Winterizing your gear! 2024
JediAmoeba reply :
Well it's that time of the year to start tearing down the reels,clean them up and get em all lubed.
To be honest, I only ever tear apart the ones that appear to be grimy and ones I know I used a bunch. Some of them i just snip off the leaders and leave them in the garage. I know some of yinz take every reel apart or send them all out to be serviced and others probably do nothing. I actually enjoy tearing them apart, cleaning them up and doing it but sometimes the c-clips tick me off. Lol
Where do you fall in the "winterizing" your gear?
TnRiver46 reply :
I somehow found a c clip 3 times after it shot off into orbit the other day
JediAmoeba reply :
On 11/7/2019 at 9:33 AM, TnRiver46 said:I somehow found a c clip 3 times after it shot off into orbit the other day
I think I still have one orbiting earth from last year.
Bluebasser86 reply :
I try to clean all my gear, but it's never fully "winterized" since I never stop fishing. Some.of my gear that doesn't get used during the winter months (frog and punching rods), I'll completely loosen the drags to take the pressure off the washers.
CrankFate reply :
It’s too early. If I start now, what am I going to do in February?
JediAmoeba reply :
On 11/7/2019 at 9:51 AM, CrankFate said:It’s too early. If I start now, what am I going to do in February?
Ice fish! I always leave a few rods ready to go because I fish if I can, but the water is mostly hard from December - February. I have 14 reels I know I need to do so I am doing a few of them now.
I went crazy and decided to replace all my bushings on the worm gears with bearings. Also thought I would change out some bearings that were sounding rough. Why? Because I shouldn't read threads on Bass Resource, that's why!
CrankFate reply :
On 11/7/2019 at 9:58 AM, JediAmoeba said:Ice fish! I always leave a few rods ready to go because I fish if I can, but the water is mostly hard from December - February. I have 14 reels I know I need to do so I am doing a few of them now.
I went crazy and decided to replace all my bushings on the worm gears with bearings. Also thought I would change out some bearings that were sounding rough. Why? Because I shouldn't read threads on Bass Resource, that's why!
No way! Putting bearings on the worm is one of the best upgrades you can possibly do. You should do this. Everyone should do this. I also like to upgrade the sideplate bearing on the main gear shaft.
Smelter96 reply :
I tear everything down to the bare frame and clean and re lube it all during the winter. I enjoy it as well and keeps my mind of the mile thick ice we get up here lol. My tiny spinners though get used for ice fishing and cleaned in the summer
GReb reply :
Sent an E-clip into orbit Saturday. Really hate those things
MN Fisher reply :
Right now I'm involved in some more canoe mods...that'll take me through December.
Yule gift gets spent from 26 December through January - wish there were decent sales during that period.
Then reel maintenance happens during February-March time frame. Tear-down, lube/oil, rebuild.
Beginning of April is when reels get re-spooled (if I de-spooled them) so I'm ready for ice-out which averages the middle of April.
Yumeya reply :
I clean all my reels except my Stella or Daiwa mag-sealed reels.
Busting out my ice fishing gear now 
JediAmoeba reply :
On 11/7/2019 at 10:17 AM, CrankFate said:I also like to upgrade the sideplate bearing on the main gear shaft.
I am doing this on two reels - I got some abec 7 bearings to swap out all the bearings and see if it makes a difference. I also got a shallow honeycomb spool to try out. Again, why? Because I read about monkey's on this page.
Dirtyeggroll reply :
On 11/7/2019 at 10:32 AM, GReb said:Sent an E-clip into orbit Saturday. Really hate those things
On 11/7/2019 at 9:37 AM, JediAmoeba said:I think I still have one orbiting earth from last year.
On 11/7/2019 at 9:33 AM, TnRiver46 said:I somehow found a c clip 3 times after it shot off into orbit the other day
Take them off with the reel placed in a ziploc bag. The orbit will be contained in the bag.
NorcalBassin reply :
One of the lucky ones that gets to fish through the year and nice winter days are some of the best producing of the year for us. I wipe the combos down with a micro cloth and back off the drags... that's pretty much it unless there's an issue.
GreenPig reply :
On 11/7/2019 at 12:14 PM, Dirtyeggroll said:
Take them off with the reel placed in a ziploc bag. The orbit will be contained in the bag.
A small pair of Snap-On needle nose pliers can also help.
I fish year round and right now I'm hunting also. The middle of summer is when I do my deep clean on my reels. Mid summer I go nocturnal and only need 5 combos so I find cleaning (40+) reels in the A/C to be perfect at that time.
Pickle_Power reply :
I generally leave the reel maintenance for the limbo period between late ice and ice out. There's usually a short period where the ice is unsafe, but still is present to prevent any open water fishing.
