# Reel dunking



## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

I keep seeing posts online with people dunking their reels into saltwater for their grip and grins. My reel is sealed pretty well, but I'd never even consider doing that. Is that a common thing, or more just people with sponsorships who don't care if they destroy their equipment. Even pics with reels laying in the sand on the beach.....😬


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

Seems this has already been hashed on past thread,but may be having a senior moment. But yeah, try to keep my stuff out as much as possible. Surf sometimesmakes it tough.


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## jackson man (Aug 13, 2020)

AZ_squid said:


> I keep seeing posts online with people dunking their reels into saltwater for their grip and grins. My reel is sealed pretty well, but I'd never even consider doing that. Is that a common thing, or more just people with sponsorships who don't care if they destroy their equipment. Even pics with reels laying in the sand on the beach.....😬


The saltwater dunkings won't hurt as long as you flush with plenty of freshwater after use. The sand can really wreak havoc with the internals. I try to never set my reels in sand if at all possible.


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## HunterOnFly (Apr 15, 2020)

In a similar way I find it funny when guys get out of their extremely dry riding skiff into chest deep water for fish pics.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

When I see reels laying in the sand, or submerged in saltwater just for the photo it makes me wonder who gets their stuff for free. I also get a laugh when guys kneel down into ankle deep water for photos.


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## tight_lines_fl (May 10, 2018)

I tend not to worry about it seeing as how it's not mine to care about


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Every time I see one of those stupid photos I'm reminded of a retired high school shop teacher I fish with occasionally. He's told me that many of his students come to class not even knowing how to use a screwdriver.. True story - wish it weren't...

No it's not a good idea to dunk any fishing reel in the salt, period. I first learned to repair reels at the very first shop I worked for (Reef Tackle, 79th Street Miami --- in 1972....). If any reel has been dunked in the salt - make a point of a thorough freshwater rinse as soon as possible - then get ready for trouble a few months later.... "ask me how I know"...

Yes there's many high end reels that do come with sealed bearings and drags these days.. None of them are perfect and you're tempting fate if you think otherwise...

I'll get down off of my soapbox now... but can still remember a really skilled old time reel repairman looking at me with a smile and asking - just exactly what I'd been doing with the reel he was attempting to take apart... Over the years I've actually torn down and repaired commercially used fishing reels by the bucket full at times. Some of them needed a "hot wrench" or even a drill to dis-assemble.. Why would anyone risk a high dollar fly reel by deliberately dunking it in the salt?


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Go spend a week in the Seychelles and tell me how you go about keeping your reel out of the salt. Buy freaking gear made to handle it. Do I dunk my reels on purpose? Heck no. But I have had them in salt many many times. Rinse them off at the end of the day and never an issue.


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## loganlogan (May 8, 2020)

lemaymiami said:


> Every time I see one of those stupid photos I'm reminded of a retired high school shop teacher I fish with occasionally. He's told me that many of his students come to class not even knowing how to use a screwdriver.. True story - wish it weren't...
> 
> No it's not a good idea to dunk any fishing reel in the salt, period. I first learned to repair reels at the very first shop I worked for (Reef Tackle, 79th Street Miami --- in 1972....). If any reel has been dunked in the salt - make a point of a thorough freshwater rinse as soon as possible - then get ready for trouble a few months later.... "ask me how I know"...
> 
> ...


I enjoy the "ask me how I know" statements that you make. I've learned many things the hard way, but hopefully will remember yours at the right times. I'm making mental notes, thanks.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

It's their equipment, so what. Don't think it's a good idea for you to dunk your reel, then don't do it. Besides, we aren't talking about some levelwind baitcasting reel that has 10 bearings and a 100 little parts, its a fly reel. They aren't complicated.


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## RJTaylor (Oct 4, 2017)

el9surf said:


> When I see reels laying in the sand, or submerged in saltwater just for the photo it makes me wonder who gets their stuff for free. I also get a laugh when guys kneel down into ankle deep water for photos.


It's a hair worse than those posing with a fly rod sitting backwards on one's shoulder like an O/U shotgun.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

But it’s cool


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## mmccull5 (Nov 15, 2012)

I'm so OCD that even if a rod on the boat was not used, I'm still rinsing it...


