| Many Anglers overlook their fishing reel from year to | | | | of the fishing reel easily. Just pull the line off of the reel |
| year. They simply throw their whole rib into a closet or | | | | with your hand before throwing your first cast. If it pulls |
| leave it in the back of their vehicle all year long. Then | | | | off fairly easily with a decent amount of resistance, it |
| when fishing season rolls around again, they grab their | | | | should be fine. After the hook set, adjust the drag |
| rig and go. Neglecting your fishing reel like this can | | | | accordingly. The drag on your fishing reel isn't like that |
| cause big performance problems, and performance | | | | chicken cooker. You don't just "set it and forget it". The |
| problems are not what you want while you're out | | | | drag on your reel should be adjusted as you feel the |
| fishing. Believe me, I know this from experience. If you | | | | size of the fish. |
| take a few minutes after every fishing trip, and an | | | | A Spring Cleaning - At least once a year your fishing |
| hour of so a year, your fishing reel will stay in great | | | | reel should be taken apart and cleaned and greased. |
| shape and last for many years : | | | | This simple step, which takes about an hour of your |
| Wipe It Down - after every fishing excursion, take a | | | | time, will add years to the life of your fishing reel. Do a |
| minute or two to wipe your fishing reel down with a | | | | search for "fishing reel maintenance" to get instructions |
| clean cloth. Just wiping the outside of the reel like this | | | | if needed, but the bottom line is that your fishing reel |
| removes any dirt of sand that might have gotten on | | | | should be cleaned and greased at least once a year. |
| your rod while fishing. Over time, this can build up and | | | | These simple tips will add years to the life of your |
| cause problems. | | | | fishing reels, and help their performance as well. The |
| Change Your Line - this tip is especially true with | | | | last thing you want to have happen is for your reel to |
| monofilament line, which is what I use. Some people will | | | | not work properly when you happen to be fighting the |
| go for an entire fishing season without changing their | | | | fish of a lifetime. I've had my reel not work, while |
| fishing line. This amazes me. As an example, I change | | | | fighting a fish like this and let me tell you something, it's |
| my line once a month or so during fishing season. The | | | | no fun at all. If there were any children within earshot |
| "fresher" your fishing line is the less resistance it | | | | of my screaming on that day they're still scarred. I was |
| provides for the fishing reel. Not only this, but the older | | | | not a happy camper, or should I say angler. Just |
| the line, the more it will coil, and the less strong it will be. | | | | remember these simple tips and nothing like what |
| Setting The Drag - You want your drag set tight | | | | happened to me will ever happen to you. |
| enough for a hook set, but loose enough to come off | | | | |