DON'T MAKE THIS MISTAKE. How to Clean Your Fishing Gear CORRECTLY! 

I typically clean my reels and guides with my tears from never catching anything..

You also should tighten down your drag when rinsing it so you keep the sand out of your drag system and loosen up the drag when you are not using it so the drag washers don't get stuck to each other.

I follow the same cleaning routine on my reels. I think it also helps to tighten the drag before rinsing, and then back off again totally before storage. I also just wash rods under the garden hose and allow to air dry. I agree it is critical to remove salt which will be on the rod and reel even if they haven’t been immersed. You are right; post-trip cleaning is a pain but my 2 Shimano Sedona reels are still going strong after 20 years so it definitely does help.

I'm getting back into shoreline fishing again and happened across your channel. Thank you for sharing. In the past, used to get a bucket and used room temp water and ducked the reel...up and down...wipe down and let it air dry. As for your request for topics: 1. Ultra lite fishing using 4 lb. 6 lb mainline and 4 lb leader. Also covering ultra lite set up. There was one that was recommended and seemed to provide some decent results. Floater (cast and top water action), yellow feather lure (or similar; grub, etc.) then a short 6" leader with a small fly (I would cut some yellow feather and make a simple fly). This may get the attention of some and then the smaller fish would sometimes opt to strike the fly. Then you catch and release. 2. Emphasis on modifying barbed to barbless hooks. Along the lines of your recommendation of changing treble hooks on lures to inline hooks. Have subscribers provide stories of ultra lite fishing. 3. Emphasis on catch and release. 4. I also have a long telescopic fishing pole that I picked up for fun. The tip has a poly tread tie off. There have been a few RU-vid videos on how to tie off. The preferred is the line being secured under tension and release by...well releasing tension. Have subscribers provide some of their stories of pole fishing...using bait or lure. You can put together a small fly lure and toss it out and jig it back. We did this a along time ago and dragged with small live bait to catch some bass. 5. Perhaps you can also create a challenge on trash pick up. Just have subscribers provide pics and post. This is really becoming a bigger and bigger problem. Do a search on the recent clean up effort in the Pacific...amazing. Not only the overall all marine like but the entaglement of seals, whales, etc. is tragic. Thanks for sharing! Aloha! Wayne

I appreciate your content! I found my dad's fishing pole so I've been going out with zero knowledge. I caught one lobster and that's it, but your videos are helping me learn. Thanks again for your tutorials/tips!

Just get back from Mexico and I fished at beach. This video of four years ago is super helpful. Thank you!

I smear baby oil on my body and rub my reel all over my chest as I look in the mirror

As a fresh water fishermen I never thought about how salt/sand could affect your reel. Awesome video. Ty.

Hey senko , good tips , i myself even clean the lures i used after i fish and if i buy a new lure i always change the split rings on them with stainless steel split rings for them to last way way longer , once again thanks for the tips , its good to know i been cleaning my gear right .

Man, I own like 20 saltwater rod/reel combos that have been in my family since the 60’s, and I’d bet money they’ve never once been cleaned.. Part of me wants to clean them now, but the other part of me feels like with my luck after one rinse they would just explode haha.

I just bring it with me in the shower after a hard day of fishing, I feel its easier that way

Always keep a bottle of water around when you go fishing just incase you drop it in the sand.

I just rinse my stuff with the water hose when i get home i dont have one of those spray nozzles so its basicly like running everything under the faucet

This tip sounds perfect, heading out on the weekend for my 1st fish on new rod & reel, will definitely be doing this when I get hm or maybe at beach if I remember to take extra water lol

newbie question, I have just bought new line and its already set on the reel, should I soak the line in water or am I good to go and just start casting it?

Thanks for your video! I have been fishing in soft water for more than 45 years, but I will be fishing in salt water for the first time this year. I bought two spinning reels, good for salt water. (one for my father, who taught me how to fish, and one for me) I have a few questions: Do you leave the spool on the reel when cleaning it with the tap water? Do you fish with rods made specifically for salt water?

I usually just run water over the reel. But the suggestion to actually spin the reel is new to me. I'm going to try it. Thanks!

That was some good info! So true. I blast my fishing gear with the hose.. but no more.

Yup. Even if tired, just make it a point in your head "we not done when we get home. Rinse rod and reel #1." And if you using big lures, or any really. It's a good idea to give them a quick rinse. I live in Hawaii. Even "stainless steel" will get rusty if you let salt stay.

