I don't know why he would tell you not to rinse your reels off after using them in salt water. Salt is water soluable not oil soluable. There is a chance of getting water into the internal workings of your reel but hopefully there is oil in there which is not soluable in water. That same chance exists when you fish. The water that may get into those areas will run out taking some of the possible salt contamination with it. JM2C