Knowledgeable fishermen rinse their reels in clean freshwater after each use - even the ones that are saltwater proof. W e have an after-fishing ritual. Reels are removed from the rods and placed in a bowl of tap water. An hour or so later, the spools are removed from the reels, rinsed under running water and set on some paper towels to dry. The next day a drop of very light oil goes on the working mechanism before the spool goes back into the reel body.
T hat s a very small amount of maintenance - and it pays off.
Some of our fly reels are twenty-five years old. M ore about drag systems. The smoothness of the drag, or how far the spool turns before the drag actually engages is important. A better reel. The drag should be adjusted before you begin fishing, and tightened just to the point the reel does not overrun when you strip line from the reel.