Thread: Reel Lubricant?

What lubricant do you suggest for applying to the outside of your saltwater reels?

Reel Magic or Salt Away. The most important thing is to rinse with fresh water after use. If you fish the surf,try not to let the reel get wet of lay in the sand and if it does,remove the spool,rinse the rotor and the bottom of the spool then put a film of grease on the shaft then turn the handle so the bushing or bearing gets lubed. With the exception of VS or Zee Baas,which are sealed,there is no such thing as a saltwater proof reel. Some may hold up better,but they are not meant to be dunked in salt water then put away. Most reels have a combonation of cast and stock aluminum,stainless,brass and steel along with other meals. With all those dissimilar metals,things are bound to go wrong if not taken care of properly.

Get some corrosionX for internals/externals.

Wash with soapy water & dry.
If all you do is rinse with fresh water and don't use soap, you leave a lot of salt on the reels.

Then Penn Lube on all the moving parts.

I've only rinsed my penn reals with water, then about once a month re-lube the moving parts. Have used the same reels for years and never had any issues. Clean fresh water and lube is all Ive needed!

I ALWAYS lightly rinse with cold water, never warm or hot. Hot water can desolve salt deposits and light lubricating oil. Salt can reform in hard to reach spots. I then take the time hand dry every exposed surface that I can. And then finally spray a product called Tri-Flow on a clean cloth and wipe down all exposed areas. This is with out a doubt the best protectant and silicone lubricate that I've ever seen. Ten times better than WD40 which evaporates too quickly. As always, use only what the OEM recommends when doing a complete takedown for deep cleaning.

I was educated at the Alan Tani School of Reel Care & Modification so I use CorrosionX, blue Yamaha marine grease and Cal's drag grease.

I do a light rinse and use CorrosionX on exterior moving parts/surfaces, about twice a year I'll open them for a full cleaning and re-lube. If they get dunked they get the full treatment immediately.