As with everything else in life if you take proper care of your fishing reel, it can last many years. Too many people after their fishing trip just put all the fishing gear in the garage and leave it there until they go out again. You may then find that you need a new fishing reel just because you did not give this one proper care. Tips for caring for your fishing reel include:

• Wipe down the fishing reel – if you take just a couple of minutes after each fishing trip to wipe down the reel with a clean dry cloth you will be removing any sand or dirt that can damage the inner workings. These small particles can build up over time causing you problems reeling in the big one.
• Change your line – the fishing line should be changed at least once a month especially if you use monofilament line. The older line can coil more and is of course not as strong as a newer line.
• Set the Drag – You need the drag loose enough to flow off your fishing reel while being tight enough for a hook to set.
• Yearly Clean – every year, you should completely clean your fishing reel by taking it apart, cleaning the interior, and greasing any parts that might need it.