January 8, 2014
Another duck season is almost over, and we will soon be focusing all of our attention on nothing else other than fishing. For those who have not fished over the course of the past few months, now is the time to make sure all your fishing gear is in working order, as there is nothing more frustrating than being out on your first trip of the New Year and discovering that your equipment doesn’t work as good as it did last time you used it. If you left your reel loaded with line that hasn’t been used since September or October, make it a point to strip all of that old line off and replace it with fresh stuff before hitting the water again. The line could have become weakened to the point of breaking very easily simply by sitting dormant for such a long period after being previously exposed to the saltwater elements. Plus, by now, the line has more than likely taken on a spiraled memory that you probably don’t prefer to have to deal with during your precious time out on the water.
As to the mechanical portion of the reel itself, make sure there are no grinding noises presented when rotating the reel handle. Such grinding reflects the presence of fine particles of dirt, salt, or other debris trapped within the guts of the reel. If you don’t feel comfortable enough in disassembling your reel in order to clean its internals, then now would be the time to solicit the services of a local professional cleaner. Some of the larger sporting goods stores like Academy often offer reel cleaning, as do a lot of the smaller and individually-owned tackle shops located all along the coastal regions of Texas. But do yourself a favor and shop around before handing off your reels to just anyone who claims to know what they’re doing. You paid a lot of money for your reels, so do what you can to make sure you’re leaving them with someone who is going to clean them properly and who will be honest in letting you know if new parts are needed.
If you aren’t an old-salt at reel cleaning, but feel as though you have enough confidence to break a reel down in its entirety and get it put back together successfully, now would be the time to test your skills – most fishing reels consist of many parts and it is easy to reassemble them incorrectly. A general rule-of-thumb shared with me by my dad many, many years ago is the importance of remembering to only apply grease to all moving parts and surfaces, and to only apply oil to the other non-moving parts. If you don’t feel as though your reel truly needs a complete cleaning, you can always simply open the side plate and lightly grease the gears and bearings. When you remove the side cover you’ll be able to see where the grease goes. Just clean the old grease off the surfaces with a small instrument like a Q-tip or small pin, and then gently re-apply new grease, keeping in mind to not use too much grease – a thin covering is all that is needed. However, if your reel hasn’t had a thorough cleaning in quite some time, or if you recently (accidentally) submerged your reel in the water, you probably should consider cleaning the whole reel. Completely dismantle all the parts and then soak them in a container of some type of cleaning fluid like mineral spirits. Afterwards, rinse the parts with fresh water and allow them to dry completely. Inspect the bearings and gears for any possible wear or damage, and replace them if necessary.
Reassemble all the parts, remembering to (once again) lightly grease all of the moving parts.
We hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season, and we want you to remember that this year’s annual Bay Flats Lodge 2014 Winter Fishing Special is going on now. It’s a time during the months of January, February, and March when you and your guests can fish at the Lodge and receive our standard fishing package at a tremendously discounted rate.
Remember to practice CPR, “Catch, Photo, and Release”, whenever possible on trophy Trout and Reds…Guide Chris Martin, Port O’Connor/Seadrift region. www.BayFlatsLodge.com…1-888-677-4868
Full duck limits with longtime customers Mir, Al and Chris with Bay Flats Lodge top guide Harold Dwoarzcyk; straps full of widgeon, pintail, and redheads.
Guests enjoyed full limits of reds with Bay Flats Lodge veteran guide Steve Boldt while drifting the back country of Matagorda Island.
