The One That Nearly Got Away (Because of a Rusty Reel)

It was early on a crisp Saturday morning—one of those foggy winter starts where your breath hangs in the air and the river looks like it’s still half-asleep. A few of us had gathered at our usual spot by the Gippsland Lakes, rods in hand, full of coffee, and dreams of brag-worthy catches.
I pulled out my old faithful rod—same one I’ve used since the ‘90s. It's been with me longer than my last ute. But as I flicked the bail arm to cast, nothing happened. It was jammed tighter than the pub fridge on a Friday night.
Panic – set in. I can’t sit here all day and not fish.
The other blokes were already casting and chuckling while I wrestled with what now resembled a very expensive paperweight. One of my mates piped up, “Did you oil it lately?”
Of course I hadn’t. But then came the miracle: someone (probably Mick—he’s always prepared) reached into his tackle box and handed me a small can of WD-40.
A couple of sprays on the reel, a bit of a crank, and boom—back in business. It was smoother than a fresh snag sizzling on the BBQ. I cast my line with pride, and not ten minutes later, I landed a beautiful Bream. Might’ve been coincidence. Might’ve been karma. Either way, WD-40 saved my day and my ego.
Since then, there’s always a can in my fishing kit. Because you never know when something’s going to seize up—be it reel, esky hinge, or even the BBQ lid.
Lesson learned: fish with gear that works—and now I always carry WD-40.