Last night I think I had just hooked into a personal best for Chain pickerel. I got so excited I woke up. Will have to make that dream a reality in 2012.

I like Shimano reels and have put in a lot of hours watching Bob Izumi fishing. So I’m not sure what possessed me to buy a cheap rod and reel combo that wasn’t from Shimano.

Let me tell you briefly what happened with that combo. First, like I said, it wasn’t a Shimano system.

Last year I bought an Ugly Stick and Shakespeare Reel combo along with some new braided line. This was meant to be a backup system to my current 20 year old rods and reels.

Both still work fine but being more than 20 years old I thought it was time to purchase a backup system.

The next time Jamie and I went fishing I pulled out my new fishing combo and made a cast which was almost double what I was getting with my old system.

I was impressed and after a couple of casts had my first chain pickerel on the line. He was big enough that he was pulling drag but not a huge fish by any stretch.

He took a dive, pulling drag, and bent my rod over good. Just then a sliver of rod peeled back about 6 inches. What the hell was up with that. I cursed for a couple of minutes but was able to land my 23” chain pickerel.

As if that wasn’t annoying enough I could take the system back but then the braid started to loop over the top of the reel causes loops and making it hard to cast. To make it even more annoying the line would also do a flip and hook itself on the clasp used to hold the line and hook.

All in all the new but really affordable rod/reel combo sucked. I’m going back to Shimano.

It’s so easy to get overwhelmed when you walk into a fishing supply shop. I guess I should have put on my Shimano blinders so I could ignore the other reels and combos.

I am not gentle with my fishing gear. Actually I can be quite tough on my fishing rods and reels. I throw them down to grab another, sometimes step on them and seldom clean them. Am I bad or what but I buy good equipment that lasts for years, even with the treatment I give them.

Shimano fishing reels are designed to last and handle most fishing situations. So let’s take a few minutes and look at three sturdy Shimano fishing reels I am sure you’ll like.

Shimano Stella SW

I may not get the opportunity to do much saltwater fishing but other do so here is a good example of a saltwater reel from Shimano.

The Shimano Stella SW, a saltwater fishing reel that will give you that long distance cast you need, every time. These Stella SW reels are designed to handle the big fish like Tuna and even Marlin without any difficulty.

Shimano has designed the sturdy drag system that can quickly tire out even the biggest fish.

This reel also has an Anti-Corrosive coating that of course resists damage brought on by saltwater corrosion. This will keep your Shimano Stella SW catching fishing for years to come.

Shimano Stella 2500 Fe

The Shimano Stella 2500 Fe is a fishing reel for about any situation and has a number of unique features to help get the job done.

Shimano has models for both freshwater and saltwater. The Stella 2500 Fe also includes a protected corrosion resistant ball bearing compartment. And to make your reel last even longer the drag system has been waterproofed.

The size of the gears has been increased by the new X-Ship which keeps everything in exact alignment.

Shimano Sustain 8000 Fe

Fishers all around the globe put the Shimano Sustain 8000 Fe reel at the top of their list. The reason is the Sustain Fe is both durable and will last. It makes for a great fishing experience.

The Sustain FE features the new Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement, Propulsion line Management System and Aero Wrap II Oscillation. That doesn’t mean a lot to me other than it can cast a country mile, year after year.

These are just some of the features of three top class Shimano reels and they are worth every dollar spent on them, reliable and durable they are reels that will give many years of great service.

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For a fisherman, there can be few nightmares worse than arriving at your fishing spot and discovering that your favorite reel desperately needs repair or maintenance.  Even though reel repair and maintenance is better left to the experts, you can do it yourself if you are willing to take the risk.  Remember: this type of work requires caution and care, and should only be undertaken by someone who understands the working of the reel!

Preparation

How the project is begun is one of the most critical steps to any job that requires care, so you should prepare accordingly.  Set aside a workspace that is suitable for the job, and make sure you leave plenty of elbowroom.  Make sure that there is space for all of the delicate reel parts.  It’s smart to add a detailed photo of the reel piece-by-piece so that it can be put back together after the maintenance/repair is complete, or utilize a hand-drawn diagram.

