If your reels were acting up last season, or simply becoming “sluggish,” now is a great time to get them back up to speed before the spring fishing begins. Most of us have a spare or three to bring into play when our primary reels malfunction, and it’s easy to toss them aside until the off-season. Well, now is the time to break out that box and add to it the reels that survived the season (apparently) unscathed.
I say “apparently” because reels are tools, and tools that rely on metal-on-metal and other surfaces to function need proper lubrication on a regular basis. Over time, the highest-quality reel will suffer from the use of oil and grease that has outlived its lubricating qualities. If you are like me, you have a go-to reel or two that just feels better in your hands – let alone when a fish is on. I do my best to keep those reels in top operating condition, not only in the off-season but throughout the fishing year. For example, every time I spool with fresh line, at least once a season, I inspect and lightly oil the reel. When it comes time for more invasive service, I mail it to a professional.
Doug Lemons of Doug’s Reel Repair in Hudson, Ohio, operates a shop where a growing number of clients nationwide annually mail him a box of fishing reels, requiring everything from lubricating to rebuilding.
“Actually, despite the name of the business, the bulk of what I do is service, rather than repair,” explains Lemons, who added that he’s always enjoyed making something old new again. “I enjoy seeing a reel come into the shop that shows signs of wear, because that means it’s being used and enjoyed – hopefully while catching fish!”
“The first thing I’m going to do when I receive a reel for service is review the form the sender submits online and inspect the reel for signs of damage,” he explains.
Lemons will then send a text or email confirming receipt and condition and then provide an estimate of how long he thinks it will take to service.
“Even if it’s a repair that may take three weeks to turn around, I put the reel on my bench and give it a look,” Lemons continues. “At that point I won’t really know much until I actually open the reel up, but with that 'look' I should be able to determine what parts are needed and get them ordered and shipped to me. That way, when the reel does get on my bench for repair, I have everything we need to get the job done.”
Lemons is good to suggest upgrades to the drag and bearings as well as the lubrication. He estimates 80 percent of the reels sent to him need service and the other 20 percent have some issue that needs to be repaired.
When asked how the fishing reel repair pro learned how to work on reels, Lemons says he is self-taught, learning hands-on a trade he calls similar to being a plumber, carpenter or electrician.
“Before I started taking in work, over the years I made mistakes on my own equipment as I learned,” Lemons says. “There is street smart and there is book smart and when it comes to fixing reels, you just have to do it. It’s helpful if you have the reel’s manual; we’ve got them all and we reference them constantly. But it’s not that difficult; you just need to get in there. Yes, you may face creative problems and need to buy and replace parts.”
That, according to the reel repair pro, is where most folks feel overwhelmed.
“There are so many small parts to deal with and people are scared that they won’t be able to put the reel back together correctly,” explains Lemons. “The most important consideration when doing a reel repair is not to lose any parts; believe me speaking from experience: once they fall out you will not find them!”
The bottom line, according to Lemons, is “Take care of your reels and you won’t have to worry about identifying and locating the right parts later when the reel fails.”
When asked about the oldest reels he has worked on, he answers, “Some 1960’s Mitchell 300s are probably the oldest. Those reels feature all steel parts so they weigh a lot but with care will last forever.”
Unless the famous freshwater reels are used in salt water.
“I get a lot of reels sent to me with saltwater damage that are not saltwater reels,” says Lemons. “The first thing you have to do when considering using a reel in salt water is to get one designed for that. I’ve had some come in that it took me a week of soaking in water just to get the side covers off. That’s the worst mistake you can make – using a freshwater reel in salt water, and then not rinsing it thoroughly.”
That’s a mistake I made myself when living in the Florida Keys. I used my freshwater reels in the salt water and soon had problems. A ‘friend’ suggested that I put them in a pot of low-boiling water to remove the old grease before re-lubing. Let’s just say that was bad advice.
“Don’t ever boil an entire reel,” responds Lemons. “Maybe just a handle to break it free, but not a reel. There are solvents out there that do a much better job at loosening parts such as side covers.”
Surprisingly, over-lubricating is another common problem Lemons sees with reels that come through his shop. “I’ve opened up reels where it looks like a lube shop with all the grease coming out. I grease bearings heavily only on saltwater reels. One drop of oil in the outside of the raceway and spin it and you’re done and a good guide is if it’s a plastic part, you oil it. If it’s metal to metal, you use grease.”
Lemons recommends oiling a fishing reel every 20 trips, by pulling the handle off and putting one drop of oil on the bearing, removing the drag knob and adding another drop on the shaft and one of the bail race and bearing and you’re done.
You don’t have to take that scary side plate off to do routine maintenance. With baitcasting reels, it’s that level wind gear in the front that collects all the dirt, dust, grime, cat hair, you name it. It can clog and needs to be cleaned out on a regular basis, or it will fail.
“My best advice is less is more,” adds Lemons. “When I say a drop, I mean a tiny drip. An eye drop amount of oil is enough to treat an entire reel.”
Lemons charges $25 to service a freshwater spinning reel, $29 for a baitcaster and $35 for any saltwater reel. That includes taking it down to the last washer, ultrasonic cleaning, flushing the bearings, inspecting, reassembling, adjusting to factory specs and testing. Check out the website to learn details on shipping, costs and services.
Sometimes Lemons receives reels that have been well-maintained by the owners and don’t need anything more than a “tune-up” as he calls it. That service includes replacing the grease, oiling of all the factory-required locations, inspecting for missing parts, reassembly, cleaning and tuning to as-new condition, and testing. That’s a flat rate of $20 per reel.
Sounds like a bargain if you don’t want to do it yourself – and a great way to make sure your reels are ready for the upcoming fishing season.
