Daiwa’s Saltiga series of spinning reels are among the highest performance spinning tackle in the industry, and the price reflects that statement.
They’re made with numerous performance-boosting attributes, including a “magsealed” body that keeps out saltwater and dust, along with a radiation drag knob that helps reduce friction and dissipates heat.
But, like all saltwater tackle, poor maintenance and abuse can significantly shorten the service life of one of these reels.
Which is precisely why we put together this list of four important points that will help you uphold a high degree of care, and which will keep your Daiwa Saltiga spinning for longer.
After Every Trip: A Freshwater Rinse
This is the single most important item to observe if you are a saltwater angler. Regardless of what features or technology, or what special construction your reel sports, never shirk the requirement to rinse the reel after a day on the water.
“Magsealed” or not, a Daiwa Saltiga (or any saltwater reel) will not be long for this world if you don’t give it a rinse with freshwater after every single trip in the salt. This will clear salt deposits off the reel, giving it a fighting chance against seizure, corrosion and parts failure.
By the way, this does not mean that you need to shoot the reel with the hose when you get back to port, and in fact, you should not do that, even though it’s the very thing that many fishermen do.
This is because pressurized water directed at a reel can get inside the bearings and under the outer surface of the reel, where it will do more harm than good because it can force salt deposits into the reel’s inner workings.
Mist the reel, then wipe it off with a clean, dry rag, before you store it. That’s really all you need to do to keep things working smoothly.
Several Times per Season: Oil Moving Points
We don’t have a set schedule for this, but you should hit most of your Daiwa Saltiga’s exterior moving parts with some reel oil several times per season. If you can, you should do it after every trip on the water, just after you’ve rinsed and dried the reel with some freshwater, as indicated in the immediately previous section.
Some of the points you will want to oil include the reel crank handle, along with the bearings that are accessible from both sides of the reel once you have removed the reel handle. You should also oil the line roller, and remove the spool and oil the main shaft. Never oil the drag system, though.
As you can imagine, keeping your reel properly oiled will ensure that it’s protected against corrosion, not just that the parts move freely, although that is also important.
By the way, if you don’t have a dedicated reel oil, that’s no big deal. You can use reel grease, too, and if you don’t have that, you can use machine or gun oil. These will work fine just as well.
Every Season: Disassemble and Deep Clean
At least once per year, preferably in the winter when most of your tackle will be drydocked (for lack of a better term) you should take your reels apart and give them a deep cleaning and lubrication.
You don’t need to take your reel completely apart every year, but you should remove the spool, the reel handle, and the side plate so you can get at the main gears. Then you can clean each of these pieces individually and treat them with reel grease to keep them turning smoothly, and which will also protect against corrosion and other problems.
Storing Properly
The last note we have to keep your Daiwa Saltiga in better working order is that you need to store it responsibly. There are two big notes here.
Don’t keep it on the boat for any prolonged period of time, and don’t leave it outside in the elements. For one, it will be exposed to salt spray whether it is on the boat or on the dock, and for another, sunlight will damage the line on the reel as well as the rod butt, regardless of what the material is.
The bottom line is to make sure you bring your rod, reel, and other tackle off the boat and inside when you’re in port. Do so and your gear will remain operable for longer.
Here to Upgrade Your Tackle? Shop Daiwa Saltiga and Other High-End Saltwater-Grade Reels Here
In addition to Daiwa Saltiga spinning reels, we also carry spinning and conventional reels from the other top brands in the industry, including but not limited to Accurate, Shimano, Maxel, Okuma, Penn and more.
Shop our complete collection and if you have any questions about any of the reels or other slow pitch jigging tackle we sell, get in touch with us directly and we’ll be more than happy to help.