SERVICING IS CRUCIAL

How to make sure your reel performs

By Paul Nixon

BRING out the “big guns”, it’s marlin season and the huge yellowfin have arrived off Sodwana, Richards Bay and Cape Point!

The season for hunting these special fish is upon us, and it’s these excursions out on the ocean that we plan for and dream about all year. So much goes into preparing for the long haul to these trophy fish destinations, and that is where the word “service” is heard over and over again. We service our tow vehicle, boat trailer, boat motors and everything we need to get onto the water to fulfill that dream. But what about our fishing tackle? That’s unfortunately an afterthought for most of us, and yet a realistic look at this aspect quickly confirms that one’s rod and reel are the most important of all once you’re on the water.When one is harnessed up and attached to a huge, ballistic marlin, only then do you start weighing up the options and that your reel doesn’t disintegrate in a pall of smoke causing the special fish to remain just a dream gone wrong. How can you ensure that doesn’t happen to you?

So often when the “big gun” is pulled out of storage after a year’s hibernation a dusting off of the cobwebs and a quick spray of lubricant on the roller guides and reel’s exterior surfaces is all the tackle gets before the angler thinks he’s ready to go fishing.

Whilst I acknowledge that the components of big game rods and reels have been fine-tuned to withstand great pressures — and certainly do — if they’re properly serviced prior to being taken into battle, not only do you have a better chance of staying attached to your quarry, but you also know that the reel will stay smooth and cool for the duration of a long fight. Think of your reel as a high performance race car, built for extremes, yet needing highly skilled and quality service teams and lubricants to keep it going well.

The 50-, 80- or 130 lb Penn International reels, Shimano Tiagras and the more exotic reels are masterpieces of engineering and deserve the attention to detail necessary to ensure they retain their status as the unbreakable linchpin between man and beast.

These big game reels and rods should be professionally serviced at least once a year depending on one’s time on the water, but my advice is that between services the following preventative superficial maintenance routine should be followed religiously…

After a day on the ocean, especially on a ski-boat, where your tackle has been subjected to hot sun, salt spray and hopefully strenuous action, the reel needs a washdown. I recommend using a bucket of fresh water with soap or salt solvent. Use a sponge to thoroughly douse the rod and reel. Don’t ever use a hose, especially a high pressure cleaner — never. Pushing your drag setting to sunset is optional, but in my opinion not essential. Finally, rinse the reel and rod with fresh water and allow them to dry properly before storing, even if you’re only storing it overnight.

If you are preparing to store the rods and reels for a long period then an external coating of spray-on silicone-based lubricant is recommended. Also note that rods and reels need to be stored out of the sun’s reach in a dry, dark environment.

Following a fight with a big fish it is highly recommended that the top 200m of line that has endured the most vigorous strain during the fight is run off behind one’s craft. Not only will this reduce the pressure on the reel’s spool, but it also gives you the opportunity to closely inspect every bit of this line by running it through your fingers to check for any abnormalities that may have damaged it. It is essential to then rewind the line under fairly heavy drag and evenly spread it across the reel’s spool width.

I so often discover spool corrosion on these big reels that has been hidden under hundreds of metres of nylon or braid. Saltwater has obviously crept in over time, and so the corrosion pitting begins. I recommend that even with new reels a fine coating of silicon is sprayed or rubbed onto the spool surface and allowed to dry before you spool the line.

I don’t intend to go into the internal components of a big game reel as far as servicing is concerned other than to say that corrosion and caked old grease, worn drag assemblies and tired/rusted bearings are the major source of internal trouble.This can be overcome if you get your reels fully serviced every so often.

For further information on reel repairs feel free to contact Paul Nixon on 083 940 6273 or email <fear_no_fly@yahoo.com>.