ROD MAINTENANCE
Good rod maintenance can be as simple as visually checking the rod, or as complicated as occasionally re-coating the rod wraps on the guides or even refinishing the whole thing. More extensive work involves replacing the guides, handles, and tiptops,fixing loose reel seats, and the like (It is highly recommended that if in the area, bring the rod to The Reel Mechanic). Admittedly, just where maintenance leaves off and repair work begins is subject to interpretation. A new coating on a guide wrap might be maintenance for some and a repair for others. We have taken the position that anything that maintains a rod in it's original working condition is maintenance. Anything that requires actual removal, replacement, or fixing the rod or rod parts is repair.
(TIP- Rinse all rods after each trip, especially if used in salt water. Place them in the shower and use a wash cloth for cleaning around guides and reel seat. I take all my rods into the shower with me at the end of each day. It is easy to clean me and the rods at the same time. Or for light cleaning, a simple way is a garden hose with a simple spray works well).
Ideally rods should be washed off after each fishing trip. But can depend on the fishing conditions. Fishing in clear clean fresh water that kind of regular care isn't as necessary. If the fresh water is murky or fill with algae or weeds, that kind of cleaning is a must. Algae or silt from murky water will be picked up on the fishing line and deposited back onto the guides, around the guide feet, and on the rod blank. When fishing in salt water, salt spray will coat the rod so washing with fresh water is a must to keep the rod functional. Give particular attention to the areas around the guides, guide rings, guide feet, and reel seat. To keep your reel seat working, screw the moveable hood all the way to one end of the barrel, clean the threads with a rag, screw the hood to the other end, and repeat. It takes only a few minutes and will clean away any salt or scum.
Checking Rods
How often you check a rod, and how thoroughly you check it depends upon many things, including how rough you are on tackle, how rough a fishing trip was, and whether you were fishing in salt water or around murky or algae filled water. A check after each trip might be good. In other situations, an annual check is enough.
A careful check of any rod is suggested under the following conditions:
1. After any trip in which the rod has been abused, knocked around, or possibly damaged.
2. When fishing extensively with light tackle for big fish, because such conditions can severely strain tackle.
3. Any time you have a problem casting, fighting fish, pumping a fish, holding the reel on the reel seat, and so on. Such conditions indicate a problem with the rod or reel
4.Anytime you see something wrong with the rod, such as a lose thread on a guide wrap, wobbly guide, gouged cork handle, and so on.
5. When you have been fishing in scummy, algae-or weed filled water, such conditions will coat the rod guides with scum that can cause line wear in time.
6. After fishing extensively in salt water, especially if using roller guides, because rollers can become nonfunctional and clogged with salt spray.
7. Anytime you fall down with, or on, a rod because the blank can fracture or guides can bend or break.
Tight Lines....
|
