Fishing, the lack of fishing and even driving down the highway can take a toll on fishing reels' efficiency. Annual maintenance can help keep them operating like new.

’Tis the season to get your fishing reels out and get them cleaned and repaired.

Think about it. What better time to start getting gear in order for late winter and early spring fishing than during that one time of year you are most likely to be off the water?

Most of us are guided by the mantra “out of sight, out of mind.” A few weeks ago we parked the boat and stored the gear knowing one or two reels were acting sluggish and they were all in need of new line.

I know in my case that if I wait a month, I will not have a clue which ones were not working properly and I am going to want to jump in the boat to go fishing only to be reminded of what I overlooked.

Everyone knows when a reel needs repaired, but how often they need cleaned to operate like new is not as clear.

“For the fishermen who goes maybe once a month, they can get away doing basic maintenance about once a year. If they are out there every weekend you might need to hit it every six months,” said local fisherman Robert Starks.

Along with fishing, Starks has spent the last 20 years learning about reels. That includes the flaws, improvements, minor mess ups, major problems and the best way to keep one working. He has learned in a lot of cases the only things needed are a drop or two of oil and a cotton swab to clean away gunk. It is a job fishermen can do themselves if they go slowly and pay attention.

“You need to pop the spool out. Some have a bearing on the spool shaft, put one drop of oil on it. Then look at the palm side plate of the reel and there is a bearing there. Put a drop of oil on that,” Starks said.

At that point it is a matter of using a cotton swab to clean the spool and level wind, reassemble and hit the water.

There are several things that can cause the reel to get dirty, sticky or need lubrication. Use is one. Like a car, the more a reel is used the more it will need maintenance and repairs. Starks noted that where it is used, such as fishing a frog in moss-covered waters, will also make a difference.

Hauling reels around strapped to the top of a boat or in the back of an open truck can also create problems.

“The main thing on something like that is that it is going to affect the external parts. Going down the highway we don’t think about it, but there is so much oil and debris on the road. Just go look at your car,” Starks said.

The lack of use can also be an issue. Garages are dusty and dirty and that can cause factory lubricants to get gummy and the reel not operate correctly.

Fishing reels from the low end up have improved in quality in recent years. Because of that, there are not many standard issues like there used to be. However, besides the simple lubrication, Starks said the one thing he has found that reduces casting length is dry centrifugal brakes. While it seems contrary to the term brake, he said a cleaning of the brake and a drop of oil often returns casting distance.

Starks said another issue he hears about are drags that are not working properly. He said the problem there is often braided line tied directly to a spool that slips during the retrieve. That problem can often be remedied by either using monofilament backing or taping the line to the spool if there is not a slot to tie it to.

If there is a problem with reels, it is getting parts. Beyond the now-common supply chain issues, some manufacturers quit supporting a product once they introduce a newer model. It used to be a design was on the market for a decade or more and parts were always available, but that is not always the case today.

Starks said that is something fishermen need to think about when they get nostalgic and buy a used reel for $150 or more. If it comes broken or quickly breaks, it may not be fixable without a donor reel to scavenge parts from. That said, fishermen would be surprised how many parts are interchangeable between brands.

While a lot of fishermen like Starks clean and repair their own reels, it can be a challenge for beginners. Some brands are more difficult than others, but they all have tiny springs and spacers, C clips bearings that can disappear across a room. A clean workspace, pictures taken during the process and a schematic drawing that comes with the reel or from online are musts.