Hey Senko, loved your videos man. Not sure if you already have but if not, would like for you to feature the best way to clean and maintain the line roller. That has been one of the biggest problems I’ve been dealing on my spinning reels. And you might also include the type of oil or grease or stuff best to use to clean it and maintain its smoothness. Thanks in advance! From Sport Fishing: Philippines

Hi! just want to ask... does the Suggested line weight for rods really affect the rod? example if the rod is suggested to be having 20lbs line and you put 30lbs or 40lbs line... does that affect the rod or may break it? thanks for your reply...

Guys we have hard water in the villages. And I had lots of oxidation in the inside since I used to clean or pass tap water after every use. Result was that the mechanism used to get jammed. But ever since I use filtered reverse osmosis water, all my spinning reels are no more a worry. All the same thanks for the tutorial. It was full of tips. Regards from Antonio, from Goa, the state of India

Thanks for these helpful tips😁

Thank you for these amazing tip I love your fishing videos 👍💯 I love fishing

Do I need to cut the mainline first from my rod before wash it ? I really don't want to do this everytime I go saltwater fishing though...

Thanks for this another informative video of yours bro...learned a lot from you..am a beginner...God bless..

Am I the only who walks around my house with my rod and reel? Just reeling it. Oh it’s a telescopic rod. Lol

I love you guys. Always great tips and fishing lessons. But here's a question. I neglected to rinse my reels off after saltwater fishing and now have green corrosion in spots. What's the best way to clean them up and get rid of the green corrosion? Thanks and keep up the great work. Always fun to watch you guys and learn something new here in Florida.

Im brand new so its good to know that the small eyelet at the base is for the hook. I thought you just hook it to any standard eyelet.

Thank you. I've been asling this for months

Thanks for the tip,.. Im from Philippines.. Godbless.

Nice video man . Rods guides can be cleaned with silicone spray , it’s washes the salt away and keeps nice and shiny.

Thanks my mannn, appreciate it bro

I ALWAYS wash my reel after salt fishing regardless of anything salt is cancer for reels ALWAYS wash em after salt

Needed this video its been a week now got home from myrtle beach south carolina my fishing rod is a mess now

Helpful information Thanks

Hello is it a good idea to change your mono after a trip ?

Good points. If you drop it in the sand you probably should break it down and deep clean. If not place the rod/real straight up and spray it down with fresh water from above. Rinse the rod too as many guides will begin to rust if not cared for, even stainless rusts in the right environment. Rinse your lures too and NEVER allow salt water or its residue to sit in your tackle boxes. Basically pretend all your gear is covered in Gulp juice and you plan to store it in your house ;)

I bought a water sprayer at Home Depot that I keep on the back of my truck. Hose it off right then and there when I’m done fishing - wipe it off with a towel when done

The way I’ve always done it is I would take the spool off and rinse it just like you said. And I would do the same with the other parts of the real. But then I would dry it with a blow dryer to make sure it’s good and dry. Then I would spray a very tiny amount of gun oil to the gears on the inside. Not much though… Very little. I’ve done that my entire life and never had a problem.

Dear brother My hobby is fishing in sea. I prefer a reel useful for boath bite and lure casting. Which one is good.

I hand spray mine with my formula of soapy water which is 1L water + 1tbsp car wash-&-wax. Removes any bait grime and I like to think the wax coating gives some kind of protection as well.

So I we t fishing today and sand got in it so what do I do take pieces out and corN it or just pour water on it

I clean my reel the same way you did. And i also apply silicone spray and wipe my rod and reel throughout before storage.

I rinse my reels everytime I use the. In salt water but that’s not enough in the salt. It’s important to take your reels down to get to the bearings and gears periodically for a thorough cleaning and greasing/oiling. Ocean spray can get inside your reels too

if im out fishing all day and i used a rod and i leave it in my boat all day and then go home and clean it will it already be rusted or no?

I cant find a pure white saltwater in shore spinning rod. Any suggestions? Thanks.

I was also told to tighten the drag before rinsing it, the loosen to store your rod away.

