Ice reel grease/lube/oil

[Van Noord]

After trying a new reel on the ice yesterday I noticed the retrieve felt quite "gummy". It was somewhat cold, -14C and I did not bother using my heater.
I fish a lot out of the shack, as well so I'd like to cure this issue.
Reading online shows that this is likely attributed to the reel being over greased. The reel is an Abu Silver Max 50, not specifically designed for hardwater.

After I remove the grease, what should I replace it with? Avoid grease right? Can I just use some Abu reel oil? Or maybe some of my gun oil?

Thanks,

[SpoonieLuv]

Quantum Hot Sauce is all I use anymore. I typically remove the factory lube right away and apply the Hot Sauce. Love the stuff!

[redneckdan]

Best grease I've ever found for cold weather reels is Mobil SHC Polyrex 005. It doesn't have the oil drop issues that Hot Sauce does.

Unfortunately, it only comes in pails, kegs and drums....

[3300]

Quantum Hot Sauce is all I use anymore. I typically remove the factory lube right away and apply the Hot Sauce. Love the stuff!

X2. when i have to clean vasaline and relube junk reels like the eagle claw in-lines.
they make the oil and grease.
every thing else i bought work fine from the factory out of the box in the cold.

[dunnhuntin]

I just give mine a quick blast of wd40 and have never had a problem in summer or winter to -30

[esox_xtm]

Gears really require grease, bearings get oil. Not following that risks premature wear or inadequate lubrication. I frequently fish open water into the "near ice" season and have yet to find a better value cold weather reel lube that dopey ol' ABU Silicote reel grease. Great stuff, won't stiffen in 0 degree temps or run in 90, cheap, slick and easy to find.

Hot Sauce, Reel Butter, Penn reel grease are all overpriced disappointments by comparison.

2 cents. UMMV.

[slipperybob]

I admit I use Abu Silicote Grease in my Shimano Reels for ice fishing... I used to just use Zebco Grease but ran out of it.  It looked just like Abu Silicote Grease in package.  Same PTFE in grease.

Grease on gears, oil in bearings. 

I will not use Quantum Hot Sauce cuz it bleeds onto other stuff even though it works.  Might have been the cheap reels I tried it with, but I don't have that problem with other stuff.

I have used
Zebco reel oil
Xtreme Reel+ oil
Boca Lightning Lube
Reel X

I've use Xtreme Reel+ for a long time.  I've only started trying Boca Lightning Lube and Reel X, but haven't tried them in freezing temps yet.  Xtreme Reel+ is good to -400 F.  Boca Lightning Lube is good to -50 F.  The thing about Xtreme Reel+ and Boca Lightning Lube is only one drop is needed and honestly I try to use less than a drop on my spool bearings on my baitcasting reels.  For Reel X it seems like I need that full drop or two. 

I've tried gun oil, don't use it.  It does gel up bearings with cold temps.  Hopes Elite Gun oil.

Spinning reels don't require the same lubrication as with baitcasting reel spools do.

[esox_xtm]

My oil choice has served me well for decades. Sure, I've tried a couple of alternatives but this is so good I've pretty much quit experimenting. I was mousing a competitive casting forum looking for a fast durable oil for summertime casting. The competition guys use ATF (that's right, automatic transmission fluid). Dirt cheap, super slick and, used straight, the fastest oil (think light and thin while still providing protection) you will ever find.

Speed wasn't my biggest deal and to have to re-lube bearings 2 - 3 times a day was unacceptable in a competitive fishing environment. I started mixing with Break Free CLP, basically a gun oil. I settled on 50:50 ATF to Break Free. Perfect balance of lightness and longtime protection, never (ever) gets gummy, the BF keeps dirt and grit from actually settling on surfaces so reels are easy to clean.

S'funny, seems like unless you use the "latest, greatest", highly marketed product may as well be using crap. Or so i frequently hear/read. I prefer to let real life field use dictate what works best for my applications. You can talk yourself into a lot of things unless you keep your mind truly open. Whenever I use something new it get a fair test, not just a couple of hours or days unless it's just plain horrible while I try to find the weak spots. If there are few or (rarely) none I just keep beating on it. If it actually proves itself then it becomes my choice.

Works for me, user mileage may vary.

[bird man]

I have been ice fishing for decades in Northern MI, CO, WY, MT, and several other states.  I have lived in CO since the late 80's and usually always fish without a shanty/tent. Temps have dropped lower than -30 F. and I have never had issues with reels gumming up.  Since I also ride bicycles year round I have tired lots of oils & greases that also work tremendously well for fishing reels in the winter. 

Below is a list of products that I have used for both bike and fishing gear/bearing lubrication.  All of the grease products below won't wash out.  If you get a grease that can be used with a bicycle grease gun (not your auto type grease gun) you will be able to add very small drops of lube to a precise point.  Most high end bicycle lube companies make them such as Finish Line, Weldtite, Pedro's, ...etc.

Grease (not in any specific order of preference):
  Weldtite TF2 Grease Gun With Teflon Bike Grease (-30 to 130F.)
  Finish Line Premium Grease with Teflon (-65 to 500F.)
  Finish Line Ceramic Grease (for those reels with ceramic gears)
  Park Tool PPL-1 PolyLube 1000 Lubricant
  Tri-Flow Synthetic Grease with Teflon
  Pedro's Syn Grease Plus
  Shimano Dura Ace Grease
  Dumonde Tech Pro X Freehub Grease (-30 to 300F.)

Oil lubrication (again not in any specific order):
  Tri-Flow Superior Lubricant (-60 to 475F.)
  Spin Doctor Wet Lube
  Finish Line Ceramic WET Lube
  Dumonde Tech Freehub Oil (-40F flow point)
  Dumonde Tech Original Lite BCL Chain Lube
  Finish Line Teflon+ Dry Chain Lube
  Maxima Wet Synthetic Chain Lube

For oil just about any of the Teflon or synthetic bike lubes will work very well.  I always look for the lowest viscosity as  it penetrates into the bearings better.  If I need a light oil lubrication that needs to stay wet than I go for either Tri-flow Superior lubricant or Maxima Wet Synthetic Chain lube. If I need a light lubrication that will dry and still lubricate than I usually use Finish Line Teflon+ Dry Chain lube.

My go to reel grease for all gears in the past two decades is Finish Line Professional Bicycle with Teflon Grease.  I have had a 3oz tube of this for at least 10 years and it is still 1/2 full.  A little goes a long ways!

The next time you are looking for lubricants that work in very low temps check out your local bike shop.