Take it apart

Nearly all reels come apart in the same manner, since they are put together in a comparable way (although some reels may vary somewhat).  This step is the most imperative time to photograph or map each section as it is removed, so that you can assure that you will be able reassemble the reel later.  Make sure that you cautiously detach each piece and place it in some type of order (or bag in a labeled Ziploc bag).  Be sure to be particularly careful with very tiny pieces, like screws, springs, and like objects.  Each piece has a valuable purpose, and every one has a specific place in your reel.

The Tools

The tools that you use for repairing or maintaining your reel are crucial to your success.  Make sure that before you get started you have all of them close at hand so you do not need to start looking for something you missed.  The tools that you need include assorted sized screwdrivers (both Philips and regular), pliers, ratchet (and appropriate heads), clean and absorbent rags, reel grease and reel oil.  The final piece of your equipment will be a small brush – most find that a small toothbrush works just fine.

Starting The Disassembly

Your first step is to take the reel apart slowly, taking great care with each piece, to decrease the likelihood of losing or breaking important parts.  Next, you can proceed carefully with cleaning the reel case.  Locate the nut that holds the reel handle in place and remove it.  Turn the drag star counterclockwise and place it to the side.  Carefully remove the side plate, and make sure to keep the four screws holding it on in a safe place.  Separate the main gear assembly.  Remove the spool from the reel case.  Use a rag to remove sand, dirt, and/or old grease.  Grease the whole mechanism.  If the reel uses a worm gear, you have to turn the level wind (inside the left plate) to make sure this gear is greased properly.  Next, you should use a small amount of reel grease to grease all teeth.  Clean the spool.  Oil the endpins.  Finally, you can replace the spool in the end case.

Main Drive Gear Assembly

This is perhaps one of the most critical parts of your cleaning and maintenance routine.  Failure to follow these steps could result in problems down the line.  Make sure to carefully remove the screws that join your main gear assembly. Some of these will be attached to a mounting plate while others will be able to simply be lifted out. Once you have freed the main gear assembly remove any old grease, dirt and sand from the gear assembly. Make sure that you are removing all old soil for best results. Once you’ve completed the cleaning, thoroughly grease the gear assembly.

The next portion of your cleaning and maintenance will involve the main drive gear assembly.  Each step must be followed precisely to avoid problems.

The small parts

Because of the small parts that are involved in this part of maintenance and cleaning, make sure when you place them down you are putting them down in the order you remove them. This will enable you to put them back where they belong and help make sure that your reel is functional.  Diagrams or photographs will be indispensable in this part of the process. The top of your main gear will have washers.

When you remove them place them down carefully (noting the order or removal) and once you have them all removed, clean them, and place clean grease on them and gently massage it into each washer.  Once you’re done, remove any excess grease with a clean rag.  Each washer should be dry to the touch and replaced back into the main gear in the proper order

Seized bearings can be a major problem for some reels, so you need to be sure to thoroughly grease each bearing along all sides or replace the bearing.  Do not attempt to take the bearing apart, or you will wind up cleaning up BBs from your workspace!

Putting it all together

You start by positioning the spool back in the reel casing.  Set the right side plate and gear assembly above the endpin.  Align the screw holes, watching that each side is lined up correctly.  Attach each screw into the side plate.  Reattach the drag star.  Next, you should attach your reel’s handle.

Testing

You can test your work by ensuring that all parts are well anchored and also back where they were removed from.  Using your digital photos (or hand drawn diagram) will help you make sure that everything has gone back to the proper place.

Summary

Most people are not patient enough to repair or maintain a reel.  It’s time consuming and you need not only great eye-sight but an extremely steady hand.  Regardless of the type of reel you’re using – conventional or bait-casting – this set of simple steps can help.

Whether you’re not willing to spend the money or wait the time needed for a professional to repair it, you’ll have sufficient information to repair or maintain your reel yourself. It’s difficult to find a fisherman who does not prefer to have their reel maintained professionally.

There are simply too many things that can go wrong, and there are many things that a professional can quickly and easily identify that are not familiar to you.  Regardless of whether you prefer to do it yourself or have a professional do it, a well maintained reel will ensure that you enjoy your fishing without problems.

There are many great reels out on the market, some of the most popular include: Shimano Reels and Penn Fishing Reel.

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