Right now my focus is on getting my ice stuff out. It was around 5 degrees overnight here so it's coming pretty soon!
Bass Junke reply :
Hoping to fish through December this year. Hate breaking everything down and all of a sudden a Saturday in late November early December is 75 degrees. I'm going fishing.
Southern Mass is funny, last year the ponds were only hard for just over a month.
Luke Barnes reply :
I've not been confident or adventurous enough to completely tear one of mine down. I'm afraid of messing it up, loosing parts, breaking something. But I do want to deep clean my reels so they last longer.
TnRiver46 reply :
On 11/7/2019 at 11:59 PM, Luke Barnes said:I've not been confident or adventurous enough to completely tear one of mine down. I'm afraid of messing it up, loosing parts, breaking something. But I do want to deep clean my reels so they last longer.
It’s easier than you think! Just lay everything in order as you take it apart on something like a white towel. The only problems are things loaded with tension like springs and clamps, they go flying when you take them loose. I’ve fixed many spinning reels with a spring from an ink pen after I lost the original
umckibben reply :
Do you have a good system or tool to remove the small c clips?
JediAmoeba reply :
On 11/8/2019 at 7:26 AM, umckibben said:Do you have a good system or tool to remove the small c clips?
I just use a small flathead screwdriver to put it on and take it off. Usually they aren't hard but sometimes they can be a pain.
Out of the 4 reels I did so far all went smoothly and I got it done in a few hours. I ran all the bearings and small parts through my sonic cleaner.
MN Fisher reply :
On 11/8/2019 at 7:26 AM, umckibben said:Do you have a good system or tool to remove the small c clips?
On 11/8/2019 at 7:38 AM, JediAmoeba said:I just use a small flathead screwdriver to put it on and take it off. Usually they aren't hard but sometimes they can be a pain.
I do the same thing, with one hand cupped over the spot so that if the clip goes flying, it hits my hand and drops down instead of being lost in the (as the wife calls it) 'Room from Hell'.
TnRiver46 reply :
On 11/8/2019 at 7:26 AM, umckibben said:Do you have a good system or tool to remove the small c clips?
Expect the unexpected and wear protective eye wear......... but seriously they aren’t that bad and I’m guessing they are easily replaced, I’ve ordered reel parts a few times and I always keep old busted reels for parts. Ironically I’ve never had to order a c clip
GreenPig reply :
On 11/7/2019 at 11:59 PM, Luke Barnes said:I've not been confident or adventurous enough to completely tear one of mine down. I'm afraid of messing it up, loosing parts, breaking something. But I do want to deep clean my reels so they last longer.
It take a certain type of person to dare to completely breakdown reels and clean them. I would suggest starting with your cheapest reels to learn. Schematics and a camera phone helps immensely.
boostr reply :
Unless your a tournament fisherman (or a multiday in the week fisherman) No need to completely tear down a reel. I don't fish everyday (wish I could though) I just remove the side plates handles, and spool, and clean up what I can with a Q Tip soaked in a cleaning solution, and relube, if the bearings sound cruddy I try to clean them out. Haven't removed the worm drive so no popping clips into the atmosphere. I don't remember if I have removed a E clip on any other part. It's really not rocket science. If your handy it should be fine. Just put it together the same way you took it apart that's all.
JediAmoeba reply :
On 11/7/2019 at 11:59 PM, Luke Barnes said:I've not been confident or adventurous enough to completely tear one of mine down. I'm afraid of messing it up, loosing parts, breaking something. But I do want to deep clean my reels so they last longer.
It really isn't that bad.
A few things I have learned over the years is, on a new reel have the schematic and/or take a picture so you know what it looks like.
-Put each screw back into it's original location. This is as important as making sure the screw threads are cleaned thoroughly. I have a bunch of the light weight purple loctite I put on each thread after I clean it. This keeps it new and in place and doesn't allow it to leak. The reason for putting each screw back in its original hole.is that each screw had minor differences that can make the hole bigger or thread it differently. I just lay them out so I know which hole.
- Have a decent set of small tools with all different heads to interchange.
- Using acetone and a sonic cleaner isn't necessary but does get a deep clean in those hard to clean parts.
- Always have soft mat or carpet under you. I ruined a spool, years ago that rolled off the table and hit the floor.
-Clean the parts as you go and keep them laid out on paper towels as they get put back together.
- Grease and oil should be used depending on the part you are lubing.
-a lot of the parts are cheap so its easy to replace them but it's good to have the same reels - if one breaks you can cannibalize parts to keep the other going for a long time.
I have been tearing my reels apart since I first had one lock up on me 25 years ago. I am really hard on my gear but I keep it working nicely.
