Proper lubrication of reels, and rods is extremely important if we are going to have a chance at catching a fish of a lifetime. There are lots of reel lubrications out there; Abu Garcia, Penn Reel Lube, and 3-in-1 to name a few. All of these work very well, but I have come upon a new lubricant that seems to work as well as any of the rest and will purportedly last longer than any of them, Militec-1, a new product distributed by Lanigan Performance Products. And it is like the new engine oil treatments that perform some type of molecular bonding for friction reduction. Only this stuff really resists saltwater and corrosion in the same bargain!
I tried some of it on some of my reels that needed cleaning and lubing some months ago. The instructions say that a little goes a long way, and they are right. I used only a drop on each lube point on the reel, and it worked as well as other lubes that required more application.
I have fished with freshly oiled or lubed reel, and invariably, the excess oil and or grease oozes out of the reel and onto the line or my hands. Folks, nothing runs a fish away from a bait faster than oil and grease, and once it's on your hands, it's on your bait.
With Militec-1 the small amount of lube that I used never came out of the reel and onto my hands. I was totally pleased.
On a tip from the manufacturer, I applied a small amount to the ceramic guides on my rods. The molecular bond would make the surface even smoother, I was told, and thereby allow longer casts. I have done that, and although it does appear to help, I have no scientific way of determining the actual benefit. But it sure didn't hurt, and it will keep corrosion off the eyes.
Militec-1 can only be ordered online, and it is shipped quickly. I found it to be a very good lubricant, well worth the time to try. Oh – by the way – the instructions say not to use this on any drag parts, because the friction removal qualities will render the drag inoperable. Just on a whim, I tried it on an old reel. They are definitely right. I could not tighten the drag tight enough to prevent me from pulling line off the reel. There was simply not enough friction to hold the drag!! Quite a product!