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

mmccull5 said:


> I'm so OCD that even if a rod on the boat was not used, I'm still rinsing it...


I flush my outboard with Salt Away and use the pee stream to rinse my reels and guides. Two birds, one stone.


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## mmccull5 (Nov 15, 2012)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I flush my outboard with Salt Away and use the pee stream to rinse my reels and guides. Two birds, one stone.


Damn that's great. Thanks for the tip!


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

eightwt said:


> Seems this has already been hashed on past thread,but may be having a senior moment. But yeah, try to keep my stuff out as much as possible. Surf sometimesmakes it tough.


I'm sure it's been covered before, my bad I didn't search it out. I understand surf fishing it's almost impossible to keep the reel dry while out there casting. I was more talking about people deliberately dunking the reel for pictures. Seems like it's becoming a common trend.


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## Thtguyrobb (Nov 1, 2019)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> But it’s cool


Agreed, impractical, but cool nonetheless


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

el9surf said:


> When I see reels laying in the sand, or submerged in saltwater just for the photo it makes me wonder who gets their stuff for free. I also get a laugh when guys kneel down into ankle deep water for photos.


Yep, it's kind of odd.


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

jay.bush1434 said:


> It's their equipment, so what. Don't think it's a good idea for you to dunk your reel, then don't do it. Besides, we aren't talking about some levelwind baitcasting reel that has 10 bearings and a 100 little parts, its a fly reel. They aren't complicated.


Haha, funny story there. When I first started fishing corpus I was broke as hell. I had exactly one rod and reel and it was definitely not saltwater rated, I didn't even know that mattered back then. I'd always fished freshwater and you could get away with cheap tackle and minimal maintenance. One day my reel was kind of seized up and I was fishing the surf, got hit by a wave and the reel started working again. For the next few months I'd just dunk the reel when it decided not to work properly......obviously that reel met it's maker pretty quickly. I did my best to take care of my next baitcaster but the bearings would eventually rust regardless of how much maintenance I did on it. I love how easy fly reels are to take care of. Most of mine are all sealed drags and machined aluminum but I'd never consider purposely dunking them. They get wet most trips either from fishing in the surf zone or running the skiff in the common 20+ mph winds here in Corpus. Everything gets a good hosing down after each trip and the reels get taken off the rods and rinsed really well in the sink if it's been an exceptionally wet day. You're exactly right though. If it's not mine then why worry about it.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

I take my rods (fly rods in sections) and reels into my walk-in shower after a trip. Rinse thoroughly with warm water, let sit and then rinse again before backing off the drags. No issues other than routine maintenance, but I don't dunk them, either.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

One other minor point about high end reels (or any reel that's worth keeping...). All of them are built with dis-similar metals (those nice bar stock anodized aluminum reels all have stainless steel screws and other fasteners as well as other parts). With that in mind... make a point of thoroughly rinsing off any reel used in the salt at the end of the day - or at the end of your trip if you're going for more than a day... Sure is nice when all the fasteners actually can be removed, tightened or taken apart when needed - without a trip to a skilled tiny parts machinist....


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

AZ_squid said:


> Haha, funny story there. When I first started fishing corpus I was broke as hell. I had exactly one rod and reel and it was definitely not saltwater rated, I didn't even know that mattered back then. I'd always fished freshwater and you could get away with cheap tackle and minimal maintenance. One day my reel was kind of seized up and I was fishing the surf, got hit by a wave and the reel started working again. For the next few months I'd just dunk the reel when it decided not to work properly......obviously that reel met it's maker pretty quickly. I did my best to take care of my next baitcaster but the bearings would eventually rust regardless of how much maintenance I did on it. I love how easy fly reels are to take care of. Most of mine are all sealed drags and machined aluminum but I'd never consider purposely dunking them. They get wet most trips either from fishing in the surf zone or running the skiff in the common 20+ mph winds here in Corpus. Everything gets a good hosing down after each trip and the reels get taken off the rods and rinsed really well in the sink if it's been an exceptionally wet day. You're exactly right though. If it's not mine then why worry about it.


