Coast_Ranger9
Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2025
- Messages
- 5
Hey all, I fish out of Newport and Point Judith, and last season I trashed three reels before I got my act together on maintenance.
RI's salt and humidity are no joke, that's for sure. Here's what I've figured out to keep reels alive.
Salt spray and that damp air will eat your gear if you're not on top of it. After every trip, I spend like 5 minutes rinsing my reel with fresh water. I just get in the drag, bail, all the nooks. Don't just let it air dry either cuz RI's humidity will keep it wet forever. Wipe it down good and hit it with a little oil every few saltwater trips. Saves you from buying new reels every season.
Reels that've held up for me were Penn Battle III, Shimano Stradic CI4+, and Daiwa BG.
On the flip side, most spinning reels under $100 rusted out in a couple months. And if I forgot to rinse after a Narragansett Bay trip? Donezo. That salt fog here gets into everything, even stuff that didn't get splashed on the beach.
RI's salt and humidity are no joke, that's for sure. Here's what I've figured out to keep reels alive.
Salt spray and that damp air will eat your gear if you're not on top of it. After every trip, I spend like 5 minutes rinsing my reel with fresh water. I just get in the drag, bail, all the nooks. Don't just let it air dry either cuz RI's humidity will keep it wet forever. Wipe it down good and hit it with a little oil every few saltwater trips. Saves you from buying new reels every season.
Reels that've held up for me were Penn Battle III, Shimano Stradic CI4+, and Daiwa BG.
On the flip side, most spinning reels under $100 rusted out in a couple months. And if I forgot to rinse after a Narragansett Bay trip? Donezo. That salt fog here gets into everything, even stuff that didn't get splashed on the beach.