While on my fruitless hunt for reds last weekend I noticed that my Lamson Konic reel was squealing a lot during retrieval. I thought maybe there was a mouse in it so I decided to take it apart this week. The last thing I needed was a mouse dying in my reel.

I’m really pretty good about giving my gear a good freshwater bath after use. Even if I don’t use the spare rod/reel it gets a bath also. Paddles, stakeout poles, CPR board, everything. I even strip all the fly line off and give it a good wipedown. What I don’t do is break stuff down and clean inside.

Now granted, this reel is secondhand and I don’t know when my buddy last cleaned it. However, it was a good reminder to make sure I do a little more than I have. Once I popped the spool off and removed the gland cap, I found the bunch of fine sand and salt around the clutch and inside the drag assembly.

I took a toothbrush and some freshwater to it but probably should’ve used some Simple Green. I think I might pick up some Salt-X and give that a shot. So take care of your valuable gear, guys. It’ll take care of you. 😉