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I was wondering what a good way to clean your reels would be after a long day and a lot of fish on the lake. I have a Johnny Morris baitcaster and the outer coating can get a little weird with certain chemicals. After a good day of bass fishing it starts to smell like fish and I would like to clean it.

Curado,

Do you still have the manual that came with the reel? I usually stick with the manufacturer's recommendation for cleaning. You never know what type of finish or coating they used and some cleaners could actually be harmful to the finish.

Sometimes a good rinse with a spray nozzle on your garden hose will take most of the stink out, but it also washes the grease out of the reel and that can lead to problems if you do not re-grease them throughout the fishing season.

I would also be interested in hearing some other methods...

BC

I have used glass cleaner in the past with success.
Another great way to do a fair job of cleaning your reels and rods is using reel and line magic ( I beleive it is now reel magic ). Spray a good amount on your reel and then wipe with a soft cloth, it normaly takes all but the worse dirt off. I also spray some on a cloth and wipe down my rods.
I have also used a product similar to Armour All to clean my rods, it will slicken them up for easier casting. I know some who like a light car wax too. The idea is to clean the equipment then apply the wax, it will make it look like new and offer protection while repelling dirt.
Hope this helps, good fishing!

Curado,
I agree with eric on the Reel Magic. It's made by Blakemore Sales, makers of the Road Runner, Branson, Mo. This stuff is designed to lub reels and line to make everything work smoothly. It also helps clean. Most likely, the fish odor is coming from your line and not your reel. You might try cleaning the reel, line and especially the worm gear with spray-Lemon Pledge, the worm gear has a tendency to accumilate scum, grease and bits of dead vegetation which can stink, this is also a great fiberglass cleaner for boats. It will leave your reels smelling fresh and clean. Doesn't get sticky either. Now If I could only get some fish smell on my reels!! Zero degrees and snowing. Hope something works for you, keep in touch, Johnnie Crain Iowa Pro Staff

Here is a quick solution to cleaning anything with smell, grime or some sort of oil substance - use Dawn dish washing soap. It also works to delute any gas or oil spills in the bilge of the boat.

I learned this from the folks around the Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock in Arkansas.
Dan

Another way, but you have to be EXTREMELY careful, is to use ronsons lighter fluid, it breaks down just about everything. I would use a metal (stainless steel) container to hold the excess fluid, and please, don't think it's OK to fire up a stogie while you are cleaning your reels.

First, fill up your sink with hot water.
Next, submerge your reels and let them soak for about 10 minutes. This loosens all of the gunk up. Next, remove the reel and take it apart. Remove the handle, spool, etc. Resubmerge.
Next spray them with WD40 to break down the grease.
Refill the sink with hot water.
Rinse, repeat if nec.
Re-lube to factory specs.
WD40 will not hurt your reels.

This thread proves this is an excellent website for bass fishermen. There are plenty of great tips in these posts to keep your reels working perfectly for many years.

There must be a zillion hours of experience between all the Pro Staff Members listed above. I will try all of the recommended methods. Each one sounds as if it will do the job. I will have to be careful using the system Craig suggested. ( Why? Because I will have dishpan hands when I get back to CT. The name of our dishwasher is "Joe"!
lol )

Thanks to all of you. I continue to be amazed at every post. Great stuff!

PS- Don't forget to tell your friends about
Bassin'USA. We talk Bass 24/7.

Well I finally found time to reply. Been pretty busy. Anyway, the best way that I have found to clean your reels very very good is to lay out a mat(kitchen table or clean destop will work fine) and completely dissassemble the entire reel. I use WD-40, or REM-OIL and a toothbrush and get all that buildup that occurs around the gears, springs, and on the inside covers etc. Afterwards I reapply (very generously) an entire new coat of reel grease to the gears and working parts. Then just simply reverse the order to assemble the reel back together.
For a quick cleaning during tournaments I just simply give the reel a real good soaking with WD-40, or REM-OIL. This process seems to work for me, hope this helps!!
FISH, EAT, SLEEP!!!!!!........PJ

Great info from all. I have always used the Blakemore Reel Magic. This cleans out everything including "Gunk". As well as leaving a great protective film that has UV protection and will not attract dirt, dust and grime. It doesn't build up on the reel and it dries to be odorless and greasless. It will not hurt any of the finishes on any reel out there.

I work at Bass Pro Shops,at the reel counter and we use it on everything coming and going. I use it before every tournament on my Shimano Curado's and never have any problems with them. It will also take away the fish odor from your line. Just spray it directly on the line while it's spooled on the reel and forget about it. Like I said above it dries quickly and leaves no residue. Personally, I think it's the best product on the market. That's a personal opinion and as we all know, you know what that's worth.

Best of luck,

Ronnie Long - Harrisburg, NC
Bassin' USA Prostaff