Hey Skipper, My husband has become a big fan of yours recently and he really enjoys surf fishing. He would like to know how you make your salted baits as we are in South Africa and cannot afford to by your salted baits. Please can you make a video covering it for him, he will really appreciate it. Thank you for all your awesome videos. P.S my hubbies name is Stephen

Hi sr I just want to ask if bossna berseck reel is good brand ?

Wonder wipes are amazing for cleaning the stubborn stuff off your rod they clean anything of everything with no damage im in the Isle of man UK so name of wipes may vary but they are amazing

I usually spray OXO onto the reel and eyes after a fish out. On the next trip I wipe them down with a towel. OXO is available in Australia, so Im not sure what the equivalent is in the US.

I thought you were going to actually show how to break down the reel. Anyhow, I started watching some videos on RU-vid today on how to oil / maintenance spinning reels, and only 1 of the 6 videos address removing and lubricating the line roller (on the bail). I did not intend on doing this extra step, because I didn't think any of my reels had bearings in that area. Come to find out, their are some reels that do have bearings in the line roller and some that just use lubricated plastic washers. Anyhow, I ended up removing the line roller on one of my reels, and low and behold, it was rusted beyond belief. I then decided to take apart the line roller on the rest of my reels, and the same thing had occurred on every reel. I actually had to use an impact driver on two of the reels line roller, just to get the screw out. One broke, but that was on a cheap Walmart rod that I've had for a while. The point of this, is that I don't think enough people address this issue, and I think it's something you should look into and bring to peoples attention. You obviously have more subscribers than I do. I am almost certain that the reason for this issue happening, is because the line roller is the one part of the rod that is exposed to the most salt. When you think about it, every time you cast your line out into the water, your line gets coated with salt water. That salt water is 1st transferred to the eye guides, then transferred to the line roller, and then the residual amount transfers to the bearings (if any) of the line roller. Check your reels for this and I'm pretty sure you'll be surprised at what you find. This issue then creates resistance that can be felt when reeling in smaller fish.

Thanks from the UK good tip

Thanks skipper ,nice tips for maintenance.

Gracias por la información tan importante y saludos desde México Cancún :)

Loved the special effects

I use baby whips to clean my rods and a bit of water on my reels and to hook my hook i use a rubber band on the butt of the rod never damages the hook or the rod just the way I've been doing it for many year's now, aways many thanks for your video's from myself andy in the UK Blackpool

I use Corrosion X on rod guides and it is incredible

I clean my reels with refined oil and also the line guide after if go fishing. To prevent from from rust..

ALL my gear, rods, reels & tackle get a rence with Salt-X. I have some 20 year old gear that still looks new.

tighten the drag before washing. loosen the drag after it has dried.

Thanks! Steven from Boston!

Thank u this very important information 👍👍👍👍👍👍to me

I usually just wipe it clean with a microfiber cloth as soon as I'm done, or even during fishing. If it been sprayed with saltwater or dunked I give it a quick rinse under the waterfosset. One or twice a year I take my fishing reels apart and oil and grease them. I have never had any problem with reels failing on me. My oldest current reel is a Shimano stradic 8000 Aero still going strong, and my latest acquirement is a Penn Slammer 5500. Haven't opened it yet, but it still looks brand new. Microfiber is my way.👍

Thanks for the tips skipper 👍 🎣

Hello. After a day of fishing I like to wash my equipment with fresh water, dry it with a microfiber towel and applied a light layer of wd-40, I do the same with my fishing rod especially with the eyes of the rod.

Is there a sand surfing reel. I’m tired of walking on eggs shells and being scared of getting my reel in the sand. And it happened when the tide hit and I can hear the crunch in my bail

Every 5-6 months 1)pull the reel apart and scrub everything with a toothbrush and WD-40 (excluding the drag plates) then wipe off excess 2) pack the internal gears, gear compartment, and bearings with marine grease 3) close gear compartment and wipe away any grease that squeezes out 4) clean drag plates/ discs with dish soap and rinse well/ dry well 5) make sure drag system is dry, clean, and oil/ grease free then re-install spool Reel will be submersible after that. Although, the drag will not work as well, if wet. Keep the reel out of sand and give a quick rinse after saltwater sessions. BTW: your videos are awesome!!!!

nice tips bro.

I live in South Georgia, lot of sand, even with freshwater fishing, good info.

For my rods, i use (after i wash my rods clean with water) pronto furniture cleaner (with bee wax). It is an awsome product, try it!