OnthePotomac reply :
A good way to remove "C" clips: put a dab of grease on them, insert a tiny flat blade screw driver into one of the openings and twist. It will not go anywhere because of the grease.
Rook reply :
I spend quite a bit of time cleaning and refurbishing my old Mitchell reel collection. After so many years of use it's sometimes necessary to redo the whole thing like the Mitchell 300 that I bought back in 1973 in the photo below. I've used it for a lot of years in all kinds of weather and conditions including salt water. So I gave it a face lift along with a good cleaning.
JediAmoeba reply :
On 11/9/2019 at 8:17 AM, Rook said:I spend quite a bit of time cleaning and refurbishing my old Mitchell reel collection. After so many years of use it's sometimes necessary to redo the whole thing like the Mitchell 300 that I bought back in 1973 in the photo below. I've used it for a lot of years in all kinds of weather and conditions including salt water. So I gave it a face lift along with a good cleaning.
Very nice setup!
NYWayfarer reply :
Some cleaning with a q-tip and some grease and oil. I love my Lew’s reels with the lube port. One screw opens the access plate to be able to get at the gears without having to tear the reel down completely. I have a Lew’s spinning reel with a flush and lube port as well. Very convenient.
swhit140 reply :
I did my 6 reels the last couple days, I have a couple older Team Daiwa Advantage bait casters that needed a good complete tear down, cleaning, grease, oil. I also cleaned up my rods and applied some fresh cork seal. I'll be ready for next season.
FishTank reply :
I will clean mine the first week of January. Cabin fever will creep in by then. I usually end up doing about 30+ for myself and few friends. Nothing major usually but some reels are a bigger pain than others. It does keep me busy.
Rook reply :
On 11/9/2019 at 10:35 AM, NYWayfarer said:Some cleaning with a q-tip and some grease and oil. I love my Lew’s reels with the lube port. One screw opens the access plate to be able to get at the gears without having to tear the reel down completely. I have a Lew’s spinning reel with a flush and lube port as well. Very convenient.
All of my old Mitchell's have a lube port screw. Some of the models have a larger one on the side plate instead of at the bottom.
Such as this model 302 salt water reel.
The 402 salt water reel also has the larger port.
The 408 ultra lites have the screw on the side that removes the whole side plate to make it easy to get to.
The 308 ultra lite side plate removes like the 408.
The 406 side plate removes.
And the 306 side plate removes.
Other models like this 300 C have the lube port screw at the bottom.
I bought this old Mitchell 406 model and found that somebody had put plenty of grease in it. The side plate that's easy to remove makes it easy to get to the gears to clean and grease.
MassYak85 reply :
I'll use my gear usually 8 or 9 months of the year depending on what the ice allows. So I do a full tear down of every reel in the winter. I strip them to the frame and clean everything, relube and order parts as necessary. Some look like I never fished them, some are in desperate need of help by the end of the year. I just decomishioned one for the rest of the year cause it got a little too wet and two of the bearings are completely shot. I only have 6 reels I have to do so I consider a fun winter project rather than a huge chore.
CrankFate reply :
On 11/7/2019 at 11:54 AM, JediAmoeba said:I am doing this on two reels - I got some abec 7 bearings to swap out all the bearings and see if it makes a difference. I also got a shallow honeycomb spool to try out. Again, why? Because I read about monkey's on this page.
The monkey does have its benefits.
Burke reply :
I would take one of the reel and try it yourself. Just use the muffin tray method..
NHBull reply :
This year I sent many out to TT for deep cleaning and some mods.
I tried a couple that they did for a buddies and couldn't believe the difference. Going forward, I suspect I will put them in a rotation, doing half myself. That said, it all depends on whether I can tell the difference
A-Jay reply :
On 11/20/2019 at 7:50 PM, NHBull said:This year I sent many out to TT for deep cleaning and some mods.
I tried a couple that they did for a buddies and couldn't believe the difference. Going forward, I suspect I will put them in a rotation, doing half myself. That said, it all depends on whether I can tell the difference
@NHBull -
Please let me know how that goes ~
I've got a few in need and if DVT doesn't come on line in a timely manner, I need a back up plan . .
Thank You in advance
A-Jay
redmeansdistortion reply :
I tear mine down twice per year. Once for summer fishing and the other for winter. For winter fishing I use lower viscosity lubes so the reel is as smooth in the cold as it is in the warm. I dunno how I'll get around to my own as I have a couple of musky charters from Lake St Clair sending me their reels and another out of Grindstone City here in MI sending me some too. Not a bad way to kick off my newly opened reel repair business. I have nearly two dozen Penn, Daiwa, and Shimano trolling reels in the shop right now plus another 5 Abu 7000 C3 reels. I didn't think I would get so busy this fast.
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