Upgrading Summer Reels

Upgrading Summer Reels

By Todd Reed

The rivers are flowing, and some lakes are free of ice; now is the time to start thinking about your open water fishing arsenal. March is a great time to upgrade an integral part of your fishing tools, and you will notice the difference the first time you use them. A new reel can turn that old combo you rarely use into a combo you are always reaching for. Baitcast and spinning reels are finely tuned machines made with dozens and dozens of small parts. These parts can wear out, break and lose their lubrication, all leading up to you no longer using it much. There are two solutions in the season of spring to help you gain some good, working combos for the upcoming fishing season.

Basic Reel Repair
If your reels were once a great tool to use for your favorite species of fish, but are no longer operating as they once did, a good cleaning might help. Debris, dried weeds, and sand are all culprits that make our reels dirty, and hard to use. The lack of proper lubrication can lead to parts breaking, and not allowing your reel to function as it did a few years ago. If you are a handy person with a small screwdriver set, and can utilize YouTube, you can take care of most of the problems listed above. There are many good short videos on YouTube of some basic lubrication and yearly maintenance. You will need some specialized oil and grease for the tune-up process. A great product that you can purchase is the Quantum Hot Sauce, they have oil and grease designed for reels, it can be found online. This product lasts a long time and comes in applicators ready to use out of the package.

If you are not the handy person, getting your reels to a repair shop is the next step. Depending on the price of your reel, this is a slippery slope. Some repair shops will charge a minimum of $30 to clean your reel. If parts are worn out or broken, that will be an additional charge. If you do not live close to a reel repair store you must include shipping both ways also, around $20. Please note prices of this service can vary quite a bit. This is a situation that you will need to weigh your options, perhaps putting that $50 or more towards a new reel would be a better option.

Purchasing a New Reel
Purchasing a new reel will allow you to start over and specialize your fishing gear. In the modern world of reels there are many good companies with a variety of reels to suit each situation you may want to fish. When choosing a new reel, there are four main things to focus on; frame of the reel, drag system, bearings, and gear ratio.

When comparing reels, whether it be a spinning or baitcaster model, take note of how many pieces the frame is made of. The less pieces there are, the better. A one-piece frame will be more durable over the years, and it will have a rock-solid feeling to it while casting and fighting the fish. This luxury does take a lot more engineering, so the price will reflect that. Most baitcaster reels of this caliber will be around the $120+ range, while the spinning models will be around the $80+ range.

Another key part to any reel is the drag system. Spinning reels are typically used with lighter line, so paying close attention to this function when buying that type of reel is critical. Again, this is engineering and additional parts to the reel, so you will pay for it. Drag systems are designed to let line out when the fish decides to run. The initial run is the “make or break it” time on the battle. Testing the drag on reels is simple to do when comparing them in a store. A good test is to loosen the drag, and give the reel spool a spin backwards, tighten the drag a bit and spin, repeat many times. Then do the same thing to a similar reel, you will notice the difference right away which system is the smoothest, and which one you will trust with that big fish on the end of the line. When trying this in-store test for the first time, choose an expensive reel and an inexpensive reel. You will be able to feel the difference and then choose what price point you want to land on for your purchase.

Another thing to consider when purchasing a new reel are the bearing counts. The more bearings a reel has, spinning or baitcasting, the smoother things will work. Bearings can be found on the reel handles, worm gears, main drives and knob handles. The more areas these bearings are manufactured into the reel, the smoother it will be. The smoother the reel, the higher the price. I have concluded over the many years that if you can find a one piece framed reel with nine or more bearings you have found a solid buy. A reel of this stature will cost about $120 for a baitcast and around $80 for a spinning model. The more you are willing to spend, the smoother and easier that reel will be for your fishing adventures. As stated before, there are many good manufacturers out there making reels, however one thing not mentioned yet is the warranty of reels. Yes, reels do have manufacturer warranties which range from one or two years. However, one company has gone as far as to warranty their mid and top line models with a five year warranty. Quantum reels have a five year warranty to protect the consumer from any flaws or breakage.

Gear ratio is the other element that you need to pay attention to when choosing a new reel. Gear ratio is the number of times your line spool spins around when you turn the handle once. The higher the gear ratio, the faster your line will come back onto your reel. This is most important when choosing baitcasting reels, as most spinning reel gear ratios are in the 5:1 ratio. However, baitcasting reels can vary from a 5:1 ratio to a 10:1 ratio. Separating baitcasters into three categories makes things simpler. The slow gear ratios would be 5:1, medium speed would include the ratios in the 6:1 category and anything over 7:1 can be considered a fast ratio. When throwing baits on a baitcaster reel the gear ratio is really a personal preference. Typically, the slower gear ratios are used for crankbaits, medium gear ratios are used for baits that are retrieved at a constant speed; like spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, and topwaters. Fast gear ratios are for frogs, Texas-Rigged plastics, and jigs. These are generalizations but should help you understand what gear ratio is best for your application.

Starting the spring season with a freshly cleaned reel, or one right out of the box will have you off to a great start. Understanding the components of reels and what makes one better than another will assist you in setting up your current combos as well. Either way you look at it, this spring should have you casting farther and more accurately than ever, allowing you to put your best fish in that next picture! Practice CPR (Catch/Photo/Release) when you can, so the younger generation can enjoy this great sport as well.