So is it ok to use freshwater reels in saltwater, just need to rinse them out?

@senko skipper what type of reel is that ?

I needed this toturuioul thank you

Hi nice tutorial! I have a question is good wd-40 for rods? rings sea guide -sic?

Hey so, I got a rod pulled into the ocean, and didn’t really rise it right away (big mistake), how do I get the reel smoother? It’s a Shimano Calcutta 400 TE

I do pretty much the same but if the reel gets salt water and sand in it then I wash it under water and spray the necessary parts on either conventional or spinning reels with tackle guard

So Nice 😍 ...Thanks 😊

Thanks for the tips bro

a tip on cleaning your rod if it has cork handles. cork builds a skin after us... use some 600-1000 grit sandpaper to lightly scuff the surface to remove that thin layer. how often you should consider this depends on how & how often you use it. Remember the idea is to lightly sand the surface layer not take a huge amount of cork off. I prefer to use wet sandpaper at about 800 grit along with very slightly soapy water using just a few drops in a small bowl of water. Just remember to give it a good rinse afterwards. If the rod has harder rubber handle areas the 1000 grit works great too... learned these tricks to keep the grips on my golf clubs fresh and like new.

I lightly rinse them off also every time I get home. Preventive Maintenance. Sometimes I'll use lubricant inside the spool mechanical area on my spinning reels. As for my bait caster reels I'll take the spool out, rinse and light lubricant.

Problem is you have a little lubricant under the spool and this can cause the sand to stay in place. A bit of water underneath may get rid of the loose stuff but it won't rinse out any sand that's stuck to any grease/lubricant. Any time sand has infected a reel of mine I removed the spool and disassembled the drag washers. Bail arms get disassembled to if I think there's any sand in them. In general sand gets in much easier than it comes out.

Great Learning !

Please help me guys. So I went on a saltwater fishing trip on the shore and I was dumb enough to swim with my reels in the water. And now all my reels won’t turn. And I ruined a $120 level winder🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️ how can I fix it

I've made the sand mistake LOL I ruined an Zebco Genesis spinning rod I use for my tiny crankbaits

After i clean my rod with a wipe of water i just give a single spray of wd40 on each guide is that good? And in my reel for bearings i use .40 engine oil and for gears i use good quality grease please let me know anyone am i doing it right?

How do i clean or fix a reel that was neglected and corroded? I am thinking dremel sand and polish?

Can I use my fresh water reels in salt water. I have a few nice setups and headed out to fish the ocean is this something you would advise against

Nice Tips. For me I prefer to use Multi purpose Wet tissue for My Reel and Rod after fishing in order to remove some smell and blood from fish.

Salt that's dried up on line guides will scratch up your braid or mono line , you can get a spray for the whole rod it's a conditioner keeps it clean ...

Hey it work thanks for saving my reel

Hey guys, please tell me which reel it is in the video!! Thank you

I'm an avid saltwater angler, and I clean my 10+ year old Shimano and Pflueger reels and St Croix rods by rinsing them off with tap water using a water hose, then I spray them with Penn Rod and Reel Cleaner. I then let them air dry and all of my gear remains in like brand new condition. Never had any issues with my gear, since using this method... Tight Lines!!!

Make sure to tighten your drag before rinsing your reel aswell then loosen when storing

I heard that Shimano recommends using clean water in a spray bottle. Works great for the reels and the eyelets on the rod. 👍

lol so nerve racking wenever i fish around sandy areas. i usually spray my reel with water gently and wipe it down dry and spray the reel again with reel grease on the moving parts to allow it to function properly

Great video just simple maintenance will make your reel last for ever

Hey Skipper, you hit the nail on the head. Gentle temped water rinse, and wipe it down. I personally will spry pledge on a rag and wipe both the rod and reel down. I fish 80% saltwater. The pledge does two things. It wipes an residue off of your gear, but also puts a very thin layer of protection and salt water will bead off of your gear for a few days. If you are getting heavy salt build up or any corrosion you need to rinse longer. But you can get all of the salt and corrosion off with corrosion x or similar. Many think that videos like this are kind of a joke, but I have to tell you 50 years later I wish I could have just looked this up in 10 seconds. My gear would have been much happier.

Warm water i herd takss off saltwater pretty good! When u get home and your water hose be laying in the sun perfect no need use the warm water in the sink.brah we use the free one!