New at Sweeney’s: Reel Repair & Service.
Today we are covering:
New at Sweeney’s: Reel Repair & Service Is Here
Catch Of The Month Contest.
Live Bait Update
New at Sweeney’s: Reel Repair & Service Is Here
Sometimes the best additions to Sweeney’s aren’t really planned.
They walk through the front door. That’s pretty much how we met Tony.
Tony originally found us through our used fishing gear program, submitting some of his collection through the Sweeney’s website. After a few missed connections and several trips to the shop, we finally got a chance to meet.
And somewhere in that conversation we discovered something pretty important:
Tony has been repairing fishing reels for roughly 25 years.
Even better, there’s a Sweeney’s connection to how the whole thing started.
It Started With a Reel 25 Years Ago
About 25 years ago, Tony had a reel that wasn’t working properly. He brought it to Sweeney’s.
At the time, we didn’t repair reels ourselves, so the reel was sent elsewhere for service. When Tony got it back, something wasn’t right. The reel still had the same grind and felt like it had barely been touched.
Instead of giving up on it, Tony decided to learn how fishing reels actually worked.
That frustrating experience eventually turned into a passion that has lasted more than two decades.
Today, Tony services and repairs reels and runs the Back On The Bench Reels YouTube channel, where he has created nearly 600 educational videos covering reel disassembly, cleaning, repair and rebuilding.
And now we’ve come full circle.
You Can Now Drop Off Reels at Sweeney’s
We’re excited to make Tony available as a resource to Sweeney’s customers.
If you have a reel that needs service or repair, you can bring it into the shop and leave your contact information with us. Tony will pick it up and communicate with you directly about the work, cost and repair.
A standard service is generally around $30 and includes:
Disassembling the reel
Cleaning it thoroughly
Lubricating the reel
Reassembling it
Testing it before returning it
If the reel needs replacement parts or more extensive repairs, those costs will be discussed separately.
Sweeney’s isn’t taking a cut or adding a service charge. Payment and repair arrangements are handled directly between you and Tony.
We’re simply helping connect local anglers with someone who knows reels and cares about doing the work properly.
Good Work Takes Time
There is one important thing to understand before dropping off a reel:
This is not an emergency repair service.
If you're leaving for Cabo next week and need your favorite reel rebuilt before the trip, this probably isn't the right solution.
Tony has another career and does this because he genuinely enjoys working on fishing reels. He wants enough time to properly clean, repair, reassemble and test the equipment before it goes back to the angler.
For us, that's actually part of the appeal.
We'd rather connect our customers with someone who cares about getting a reel right than somebody trying to get as many reels through the door as possible.
Another Piece of the Used-Gear Puzzle
This also fits perfectly with something that has been growing rapidly here at Sweeney’s: used fishing gear.
Since launching our trade-in program, we've handled more and more rods and reels that still have plenty of life left in them.
Until now, a reel with a grind, rough bearing or mechanical problem could be difficult for us to consider buying. Having Tony available changes that.
Some reels that might previously have been passed over may simply need a proper cleaning, new bearing or another repair to put them back into service.
That's good for our used-gear program, good for anglers looking for affordable equipment and, frankly, better than throwing away fishing gear that can still be saved.
We like the idea of putting good gear back in the wild.
Want to Learn to Do It Yourself?
Tony is also building an incredible free resource for anglers who want to understand their own equipment.
His YouTube channel, Back On The Bench Reels, has nearly 600 videos showing the process of servicing and repairing different fishing reels.
Search your reel model and there's a pretty good chance Tony has either worked on it or worked on something similar.
His videos aren't quick highlight reels, either. They're detailed enough that you can actually follow along and learn what's happening inside your reel.
We expect you'll be seeing more of Tony around Sweeney’s — and we'll undoubtedly make some more videos together.
In the meantime, if you've got an old favorite reel that's getting rough, grinding, sticking or simply overdue for some maintenance, bring it by the shop.
We'll help get it onto Tony's bench.
Sweeney’s Sports
835 Lincoln Ave., Napa
707-255-5544
Catch Of The Month Contest
Want to be our next Catch of the Month winner? Entering is easy:
Share a photo of your catch on Instagram.
@sweeneys_sports in your post or Tag story.
At the end of the month, finalists will be featured in our Instagram Stories for the community to vote.
If you’re the winner, don’t forget to stop by Sweeney’s Sports to pick up your prize!
The winner receives a $30 Sweeney’s Sports gift card and a feature on our social media.
Keep fishing, keep sharing, and send us your best catch for a chance to win next month!
Live Bait Update
Available this week:
Grass Shrimp
Pile worms
XL Minnows
Medium Minnows
And if you're not sure what to run—stop by the shop and let’s talk strategy.
As always,
We truly appreciate every time you walk through our doors. Thank you for choosing to spend your hard-earned dollars with us. It's a privilege to be of service.
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