LOL, I did the same thing when I wade fished the beachfront while I was in college...broke minds think a like


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

RJTaylor said:


> It's a hair worse than those posing with a fly rod sitting backwards on one's shoulder like an O/U shotgun.


I see that and wonder how it got there. I mean, at least dunking a reel in a pic is a natural position for said rod/reel. That shoulder shit seems like you’d dunk your reel and break your rod with the wrong move. Reminds me off the game pics with folks sweeping themselves with their own muzzle...I always think WTH.


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## MatthewAbbott (Feb 25, 2017)

Surffshr said:


> I see that and wonder how it got there. I mean, at least dunking a reel in a pic is a natural position for said rod/reel. That shoulder shit seems like you’d dunk your reel and break your rod with the wrong move. Reminds me off the game pics with folks sweeping themselves with their own muzzle...I always think WTH.


I would rather put my rod across my shoulder then dunk it in water, lay it in sand/rocks or gnaw on the handle like an angry beaver...


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

It’s also easy to assume what happened from a picture. One could easily assume I jumped out of my skiff just to take this picture below.

I occasionally wade fish a good distance away from the skiff and have to land fish by myself. Depending on the size of the fish I sometimes have to dunk my reel to grab the leader and land the fish. Once the fish is in hand I’ll usually lift my reel out of the water for a quick picture if fishing with someone. I agree it’s stupid to dunk your reel just for a picture and the only time I do it is to land fish.

This particular day (more than 2 years ago) was pretty good and my reel was dunked 6 times. Reel still works like new as I ensure to rinse it thoroughly when I get home. Plus I think Lamson does a great job of sealing their reels.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I'm normally less concerned about the reel than the fish...honestly. If you use decent quality gear it should be able to handle a little dunk here and there while you are handing fish. Just take care of it at the end of the day...


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## ButterDawg (Jan 4, 2021)

ifsteve said:


> Go spend a week in the Seychelles and tell me how you go about keeping your reel out of the salt. Buy freaking gear made to handle it. Do I dunk my reels on purpose? Heck no. But I have had them in salt many many times. Rinse them off at the end of the day and never an issue.


Similarity, I spend a decent amount of time surf fishing for stripers up north and it’s basically unavoidable for the reel to not get dunked or hit by a wave once in a while.

Modern sealed drags seem to hold up pretty well as long as you rinse diligently after you’re done fishing. I’ve never been one to baby my gear and haven’t needed to send any reels back to Nautilus yet (_fingers crossed_)


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

I pay for my reels so I try not to dunk them. But if I dunk it in salt I dunk it in fresh rather than just a rinse. Tibor recommends you keep the drag tightened when you rinse then so water doesn't enter the disk surface then back it off after it dries.


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## karstopo (Nov 28, 2019)

Fly reels seem to be infinitely less fussy about saltwater and salt spray exposure than low profile baitcasting reels. I’ve yet to have a machined and anodized AL fly reel go bad on me in spite of doing only minimal freshwater rinsing when I remember to. But, I try hard not to dunk them and they only ever get dunked in saltwater when I take on an unexpected breaking wave or something, certainly not to pose for a photo. None of my reels are heirloom quality or anything and I’m not trying to baby them so I can turn around and sell them someday either.


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## brokeoff (Sep 2, 2016)

It’s starts with a great marketing. A bunch of professional fly fishermen catching the fish of a lifetime once a month and dunking their sealed drags under water then posting on IG. Then literally every huge fly fisherman thinks to themselves, “maybe that’s what I need.” Problem is that the huge fly fisherman is confusing the impenetrable seals on the beautiful reel with the opportunity to fish those flats and the ability to put the fly where it needs to be and when it needs to be there. So then the huge fly fisherman buys said reel and catches a regular fish and posts it on IG. Would you look at that! Guess where the reel is in the photo...you got it! Bottom of the ocean.

Also, are we really being honest when we say that a photo isn’t all that important in fly fishing?

The clear flats of the Indian Ocean, with a sealed drag laying right next to a massive GT being held by a total hunk. What do you want me to change about this picture?


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