Just wondering how you guys maintain your rods and reels? After a day of fishing what do you do? Wipe em down? With what? How often? Thanks!

Add oil to the line guide before, during, and on last cast.  Take apart to clean, oil, grease, 2-3 times a year.  I have ABU C3's that are 20 + years old.

Add oil to the line guide before, during, and on last cast. Take apart to clean, oil, grease, 2-3 times a year. I have ABU C3's that are 20 + years old.

Well, no argument, but most guys can get away

with wiping down their reels, occasionally oiling

exterior moving parts and having a full-service

cleaning and tune-up once a year.

8-)

I mist my rods and reels with Meguiars quick detailer, and wipe them down with a microfiber towel.  All my rods have a coat of Klasse sealant glaze on them, which is a clear synthetic wax.  I apply the sealant glaze once a year, and it offers UV protection and helps the finish resist scratches.  Most importantly, it is a clear fluid so you don't get white crap in the crevices.  I'll put the Klasse on anything that isn't a matte finish, so I don't put it on my steez reels.  The microfiber towel is important as well....regular cotton towels scratch finishes. 

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/kus-kls-gla.html

my gear just goes in the rod locker of my boat and full service once a year and bearing clean/lube 2 times a year for crank bait reels.

looks like the natural just gave me something to do on those cold winter nights.

I beat holy hell out of them until they break, or make noises, then act accordingly. ;D

Nothing but a drop of oil every 6 months or so on my freshwater gear.  My saltwater equipment gets rinsed after every outing and professionally serviced when needed, maybe every 6 months or so.

Light lubrication a couple of times a year, thorough clean and lube once a year and professional service when needed.

Rods get wiped down after every use and, like The_Natural, they all have a coat of a synthetic wax/sealant. I use a product called Liquid Glass.

Tom

The only thing I do for certain after each use , is to loosen the drag.

Before fishing at lake:

Take out rods from tube and reels from case

Remove the rod cover

Remove the reel cover

Run line through guides

Tie lures

Place rod cover

Place reel cover

Place lure cover

While fishing:

Remove rod, reel and lure cover of set up to be used

The moment ste up is goin to be replaced for another one place rod, reel and lure covers are placed.

After fishing:

Remove rod, reel and lure covers

Disassemble set up

Place rod covers and rods into rod tube

Place reel covers and reels into reel case

Place lures in t-boxes.

At home after fishing:

Take out rods from rod tube and remove rod covers

Clean blank, guides and reel seat, in case handles are dirty clean handles.

Place rod covers after cleaning and into rod tube for storage, clean rod tube if needed.

Take out reels from reel case and remove reel covers

Clean reel and back of drags, in case of baitcasters loosen the tension knob cap.

Place reels in their boxes

In case reel case got dirty it gets cleaned

Lures and terminal tackle used get cleaned, organized and back into the t-box.

Yeah, obsesive compulsive behavior, but my stuff looks like out of the box and I like it that way. 

Before fishing at lake:

Take out rods from tube and reels from case

Remove the rod cover

Remove the reel cover

Run line through guides

Tie lures

Place rod cover

Place reel cover

Place lure cover

While fishing:

Remove rod, reel and lure cover of set up to be used

The moment ste up is goin to be replaced for another one place rod, reel and lure covers are placed.

After fishing:

Remove rod, reel and lure covers

Disassemble set up

Place rod covers and rods into rod tube

Place reel covers and reels into reel case

Place lures in t-boxes.

At home after fishing:

Take out rods from rod tube and remove rod covers

Clean blank, guides and reel seat, in case handles are dirty clean handles.

Place rod covers after cleaning and into rod tube for storage, clean rod tube if needed.

Take out reels from reel case and remove reel covers

Clean reel and back of drags, in case of baitcasters loosen the tension knob cap.

Place reels in their boxes

In case reel case got dirty it gets cleaned

Lures and terminal tackle used get cleaned, organized and back into the t-box.

Yeah, obsesive compulsive behavior, but my stuff looks like out of the box and I like it that way. 

...[br]

Basic Reel Maintenance

I beat holy hell out of them until they break, or make noises, then act accordingly. ;D

x2   I don't know how my Abu Torno's still work. They don't even make noises.

The only thing I'am picky about is my plastics. They are stored nice, STRAIGHT, and dry in moms expensive Tuppaware containers.

I ask my wife to clean it for me...easiest way to get this done. ;D

Before fishing at lake:

Take out rods from tube and reels from case

Remove the rod cover

Remove the reel cover

Run line through guides

Tie lures

Place rod cover

Place reel cover

Place lure cover

While fishing:

Remove rod, reel and lure cover of set up to be used

The moment ste up is goin to be replaced for another one place rod, reel and lure covers are placed.

After fishing:

Remove rod, reel and lure covers

Disassemble set up

Place rod covers and rods into rod tube

Place reel covers and reels into reel case

Place lures in t-boxes.

At home after fishing:

Take out rods from rod tube and remove rod covers

Clean blank, guides and reel seat, in case handles are dirty clean handles.

Place rod covers after cleaning and into rod tube for storage, clean rod tube if needed.

Take out reels from reel case and remove reel covers

Clean reel and back of drags, in case of baitcasters loosen the tension knob cap.

