Predator reel maintenance

The equipment you need to maintain your reels

Whether spinning or casting, reels need to be maintained. To do this, you need a minimum of equipment. A screwdriver, a small spanner, grease and oil are all you need for maintenance. Rest assured, some brands, such as Abu Garcia, have designed complete kits for maintaining your reels. These consist of oil, grease, spanners and small screwdrivers suitable for most reels.
More and more reel brands such as Shimano or Lew's provide small bottles of oil for their reels in the boxes. What's more, some of these reels are equipped with a small hatch that allows you to add oil from time to time. This is a welcome solution, as it avoids the tedious task of dismantling and reassembling.

However, this is no substitute for thorough maintenance, because at the end of the fishing season, your reel needs to be cleaned before any grease or oil is added.

Why maintain your reel?

The water you fish in is rarely as clean as spring water, and spring water leaves its mark. Algae, dust and the grease that keeps your reel in good working order accumulate a whole heap of dirt. At the end of the season, this grease becomes a sticky mess that needs changing.

As for the oil, even if it doesn't mix with the water, over time it disappears. You then need to replace it to avoid noises, cracking and premature breakage of certain parts.

To keep your reel as long as possible, it's important to change the oil and grease every season. At the same time, you can check the condition of each part to prevent any breakdowns.

Check out our complete reel catalogue:

• Spinning reel
• Casting reel
• Disengageable reel