right where they are planning to fish. This is often the time people will lie their rods down in the sand, and this is where sand gets inside your reel before you even start fishing.
TIP 1:
Always carry with you a beach rod holder to place your rod in. At the very least if you forget the rod holder place a towel on the sand and lean your rod up against a bucket (if your rod falls, the reel will fall onto the towel, rather than in the sand minimising the amount of sand getting into your reel).
Another point to highlight is tidal movements. Fishing the beach on a run in tide is ideal. If you can time it so you fish about 1-2hrs either side of the tide change that will be your prime bite time. On the east coast of Australia you have a tide change roughly every 6hrs which means from the time you get down to the beach and time you leave there is a good chance the water would have come up the beach a fair bit.
TIP 2:
Stop and think for a minute before placing your gear down on the sand before you start fishing. Take into consideration what the tides are doing; is it a big or small tide and how far away from tide change are you. From there you can assess how far up the beach you need to place your gear so you wont have any surprise waves come and drown your gear.
While You're Fishing
Fishing in salt water, you can’t avoid water getting onto your reel. You have sea spray, waves breaking onto the shore splashing up at you, tidal movements or sets coming through washing water further up the beach than you expected. These things are unavoidable but with a bit of preparation and some caution not only will you have a better day fishing with less headaches, but your gear will appreciate it too.
Many people when they are ready to cast will wade into the water around waist deep before casting. This gives you that extra distance but also means your reels are more likely to cop some salt water.
Tip 3:
Hold your reel at head height or above while wading out to avoid as many waves as possible hitting/spraying your reel. Watch the waves and see if you can time your cast in between sets.
Whether you are holding your rod and reel waiting for a bite, or casting lures, you will find that is the time that your reels will be exposed to the most salt and sand, other than placing it directly in the sand. This is especially true when there is a bit of swell with a decent shore break. As you're standing there, when the waves break on the shore it mixes with the sand and sprays up onto you and whatever your holding, meaning your rod and reel will cop it too.
Tip 4:
This is an unfortunate part of beach fishing, and sometimes unavoidable, but if and where possible sand up the beach as high as reasonably practicable or in the water as to try and avoid the ‘shories’. This will not only keep you slightly dryer, but will also help protect your gear.
Back At Home
You get home from fishing after a successful day on the sand, have a look at your gear and even though you tried to avoid the salt and sand on your reels where possible, you notice there is a few specks of sand and some salt spray on or inside your reel. What do you do???
Washing down your reel, whether it is a bait caster, game reel or a spin reel the process is the same. Below is step by step on how I wash my spin reels after a day at the beach.
1. Tighten drags all the way (turn your drag knob clockwise until it is tight)
2. Wipe down your rods and reels thoroughly with a fresh water-soaked rag to remove any salt build up, making sure to get into all the little ‘nooks and crannies’.
3. If using braided line, running some warm water over the spool will prevent salt build up and corrosion of the spool.
4. Grab another rag or towel and completely dry your rod and reel.
5. From there you want to loosen your drag and take your drag knob off which allows your spool to be removed as well.
6. Common spots for sand buildup is inside the rotor where your rotor nut sits, on the inside of the spool (where the drag clicker is), top lip of the spool (where your drag washers are), around the rubber lip/seal on the inside of your drag knob, the handle (both the handle itself and where it screws into the body of the reel, the handle screw cap (the cap that screws onto the body on the opposite side to your handle), as well as around the grooves near the bail arm and bail assembly.
7. First thing I would do is pull my spool, handle and screw cap off my reel and check for any bits of sand in the common areas as mentioned above. If there is, I would either use an earbud or toothpick to pick out the grains of sand, being careful not to drive the sand further inside or damage any parts (especially around the drag washers and drag clicker). It is not recommended to pull your reel further apart.
8. Once you have removed all the sand from your reel and your reel is dry, spray with some form of lubricant (ensure a non-petroleum-based lubricant is used). Spray on any moving parts on the exterior of the reel, such as the handle, bail arm and bail assembly. This keeps everything nice and free.
9. Wipe away any excess lubricant with a dry clean cloth.
10. Place the spool and handle back on the reel and ensure you keep your drag loose while in storage.