Place reels in their boxes

In case reel case got dirty it gets cleaned

Lures and terminal tackle used get cleaned, organized and back into the t-box.

Yeah, obsesive compulsive behavior, but my stuff looks like out of the box and I like it that way.

Wow, Raul I thought I was obsesive !

I like the way you operate.

Wow, Raul I thought I was obsesive !

I like the way you operate.

Add my routine to Natural 's routine and your stuff will look as new ( I too wax reels and rods  ) for years, if I weren 't who I am I could easily sell my stuff as NIB and you could swear it 's NIB. 

Good cleaning once a year. (oil & greased)

During summer rods and reels get a good washing with water and light soap. Than on the guides of rod i will put a spray of KVD spray and wipe around it.

I am much closer to fourbizz's approach than Raul's. I have great respect for you guys who take meticulous care of your tackle 8-), but if I had to go through that procedure before and after each trip I wouldn't get out very often. 

I use the maintenance port.

If that proves futile, donate reel, let some impoverish kid fish in a re-worked CI4 resulting in a warm and fuzzy feeling, write it off come April, and buy new gear.

Before fishing at lake:

Take out rods from tube and reels from case

Remove the rod cover

Remove the reel cover

Run line through guides

Tie lures

Place rod cover

Place reel cover

Place lure cover

While fishing:

Remove rod, reel and lure cover of set up to be used

The moment ste up is goin to be replaced for another one place rod, reel and lure covers are placed.

After fishing:

Remove rod, reel and lure covers

Disassemble set up

Place rod covers and rods into rod tube

Place reel covers and reels into reel case

Place lures in t-boxes.

At home after fishing:

Take out rods from rod tube and remove rod covers

Clean blank, guides and reel seat, in case handles are dirty clean handles.

Place rod covers after cleaning and into rod tube for storage, clean rod tube if needed.

Take out reels from reel case and remove reel covers

Clean reel and back of drags, in case of baitcasters loosen the tension knob cap.

Place reels in their boxes

In case reel case got dirty it gets cleaned

Lures and terminal tackle used get cleaned, organized and back into the t-box.

Yeah, obsesive compulsive behavior, but my stuff looks like out of the box and I like it that way.

Dr. Raul,

You crazy man!

;D ;D ;D ;D

Before fishing at lake:

Take out rods from tube and reels from case

Remove the rod cover

Remove the reel cover

Run line through guides

Tie lures

Place rod cover

Place reel cover

Place lure cover

While fishing:

Remove rod, reel and lure cover of set up to be used

The moment ste up is goin to be replaced for another one place rod, reel and lure covers are placed.

After fishing:

Remove rod, reel and lure covers

Disassemble set up

Place rod covers and rods into rod tube

Place reel covers and reels into reel case

Place lures in t-boxes.

At home after fishing:

Take out rods from rod tube and remove rod covers

Clean blank, guides and reel seat, in case handles are dirty clean handles.

Place rod covers after cleaning and into rod tube for storage, clean rod tube if needed.

Take out reels from reel case and remove reel covers

Clean reel and back of drags, in case of baitcasters loosen the tension knob cap.

Place reels in their boxes

In case reel case got dirty it gets cleaned

Lures and terminal tackle used get cleaned, organized and back into the t-box.

Yeah, obsesive compulsive behavior, but my stuff looks like out of the box and I like it that way.

Dr. Raul,

Eh, you crazy mahn!

;D ;D ;D ;D

If I did everything Raul does, I'd never have an excuse to buy new stuff. I'll stick to the basics like RW.

I beat holy hell out of them until they break, or make noises, then act accordingly. ;D

There ya' go.  For me, life is too short to spend all my time making my equipment look like new.  I do what is necessary for functionality but I can live with scratches. 

I really *** some of you.  You have time to fish a few times a week and spend hours on your equipment.  With the hours I work, if I spent that much time on fishing I would have no time left for the wife, the kids, or duties around the home.   

If I did everything Raul does, I'd never have an excuse to buy new stuff.

Yeah, right  :.

Haven 't you ever heard of The BaitMonkey ?!?!?  :-?

As meticulous as I am ( some of my oldest reels are more than 20 years old ) I still got this ...how can I say it ? uhhhh ...... URGE or ITCH or whatever you want to call it to purchase new tackle, I appreciate my old stuff but I also appreciate my new stuff and since there 's always something new on the horizon, well, ya know ---> the never ending story, you can never have "too much" tackle  .

Raul in order to make room for all the new lighter, stronger, faster, more filling, tastes great stuff that is out there why don't you send me all that old, beat up stuff you have scattered around. Pm me for my address. I'll pay postage. Just trying to help.

If I did everything Raul does, I'd never have an excuse to buy new stuff.

Yeah, right :.

Haven 't you ever heard of The BaitMonkey ?!?!? :-?

As meticulous as I am ( some of my oldest reels are more than 20 years old ) I still got this ...how can I say it ? uhhhh ...... URGE or ITCH or whatever you want to call it to purchase new tackle, I appreciate my old stuff but I also appreciate my new stuff and since there 's always something new on the horizon, well, ya know ---> the never ending story, you can never have "too much" tackle .

Well, ya see, it isn't to myself alone that I have to make excuses.